Armor Correctional Health Services Reviews

Pros

Scheduling can be flexible. Pay is OK. Steady work most of the time. Correctional work can be exciting and a good experience.

Cons

Promotions are often given based on who the person is or who they are kin to...not on ability to do the job. This causes a lot of problems, are someone winds up doing 2 jobs., and getting none of the "glory". Difficult to get rid of problem employees if they call the main office and snitch on other people. (Very unprofessional practice !)

Advice to Senior Management

Why put inexperienced people in the top jobs at the sites? Because they are kin to someone? This is a conflict of interest situation, and causes many problems. Yes, it happens !! I could name you a case or 2 , but this is supposed to be anonymous. Jobs posted are not necessarly available. People are chasing jobs that do not exist ! Current job list, please. Even HR does not have a current update. Get payroll on the ball ! People need their money ! Regional managers drift in and out monthly and do not have a clue !!! Lots of dead weight drawing a lot of $$$ at all levels. Being out of compliance means nothing , but you pick and pick about lesser things.

Pros

Teamwork..most of the nurses will work together and get things done when needed...or help another nurse out in time of need.
Always busy...days often go by quick.
Competive wages compared to surrounding correctional facilities.
Benefits and 401k are offered.

Cons

Lack of communication with scheduling.
No real disciplinary action to staff who need it.

Pros

Working with the deputies was awesome, the inmates were very nice and respectful. Everything I learned I had to learn from the deputies because the staff certainly does not want to help you.

Cons

The management never returns your calls, they speak to the employees with a total lack of respect. A few of the nurses that I worked with spoke to the inmates like dogs, refusing even giving a bandaid, not reporting ALL of the meds a pt. is on to the doctor upon entering the jail, tearing up referrals out of pt.'s charts because they don't agree with that pt. receiving help. The list goes on and on. I worked at a particular facility where they had at least 11-13 new employees leave within 4 weeks of starting and it had nothing to do with the fact it was a "correctional setting." It was the way fellow employees and management treated them. That was just in a 5 month period. No matter what this company offers you.....RUUUUUNNNNNN the other way. It would be the worst employment experience of your career!

Advice to Senior Management

GET A CLUE. How many employees have to leave a facility before you will admit there is a problem. Obviously you do not care about the pt.'s or the employees. You only care about the number of contracts you can get so that you can provide the bare minimum amount of care and make that profit margin bigger.

Pros

1.The medical benefits.
2.The company apears to be able to withstand the recession and continues to expand via receiving renewed or new contracts at numerous correctional facilites.
3.Majority of the staff are willing to work and work overtime when it is available.
4.Professionalism that the HCSO extends to the staff enables you to feel a level of security.
5. Experienced staff willing to teach and mentor.

Cons

1. The medical benefits at time leave you trying to figure out if you have insurance, if you have a spouse with insurance sit and figure out which would be best. For it could cost you a pretty penny in the long run.
2. The willingness of staff to work overtime sometimes has a hiccup, as only a chosen few are continuously given that option, and at times outside agency personnel will have a full schedule, while staff members are unable to get hours.
3. At some levels there is NO leadershp, questions will and can go unanswered due to supervisor and administrator not knowing the answers or in many instances it appears they are uncaring.
4. At times it is difficult even with many months prior notice, and the proper paperwork in place, to get school or medical arrangements accomdated.
5. Experienced staff at times being pushed out and inexperienced personnel being brought in for cheaper pay.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep a closer eye on your regional managers, administrators and at your local sites. Things are not always what they seem, some of your administrators have gone way off the reservation and by the time you get this matter back in hand it will be too late. The thousands you are saving cleaning house today, may very well be the millions you lose in contracts later on down the road.

Pros

Armor's salary and benefits package are very good. No complaints with Human Resources at the corporate level. They will be there to support you every step of the way.

Cons

Armor does not have an effective employee training program and promotions with this company are unlikely. Inmates do not receive medical care or medications in a timely manner due to procedural changes made at the corporate level and lack of communication to site managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Corporate is lacking professionalism towards the employees that run their sites. They need to show all employees more respect. They need to promote from within the sites instead of bringing in new people from the outside.

Pros

I was able to work with a very professional Correctional Organization (HCSO)

Cons

Corp management unethical, Middle management unethical, HSA unethical, no communication, unable to get supplies, unable to get medications for patients.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop pretending your a new company and admit to everyone that your just PHS with another name.

Pros

Working in a correctional facility can be very exciting, but I do not recommend for the faint-hearted. Salary wise- very competative. Working conditions were OK, enjoyed working with officers who were professional and who did a good job of care and custody of inmates.

Cons

Mid management, i.e. facility managers and supervisors, were very unprofessional and most times did not havea clue of how to handle staff situations. Much of the information I received was via the officers who received information through their chain of command. If you are thinking of making correctional care a carrer, think again, Armor does not have a retirement savings plan, nor do they encourage continuing education.

Advice to Senior Management

Your facility management staff need to understand that without people on the floor, Armor could not provide the million dollar services for which they are contracted. Remember, the inmates, are your responsibility and are entitled to receive medical care as instructed. They should not have to wait for 3, 5, 7 or whatever amount of days to receive this care. What if it were your family member, would you accept this lack of care/treatment?

Pros

Good compensation package compared to other companies in our business.

Cons

None that I can think of at this time.

Advice to Senior Management

Always listen, even if the suggestion isn't the best...just listen.

Pros

Compensation and benefits - they are not greatest, but could be worse.

Cons

Total lack of respect towards non-management staff, unfair treatment, extremely low morale, unethical hiring (and terminating!) practices. Accusatory, sometimes bordering on defamatory statements given to employees. Most of mid-management is incompetent in effectively dealing with staff. Lack of logic is an everyday occurance in decision-making. The company is not supposed to be a paramilitary organization, yet some members of management attempt to run it as such. Egos come before the interest of the common good. Fragmented organizational structure. Management does not encourage professional training or growth, or the philosophy of "hire from within." Some managers flat-out lie to employees, without blinking an eye. What happened to integrity?

Advice to Senior Management

Please incorporate the following words in your vocabulary: ethics, morale, fairness, retention, teamwork.
Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. It costs a lot of money to hire and train new staff as opposed to keeping the existing one. Discourage the practice of authoritarian leadership. Please! And remember: a company's greatest asset is its staff!

Pros

the correctional care arena is a great place for nurses who are tired of working 12 hour shifts in the hospital because the actual work is much less physically demanding than your typical patient load. The jail is a fun place to work and we have the opportunity to work with corrections staff in addition to the inmate population. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Cons

The negativities are definately the current management in this facility. the administrators are incompetent nurses which makes then ineffective managers. They're unable to perform the daily nursing requirements. The managers sit in an office and shuffle papers around, when they should be out in the working environment monitoring staff and offering assistance when things get to be to much. This tends to be a they say we do environment rather than a teamworking environment! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Advice to Senior Management

Get out of the offices and take a good look at what some of the employees are doing to make your job easier. Be more personable and friendly. Say good-morning when you see someone. take the opportunity to thank someone for going over and above.