Thinking About Becoming a Prison Nurse

[ASG]

I would definitely not be bragging about COs and inmates stopping, staring and whistling and the like. 

You were there for a few minutes/hours. What happens when this is a constant on your day? Obviously the male nurse wouldn't know anything about it, cause he is not likely to be the target of that kind of harrassment. 

And they were doing that IN FRONT OF THE NURSE SUPERVISOR Who did nothing and told you to just ignore it! Imagine what happens when you're on your own!

[Dis]

8 hours ago, ASG said:

I would definitely not be bragging about COs and inmates stopping, staring and whistling and the like. 

 

Where was I bragging?

 

I was simply stating that's what happened because that was part of my experience there

 

But you go for it, spin those words as you normally do lol 

[Dis]

And if I was really relishing in the attention, I wouldn't have just bought $300 of extra large scrubs that are going to hang off me lol 

 

Nope, I want to be safe 

[Dis]

On 9/12/2021 at 2:19 PM, NuevoYorko said:

That's surprising.  It's literally workplace harassment, just like it would be if male co-workers whistled at you in any other environment, except worse because of the environment of testosterone run amok and sexual scarcity.  

 

It's a jungle there

 

My CO friend told me it's like it's own little world with it's own rules and regulations 

 

COs literally fight imamates in their cells, it's an unspoken practice of discipline in the prisons and they do it all the time

 

So if I were to go complain about some dudes whistling at me, I think I'd be laughed at. It didn't bother me anyway. *Not saying I liked it...I feel like I have to make that clear lol

 

But I don't really care 

[Dis]

On 9/12/2021 at 8:04 PM, basil67 said:

Good point @NuevoYorko.  If this kind of sexual harassment is acceptable, what else do they turn a blind eye to?

@Dis I understand that one person's sexual harassment can be seen as an ego boost/good fun by another, but you might want to think about how deep this runs.  If you get felt up as you walk past someone (not the cute guy, the one who makes your skin crawl) , will action be taken?   What about continual, unwelcome propositions?   

So from what I understand from what my CO friends have told me....

 

The COs will be dogs, not all of them but some. They will try their try, hit on me, try to chat me up BUT they're also really protective of nurses and will go out of their way to look out for us

 

So yes they're crude and inappropriate but they will also keep me safe and look out for me every step of the way 

 

One of my friends said he worked in a prison where one of the nurses got attacked by an inmate, the COs beat him, severely and then put the inmate in a cell and let the canine loose on him 

 

Not saying I agree with any of the above, just repeating what was told to me 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Dis

[hajk]

1 hour ago, Dis said:

One of my friends said he worked in a prison where one of the nurses got attacked by an inmate, the COs beat him, severely and then put the inmate in a cell and let the canine loose on him 

Not saying I agree with any of the above, just repeating what was told to me 

@Dis would you want to risk being attacked by an inmate?  

[Dis]

2 minutes ago, hajk said:

@Dis would you want to risk being attacked by an inmate?  

The chances of that are very slim

 

Usually inmates like nurses and don't start problems with them. They do with the COs though because they are enforcers of the rules whereas nurses are caregivers in their eyes ...so my risk of being attacked is much slimmer than the risk COs take 

 

Nurses work in prisons every day and do so safely. Nurses also work in hospitals and get attacked there too so, you take your chances everywhere. At least in the prison I'll be surrounded by security. In hospitals there isn't a lot of security and at my current job there is none at all. 

 

All the COs I met say as long as you're respectful to the inmates, you won't have a problem. They all told me how safe it is and not to worry. 

[Dis]

***I START ON MONDAY!!!***

 

My current job is toxic and unsafe for my license so I am sooooo excited to start something new!!!!

[ASG]

9 hours ago, Dis said:

It's a jungle there

 

My CO friend told me it's like it's own little world with it's own rules and regulations 

 

COs literally fight imamates in their cells, it's an unspoken practice of discipline in the prisons and they do it all the time

 

So if I were to go complain about some dudes whistling at me, I think I'd be laughed at. It didn't bother me anyway. *Not saying I liked it...I feel like I have to make that clear lol

 

But I don't really care 

 

9 hours ago, Dis said:

So from what I understand from what my CO friends have told me....

