Secondment to secure unit.

[Choicesgalore23]

I currently work in accident and emergency in my nhs trust. I love my job, however a secondment opportunity has just arisen for the same position but within forensic impatient services. It's a medium to high level unit that houses men who are currently on remand.. I really want to go for it.. But I don't know, I'm a single parent and my daughter only has me.. I guess anything can happen to me anywhere. I would have supervised interaction with these inpatients daily, I just worry about something happening to me. Would it be crazy to go for it or should I just stick to where I am currently? It's the same band but more money, same distance from home, no homeworking which I'm fine with
It's a 9 month secondment with a chance of going perm.

Everyone in the secure unit is risk assessed, you'll be aware of how they might act.

In A&E hundreds of strangers walk through the door, and you know nothing of any potential violent tendencies.

Our A&E department is currently security manned at the moment due to infection control measures..but yes you are quite right.. I suppose if you look at it I am more at risk there..

Secure units can be very depressing places to work, staff are burnt out, it's volatile.
I'm guessing you'll be going in as a primary care nurse or suchlike?

I’ve worked in NHS secure units for years. Always felt safer there than generals. You usually have the risk assessments and clinical history etc. Go for it !

Just as others have said, I've been working on a medium secure male inpatient unit and it's generally much less volatile than acute services because they patients are very well known. You just need to make sure you don't become complacent. Security is tighter too. I've really enjoyed it (quit recently but only because I was offered a much better job which I didn't really expect but definitely not because I was unhappy where I had been)

Are you a woman? I’ve always felt far safer as a woman working in a prison than on the street! There is violence in prisons but violence towards women is extremely rare.