Pros
Exposure to the most challenging types of behaviour. High acuity mental illness presentations. Increased knowledge of the law and sentencing processes. Decent pay as you stay, regular CPD. Secure car parking. Friendly security staff.
Cons
Clique difficult to navigate. Wariness of newcomers is painfully clear. Security obligations overtake nursing duties. No management support unless you’re favoured. Micro-management. Supportive of their ‘stars’. Clinical nursing skills not valued or highly regarded. Operates in a bubble, culture of bullying those who are perceived as a threat and anyone who ‘speaks up’ against the ‘stars’. Poor nursing practice reporting should be supported not viewed as ‘snitching’. Career advancement only within that hospital and justice system of mental illness.