 

The COs will be dogs, not all of them but some. They will try their try, hit on me, try to chat me up BUT they're also really protective of nurses and will go out of their way to look out for us

 

So yes they're crude and inappropriate but they will also keep me safe and look out for me every step of the way 

 

One of my friends said he worked in a prison where one of the nurses got attacked by an inmate, the COs beat him, severely and then put the inmate in a cell and let the canine loose on him 

 

Not saying I agree with any of the above, just repeating what was told to me 

All of these things would make me run for the literal hills. I don't care if "it's how it's done there". Sexual harrassment in Hollywood was also how "it's done" and it's still not ok! 

But you do you...

5 hours ago, Dis said:

***I START ON MONDAY!!!***

 

My current job is toxic and unsafe for my license so I am sooooo excited to start something new!!!!

Your new job is toxic and unsafe, but hope it goes well!

10 hours ago, Dis said:

Where was I bragging?

 

I was simply stating that's what happened because that was part of my experience there

 

But you go for it, spin those words as you normally do lol 

Like every time you mention male attention, even when it's innapropriate, you seem to relish it, so yes, it is bragging. 

[basil67]

I feel like we are at the same point as when we were warning you to not move in the with the boyfriend who had a child.   I do hope that I am wrong this time and this has a good outcome for you. 

[elaine567]

Just now, basil67 said:

I feel like we are at the same point as when we were warning you to not move in the with the boyfriend who had a child.   I do hope that I am wrong this time and this has a good outcome for you. 

I agree. DIs posts something.
99% of posters say don't do it or do A, B and C but Dis does it anyway or does D, E and F and gets burned in the process...

[Wiseman2]

7 hours ago, Dis said:

***I START ON MONDAY!!!***

Congrats. Enjoy your new endeavor.

[Taramere]

19 hours ago, Dis said:

COs literally fight imamates in their cells, it's an unspoken practice of discipline in the prisons and they do it all the time

So if I were to go complain about some dudes whistling at me, I think I'd be laughed at. It didn't bother me anyway. *Not saying I liked it...I feel like I have to make that clear lol

But I don't really care 

Well yes, in that environment you almost certainly will be laughed at if you complain.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't stick to your guns and make it clear that you find workplace harassment of any sort unacceptable.  There are women all over the world who have done that in environments where they absolutely knew they'd be mocked for laying down a boundary.  They laid down the boundary anyway, despite being laughed at for doing so.  They're the women who help make the world a better, safer place for all of us.

Good luck with the new job, I hope it goes well.

[poppyfields]

27 minutes ago, Taramere said:

Well yes, in that environment you almost certainly will be laughed at if you complain.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't stick to your guns and make it clear that you find workplace harassment of any sort unacceptable.  There are women all over the world who have done that in environments where they absolutely knew they'd be mocked for laying down a boundary.  They laid down the boundary anyway, despite being laughed at for doing so.  They're the women who help make the world a better, safer place for all of us.

Good luck with the new job, I hope it goes well.

Absolutely!!   Have you read about former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson?  She filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News and was awarded 20 million!  She received tons of criticism and ridicule but that didn't stop her because she knew what was happening there was wrong!!

There are federal laws protecting employees from that crap.  And everything you just described Dis falls under the legal umbrella of sexual harassment.  It's against the law and most employers know this!   

Many employers conduct training seminars educating employees/staff/supervisors about it. Including prisons, especially prisons!

Sadly, it does still happen however and when management discovers it, they are obligated to take action otherwise they risk a VERY expensive lawsuit and legal damages.  

Frankly, I am a bit shocked that you have accepted this position knowing you will most likely be harassed.  I mean you were already harassed and it didn't bother you?

Why didn't it bother you?  Being gawked and whistled at by the Corrections Officers?  Lord have mercy.😳

I used to live near a correction facility in CA and felt uncomfortable just walking by and hearing the inmates whistle and make crude remarks out their windows!

I could not imagine working in an environment like very single day?

But good luck Dis, I could feel your excitement in your words, something new and exciting.

I hope it all works out.

