NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Shortage Of Nurses At Nashville State Prison

Shortage Of Nurses At Nashville State Prison

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The DeBerry Special Needs Facility provides acute and convalescent health care for prisoners, and they are hiring for RN and LPN positions to care for the more than 700 patients.

Corrections scheduled a special job fair as they work to overcome stereotypes about pay and security.

Sandra Buford is a registered nurse who has worked at hospitals, nursing homes and home health.

"A patient is a patient that's the way I look at it," said Buford. "Just because they happen to be an inmate, you still care for them. We're nurses first."

Buford's patients are prisoners at the TDOC's Lois DeBerry Special Needs Facility. It's a maximum security prison with a minimal nursing staff. They are in need of nearly 30 RN, LPN and tech support positions.

"We have to be able to provide medical and mental health on a going basis, seven days a week , 24 hours a day - 365 days a year," said warden Roland Colson.

In the past corrections has not been able to offer a competitive salary, but they've bumped pay and benefits.

"Once you experience it, you really enjoy it. It's hard to go back to any other medicine once you've come into this environment. We just hope people are willing to take a look and give a fair chance," said medical director Dr. Lester Lewis.

The second issue was safety.

"There is security staff always with the nursing staff. You're actually safer here in the prison environment than you would be at a local hospital. Local hospital you don't know who's walking in off the street," said Colson.

For Buford the reward of the medical experience and exposure helped her choose this job over another.

"As long as you realize where you are and take necessary precautions its a great place to work. I love it," said Buford.

A job fair this weekend will include a tour, information on pay, benefits and flex schedules.

TDOC Job Fair for RN and LPN position
Saturday, Sept. 12: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 13: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
7575 Cockrill Bend Blvs. Nashville
Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility