Yes, you read that correctly. At my hospital we treat jail inmates. It's no big deal, they're just shackled to the bed and have 2 guards with them every hour of every day. One just hopes they're not a too violent of an offender and that they don't decide to take it out on you.
I'm not going to lie, sometimes, before I walk into the room for the first time, I have to take a deep breath and put on my game face. You know, the professional one, where I pretend to be totally cool and not afraid that some prisoner will reach up and choke me as I reach across the bed to listen to their heart while I'm doing my assessment or something.
Also, these are the conversations I have with my fellow nurses:
Me: "Do I have to chart that skin breakdown under the shackles?"
Fellow nurse: "Nope. Just mention in your note that it's there. Nothing we can do about it."
Me: "Cool." (But inside I'm thinking "WHO AM I?")
And the male patients, particularly, are always excited to have a girl nurse. Hypothetically, the following conversation might or might not have happened recently:
Me: "Good evening. I'm Corrie and I'll be your nurse tonight."
Patient: "How YOU doin'?" (In a very good Joey from Friends way.)
Me (thinking to myself): "I love my life. What could be better then getting hit on by a violent offender? But seriously, dude, you're shackled to the bed 3 different ways. You've got no chance."
Me (out loud to patient): "I'm good. How are you?"
And professionalism reigns.