Edited September 14, 2021 by poppyfields

[Dis]

I've actually always had an interest in prison nursing

 

I either wanted to do that or hospice

 

So I'm excited I get to try out one of my nursing dreams!

[Dis]

1 hour ago, poppyfields said:

 

Frankly, I am a bit shocked that you have accepted this position knowing you will most likely be harassed.  I mean you were already harassed and it didn't bother you?

Why didn't it bother you?  Being gawked and whistled at by the Corrections Officers?  Lord have mercy.😳

I used to live near a correction facility in CA and felt uncomfortable just walking by and hearing the inmates whistle and make crude remarks out their windows!

I could not imagine working in an environment like very single day?

But good luck Dis, I could feel your excitement in your words, something new and exciting.

I hope it all works out.

I think I'm a little weird because some things that usually bother other people, doesn't bother me

 

And what happened at the prison really didn't bother me. I felt kind of indifferent about it. I expected it. I didn't care about it. 

 

I think we all pick and chose the hills we want to die on and considering this kind of thing doesn't affect me, it wouldn't even occur to me to say anything. 

 

I'm honestly mostly excited about providing good care to people who others believe don't deserve it. I think everyone in the world deserves quality medical care, even criminals and I love providing that for my patients regardless of who they are and what they've done. I took care of a prostitute at my current job. She had just gotten diagnosed with HIV and maybe because of her background she was looked over by some medical staff. I remember it was New Year's Eve and I was in her room hanging her IV and she said, I don't have any family to be with tonight. I told her I didn't either, so we watched the ball drop together and over time we developed a really beautiful rapport. When she got discharged we both cried and and hugged goodbye. 

 

I like listening to the issues no one else seems to care about, I like taking a vested interest in how my patients are feeling, mentally, emotionally and physically, I like going out of my way to advocate for my patients to make sure their needs are met. 

 

If I were anyone else, I'd want someone like me to be my nurse and I'm really proud of that. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Dis

[Dis]

12 hours ago, elaine567 said:

I agree. DIs posts something.
99% of posters say don't do it or do A, B and C but Dis does it anyway or does D, E and F and gets burned in the process...

Like I said, I've always wanted to do prison nursing, since I was in nursing school

 

Try not to knock people for following their dreams. This is one of mine. 

 

If I don't like it, I can always leave. Nothing will be lost...I'm making good money 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Dis

[poppyfields]

40 minutes ago, Dis said:

I think I'm a little weird because some things that usually bother other people, doesn't bother me

 

And what happened at the prison really didn't bother me. I felt kind of indifferent about it. I expected it. I didn't care about it. 

 

I think we all pick and chose the hills we want to die on and considering this kind of thing doesn't affect me, it wouldn't even occur to me to say anything. 

 

I'm honestly mostly excited about providing good care to people who others believe don't deserve it. I think everyone in the world deserves quality medical care, even criminals and I love providing that for my patients regardless of who they are and what they've done. I took care of a prostitute at my current job. She had just gotten diagnosed with HIV and maybe because of her background she was looked over by some medical staff. I remember it was New Year's Eve and I was in her room hanging her IV and she said, I don't have any family to be with tonight. I told her I didn't either, so we watched the ball drop together and over time we developed a really beautiful rapport. When she got discharged we both cried and and hugged goodbye. 

 

I like listening to the issues no one else seems to care about, I like taking a vested interest in how my patients are feeling, mentally, emotionally and physically, I like going out of my way to advocate for my patients to make sure their needs are met. 

 

If I were anyone else, I'd want someone like me to be my nurse and I'm really proud of that. 

Okay fair enough Dis and I won't judge because hell I wanted to be a criminal defense attorney!  My hope was to defend the innocent but of course we can't pick and choose unless we're in business for ourselves and frankly I would probably go broke if all I defended were innocent people.

So I had accepted I would probably be defending hardened criminals, murderers, rapists, pedophiles and the like. 

And my thought (at the time before I switched gears) was according to the Sixth Amendment of our Constitution everyone has the legal right to an attorney and a proper defense.

So I DO get it, and I admire your strength in being able to brush that * off and your resolve.

I think you will be great at it!!  

Good luck!

