Brown oversees four registered nurses and six licensed vocational nurses at Hutchins. She said nursing schools don't do enough to promote a career in correctional facilities, and the students and new recruits who do come through are often astounded at the sophistication of the jail's medical facilities. Hutchins, which has about 2,300 inmates, also employs dentists, radiology technologists, doctors, physician assistants and mental-health professionals. Offenders normally give our medical employees a lot of respect, because they know we're there taking care of them. Normally, but not always, Hewitt said.
Many potential recruits are afraid of the risks inherent in working with criminals.
He said he now enjoys working at Hutchins, because the pace is much slower than it was at Baylor University Medical Center, his previous employer. In here, I have a lot of time to basically sit down and do teaching. Jails have always offered competitive pay. Nurses working behind bars do have the added responsibility of being on guard. They also have to be aware of the security implications of each medical decision.