CompassDirect Healthcare is looking for Correctional RNs to work at the Kittitas County Jail. If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity where you are treated with respect and can positively impact individuals in need of compassionate care, please apply.
Correctional RN Job Requirements:
Active Washington RN License
Current Basic Life Support (BLS)
Minimum of 1-2 years of RN experience
Recent PPD Test or Chest X-Ray
Clear criminal background check(s) & drug screening
Reliable transportation & smartphone
Benefits:
Competitive wages, paid bi-monthly
SIMPLE IRA with 3% match
Flexible spending account (FSA) with $500 employer contribution + add’l $500 match
No on-call requirements
$350/month healthcare stipend
Aflac vision insurance
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
CompassDirect Healthcare membership for self/immediate family members
Membership to gym of your choice
About CompassDirect Healthcare
We're a locally-owned business that offers flexibility, autonomy, and career support with a personal touch. Our team provides primary care services to members of our clinic at our outpatient direct primary care clinic in downtown Ellensburg. Since 2013, we have also been providing medical care to the inmates housed at the Kittitas County Jail. One of our providers goes to the jail each morning and holds an on-site clinic. In 2022, we added nursing to help meet the increasing medical needs of our incarcerated patients.
Correctional Nursing
Correctional nurses play a vital role in maintaining the physical and mental health of incarcerated individuals. They provide care for a wide spectrum of medical and mental health conditions, spanning the common cold to autoimmune disorders. In some instances, correctional nurses may need to provide emergency care. Many incarcerated people have lacked consistent access to medical care prior to their detention, and they often arrive at correctional facilities with undiagnosed conditions. For example, detained adults are more likely to experience chronic conditions — including diabetes, heart-related problems, and infectious diseases. The job duties associated with correctional nursing are similar to those of nurses working in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Some of the common duties include case management, physical assessments, wound care, medication administration, patient education, first aid, assisting providers with treatments during morning clinic, and obtaining diagnostic testing specimens. Our nurses deliver high-quality care with accountability and integrity, managing cognitive biases to preserve impartial clinical judgment, employing skillful communication techniques like active listening, honest and courteous dialogue, and patient advocacy.
Required Skills:
Compassion: Nurses working in jails must be empathetic and caring. Treating patients with respect and compassion helps them feel valued, and it helps them feel more comfortable discussing their ailments. Our nurses deliver high-quality care with accountability and integrity, managing cognitive biases to preserve impartial clinical judgment.
Adaptability: Patient needs vary from day to day. Every day is different at the jail! This makes the job very interesting, and it requires that our nurses be flexible, adjusting and tailoring care to meet the unique and diverse needs of each day.
Critical Thinking: Self-awareness and being present in the moment are essential in the jail. Our nurses use critical thinking to creatively develop solutions to problems, and to respond to medical emergencies.
Communication: Correctional nurses must be comfortable communicating with patients of various ages and backgrounds. Fine-tuned communication skills help correctional nurses explain instructions, such as how to care for an injury, and relay patients’ medical needs to corrections and medical staff. The skills are also important in effectively communicating with the facility’s staff, especially during emergency situations. Skillful communication techniques like active listening, honest and courteous dialogue, and patient advocacy are essential.
Team Player: Our nurses work closely with various community agencies working in the jail, including Sheriff deputies, mental health professionals, and addiction specialists. Interpersonal and communication skills are crucial to fostering collaboration and patient-centered care within correctional facilities.
Emotional Stability: Incarcerated people face a variety of stressors, such as separation from their loved ones, guilt about an offense, and a lack of emotional support. Consequently, emotional resilience is needed to administer care in a corrections environment.