 

[Wade Lamare]

Dis, my sister worked as a nurse at our local prison and although she initially liked the job she ended up finding it very stressful and tiring and had to resign.

There are an awful lot of drug abusers and similar in prison and the constant emotional toll and misery involved in dealing with addicts, people in pain because they are separated from their families etc gradually wore her down. However I totally agree that you have to follow your dreams and I hope your career is a fulfilling one.

On the wolf whistles etc, in my previous job I had to occasionally visit the local prison and was sometimes escorted through the women's section. I can now totally understand how women say that they feel like a piece of meat when they walk past a group of men.

I'm a very ugly guy but even so I was openly and blatantly ogled and received giggles and comments as I walked past, "nice butt", "bet that's a mouthful". By the second or third day the comments had died down and I became just like a temporary piece of furniture to them.

Providing you have robust boundaries you should be fine, temptation is in almost every workplace. In places like prisons shifts and duties are rotated so that you aren't working with the same people all the time for obvious reasons.

[NuevoYorko]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:08 PM, poppyfields said:

 

Frankly, I am a bit shocked that you have accepted this position knowing you will most likely be harassed.  I mean you were already harassed and it didn't bother you?

Why didn't it bother you?  Being gawked and whistled at by the Corrections Officers?  Lord have mercy.😳

 

There are still women who find being cat called,  groped, sexually harassed in any kind of way to be flattering and a confirmation of their desirability.  It's too bad.  

[Dis]

Update!  

 

Well...wow. The prison is insane. The inmates are uncuffed, passing you in the halls and uncuffed in the infirmary while I'm up close and personal with them and many times the COs aren't present. It's nerve racking to say the least. Nursing is hard enough never mind having to do my job while in potential danger for 8 hours a day. I know the chances of something happening are very slim but because I'm not used to it yet, I'm unsettled. I don't know if nurses ever get used to it but the nurses I've trained with seem calm as clams and not threatened at all. I've talked to them about how they feel and they said attacks on nurses don't usually happen because prisoners don't usually have an issue with us unlike COs. COs enforce the rules whereas we provide care so the inmates feelings between those two departments are very different. 

 

I got to get my hands dirty and go off on my own yesterday. I got to do some assessments and treatments and I loved it! The nurses at the prisons aren't the nicest to the inmates and not exactly the hardest workers either. So when I went in to assess the inmates in the infirmary, they were all surprised and happy with how much I cared about how they were feeling and how I was through in asking them questions, taking their concerns seriously. They said, "Miss you going to be here now because we need a good nurse here who cares like you do.". I just thought that was so rewarding to hear that and I was honestly happy to take a vested interest in their care. I was still on guard while providing care and of course I don't trust any inmate but I treat all of them like human beings and because they're not used to that, it makes them really happy and easy to deal with. Just made me feel good. I can't do my job without caring and I'm glad they took note of that and trusted me. 

 

It's definitely going to be a significant transition though because working in the prisons is like being in a whole new world. 

 

When I walk through the pods it's like walking into a movie, hoards of dangerous men, yelling and trying to get my attention. They're all out of their cells and my only defense is one CO behind me while I walk right through the crowd. Feels unreal. 

 

I was caring for an elderly inmate who was vomiting yesterday and all the sudden I got the chills all over...like I was in the presence of evil. I googled him when I got home and turns out, he tortured and brutally raped four teenage girls in the 80's. And I didn't just get the chills from him. I get them quite often there so now I know when I do, I'm around someone who really hurt or killed someone else. 

 

I like the adventure though, I just have to adjust so my anxiety lessens and I can settle in. I hope I can make a difference there. 

Edited September 24, 2021 by Dis

[Taramere]

4 hours ago, Dis said:

When I walk through the pods it's like walking into a movie, hoards of dangerous men, yelling and trying to get my attention. They're all out of their cells and my only defense is one CO behind me while I walk right through the crowd. Feels unreal. 

 

I was caring for an elderly inmate who was vomiting yesterday and all the sudden I got the chills all over...like I was in the presence of evil. I googled him when I got home and turns out, he tortured and brutally raped four teenage girls in the 80's. And I didn't just get the chills from him. I get them quite often there so now I know when I do, I'm around someone who really hurt or killed someone else. 

