Special thanks to AB Staffing Corrections Nurse Rachel for sharing your story. We appreciate it when our travelers take the time to tell us about their experiences. Rachel works in Phoenix, Arizona, and has her 4-pound dog, a pom-chi, to keep her company.
Thank you, Rachel. Please tell us about yourself.
Of course! I grew up with a father who retired from the United States Air Force and is now building homes in Florida. My mother also has prior service in the United States Airforce and now works as an RN-BSN for the VA Healthcare system. My younger sister lives in Colorado with her husband and first baby.
What made you want to be a healthcare professional?
My mother being a Registered Nurse made me want to be a healthcare professional. I remember her coming home from a long shift or being on call during weekends. She shared the most interesting cases with our family at the dinner table. I was intrigued about becoming a nurse from an early age. I decided to pursue a career in healthcare when I had no idea what I wanted to do during my senior year of high school. I took an aptitude test with nursing as the top three careers listed for my personality.
You chose wisely! In addition to your current contract, how many other contracts have you had, and where were they?
I have worked all over Florida as a staff, temp, contract, and per diem nurse with various agencies.
How did you get into Corrections Nursing? What is your background and experience with corrections or psych?
When I started as a per diem nurse, I worked for a home office with positions in home health, Long-term Care (LTC), Long-term Acute Care (LTAC), and Corrections. I began working primarily in long-term care as I was burnt out from the day-to-day operations in my busy emergency room.
I couldn’t find a position in LTC for almost a month, and my recruiter suggested a local county jail with nursing needs. After some thought, I told her to sign me up for one shift to see if I liked it. I remember walking in my first day a bit scared, but my Director of Nursing was in the lobby waiting for me. She grabbed my shoulder and said, “You will either love or hate it.”
Sounds like you like it! What do you like most about being a Corrections Nurse?
Working in the prison, you see unique cases and work in various settings, just like at a hospital. Primary care, urgent care, med-surg, OB, and emergencies exist. Like my background in the emergency room, there are fast-paced and unpredictable nights. Each day, you work with a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, dentists, NPs/PAs, MDs, and the correctional team. As a nurse in one unit, I get to know the inmates as I care for them daily, and they appreciate those caring for them.
What do you like least?
Just like every job, this one can be physically and emotionally demanding. Inmates can be verbally abusive and antisocial around specific correctional officers. Correctional nurses around me constantly struggle to remain objective, especially after being manipulated by many patient concerns. As nurses, we also face the unknown of rumored riots, lockdowns, and high transmission rates of infectious diseases.
What advice would you give someone thinking about taking a corrections nurse position?
Stick to policies and procedures. Deviation from this will create compromise, and it isn’t a place you want to be. Be courteous and pleasant but not overly friendly. Never share details of your personal life with inmates or in earshot of inmates.
You will be in an environment where you hear a lot of profanity and slang. Be professional, and you will gain respect. Never go into an area with an inmate alone or turn your back on an inmate while working. Keep sharps secure because inmates steal and bring them to the yard. Set limits. If an inmate starts cursing, yelling or becomes threatening, end your visit and let the correctional team take over. You are not working for a hospital, and allowing intimidation or verbal abuse will get out to other inmates in the yard.
What does the facility do to keep you safe as a nurse?
It sounds like a dangerous profession, but the prison has some of the most stringent security measures. As a non-employed personnel, I attended a mandatory week of training where we learned tips and tricks about the job. On-shift at the facility, you are always traveling in twos. Before any inmate interaction, you have a correctional officer that escorts you.
What kinds of activities do you do there outside of work?
There are so many things to do in Arizona. The summer brings extreme temperatures, but I still need to explore the state’s offerings. I could be hiking a trail, visiting the Grand Canyon, riding a jet ski at Lake Roosevelt, or visiting a new restaurant in town.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about your experience?
In the time I have been a corrections nurse, I have made connections with other nurses worldwide. I have made lifelong friends along the way, and I wouldn’t trade this experience I have had. Another important thing I appreciate about being a contract nurse is my recruiter, Jessica. She has supported my time off, contract needs, and requests. I have been working primarily the night shift, and she makes sure to be aware of my sleeping times and is just a text away when I need her.
We are grateful for sharing your experience as a Corrections Nurse, Rachel!
If you want to pursue a career in Corrections Nursing or other Travel Nurse contracts, contact AB Staffing to get started.