 

I like the adventure though, I just have to adjust so my anxiety lessens and I can settle in. I hope I can make a difference there. 

Yeah that (bolded part) sounds like the experience I had in my twenties when I had to visit a prison as part of a placement.  I remember feeling like Edward Scissorhands while I was walking...basically, rigid with anxiety but just trying to walk through it.  I don't really know what to say about the anxiety reduction thing.  Anxiety comes from instincts which we have for a reason.  In normal day to day situations those instincts can do us more harm than good - but in a situation like you're in, the usual rules about suppressing your instincts don't apply, because you are in fact in a genuinely dangerous environment. 

When you're talking about other nurses being hardened, that's probably where it comes from.  Much like COs, police officers and anybody else who's doing a dangerous job day in, day out.  They're having to rely on instincts that people in non-dangerous jobs don't have the same need of.  And I would say that increased aggression is an almost inevitable by-product of constantly using and relying on  heightened instincts.  I'd be very surprised if you could stay in that job for a lengthy period of time, and not find yourself developing the tougher, more hardened approach you've seen in other nurses.  

[Dis]

On 9/24/2021 at 5:30 AM, Taramere said:

Yeah that (bolded part) sounds like the experience I had in my twenties when I had to visit a prison as part of a placement.  I remember feeling like Edward Scissorhands while I was walking...basically, rigid with anxiety but just trying to walk through it.  I don't really know what to say about the anxiety reduction thing.  Anxiety comes from instincts which we have for a reason.  In normal day to day situations those instincts can do us more harm than good - but in a situation like you're in, the usual rules about suppressing your instincts don't apply, because you are in fact in a genuinely dangerous environment. 

When you're talking about other nurses being hardened, that's probably where it comes from.  Much like COs, police officers and anybody else who's doing a dangerous job day in, day out.  They're having to rely on instincts that people in non-dangerous jobs don't have the same need of.  And I would say that increased aggression is an almost inevitable by-product of constantly using and relying on  heightened instincts.  I'd be very surprised if you could stay in that job for a lengthy period of time, and not find yourself developing the tougher, more hardened approach you've seen in other nurses.  

Yeah I don't doubt that after awhile it's a natural and easy thing to become hardened and I don't pass any judgment onto that at all. I just want to enjoy being the best nurse I can be while it lasts. I do think the nurses there could work harder and provide better care though. There's a lot of sitting at the nurse's station eating and gossiping. 

 

As you said about the anxiety issue, it's hard to talk myself down because I am actually in potential danger. It's not like it's just nerves related to a non issue. I got to work early today so I'm sitting in the parking lot and so far I feel better today. I hope I'm starting to adjust. I don't think I'll ever feel at ease and I shouldn't, but I just don't want to be a trainwreck before work either 😆

[Taramere]

15 minutes ago, Dis said:

Yeah I don't doubt that after awhile it's a natural and easy thing to become hardened and I don't pass any judgment onto that at all. I just want to enjoy being the best nurse I can be while it lasts. I do think the nurses there could work harder and provide better care though. There's a lot of sitting at the nurse's station eating and gossiping. 

 

As you said about the anxiety issue, it's hard to talk myself down because I am actually in potential danger. It's not like it's just nerves related to a non issue. I got to work early today so I'm sitting in the parking lot and so far I feel better today. I hope I'm starting to adjust. I don't think I'll ever feel at ease and I shouldn't, but I just don't want to be a trainwreck before work either 😆

You'll definitely need to develop a strategy for switching off quickly and unwinding when you've finished a shift, and be disciplined about keeping to it.

[Pumpernickel]

@DisThat environment sounds scary.

Are prison nurses allowed to use stuff for self-defense? Probably not a gun, but like pepper sprays and such? Or is that prohibited? It probably depends on each facility’s policy, but I’m just curious. Because if they don’t send a corrections officer with you when you do a physical exam or a blood draw and whatnot, and you’re all alone with the inmate, you’d think they would encourage some sort of self-protection. OTOH I also see a risk with that like when a prisoner takes that from you, he could easily endanger other people in the building. 
Do they offer self defense classes?