Cite? I have never experienced this and I live there.
Several people from England who post on the drug subforum over on Something Awful told me that. I’ll try to see if I can find something more substantial.
e: First result on Google for “drug testing pubs”: Pub customers happily line up for drug testing | Boing Boing
Quadrop, you are right about the steps it takes to get someone involuntary medication. Where I work at though, there are many people who are forced to take their pills, if they refuse that we must subdue them and give them a shot. It is rather sad, but very true.
Were I a judge with the relevant authority, I’d halt that as cruel and unusual. At an absolute minimum you should have to give the inmate an alternative (non-mind-altering) form of restraint as an option.
IMO, having your brain chemistry modified without consent is one of the most intrusive things that can be done to you, worse than involuntary surgery, involuntary sex (rape), approaching involuntary abortion and involuntary bodily mutilation and the like.
How did you get your job? Through the paper?
Whilst this is a laudable belief in theory it’s totally impractical in reality. What should the alternative be? Apply for a court order to give an injection every time someone refuses to take their drugs orally? Depending on the situation that could lead to lasting harm or even death for the person involved.
As someone who has been on the receiving end of a forcibly administered drug because I was too insane to voluntarily take the medicine needed to potentially stop me dying (I was in the middle of a manic episode and could have died from exhaustion had I not been sedated), I have no problem with the fact that it happened or the decision to do it. People who are mentally ill often are not in a position to give informed consent or even know what is in their best interests.
If we were talking about someone of sound mind forcibly being given surgery to remove a tumour against their wishes you’d be entirely correct in your view. In the case of someone suffering from mental illness (who possibly doesn’t even know what’s going on) they frequently can’t make that decision and it has to be taken for them. Again, I speak from experience here, not from a philosophical position.
Probably like this?
neutron star, how not why.
jeredc, when you’re out and about in the “real world” as we like to call it, do you find yourself occasionally noting behavior by others that reminds you of your patients? Do you encounter people you think should probably be checked to see if they need hospitalization? Or is there a clear, bright line between the behavior of your inmates and the behavior of “normal” folk?
“Hey Dad, any openings at work? Really? Cool, grab me an application.”
Not sure how this is a tough concept. 
You probably won’t know the answer to this off the top of your head, but maybe you could ask around for me. How’s the job market for pharmacy technicians in that field? Is the pharmacy in an institutional setting set up the same way as it is in an acute care facility? If so, do you guard the pharm tech when he carries his cassettes to the nurse’s station?
Is it just me or is the question “do you guard the pharm tech when he carries his cassettes to the nurse’s station?” oddly specific? 
How many of the medical staff are really tryng to heal patients, and how many just don’t care because they’re a bunch of rapists and killers?
My opinions are voiced elsewhere, and often. I’ll refrain from hijacking the OP’s thread.
I suspect a greater problem is staff burnout. Some people come in thinking they can make a breakthrough with the killers and rapists. They realize they can’t, and then they feel powerless and pointless.
Can you tell us more about those two? Why are they in there? Why do you like 'em? Are they ever gonna get out?
Edit: Thanks for all the responses, btw. Very interesting thread
If he’s a State employee (as I am), it doesn’t work that way.
Applying for, and interviewing for State jobs can be very different experiences than in the private sector. Same for Federal jobs, from what I understand.
In Wisconsin, one goes to the State employment website, looks at the jobs available and their requirements, fills out the necessary application, finds out what necessary State test(s) need to be taken, takes them, and waits. And waits. And waits.
No bullshit and no question is too far? Okay, I know this is verboten in America, but…what’s it pay?
(Can you tell I’m sick of people being dodgy about this question? It’s just a frickin number, people!)
As he’s a state employee, it is probably published every year. And looking up the state employment website would likely give you the starting pay.
No bullshit and no question is too far? Okay, I know this is verboten in America, but…what’s it pay?
The pay is not great, but for where I live, it is pretty good. I make around $13.99 an hour, but I work a lot, and I mean A LOT, of overtime. I have enough to be comfortable, but not content. The RN’s make a lot of money and do not really do much to earn it. $36 an hour to PRN. We also have the best benefits available in terms of insurance etc. BTW, Quadrop is right, I am a state employee. Nepotism would not have landed me the job. It may be interesting to note, but before this I was a teacher; I could not stand it. I heard the state hospital was hiring so I applied.
**
Can you tell us more about those two? Why are they in there? Why do you like 'em? Are they ever gonna get out?**
One of the guys is 20 years old and just a cool all around cat. He is in there due to a suicide attempt that landed him on a 96 hour hold in a regular psychiatric hospital unit. He refused to take his medicine at this place, so was forced to take the dreaded needle; he is terrified of needles. He struck the male nurse with such force that it seriously injured the guy. The day he was admitted to our facility he was covered in blood.
We listen to the same music, share the same interests; if we had met outside of there we would be friends. He has a great chance of getting out, but he has a HUGE problem with the child molestors and rapists and has no qualms fighting about it. Any women that happen to be on our ward (nurses, social workers) he watches out for; if someone grabs them or insults them he is quick to harm them. He truly is a badass, a former boxer and great athlete. He will get it out.
The next guy is in there for armed robbery. He was strung out on drugs, fresh out of jail, and just out of touch. He is schizophrenic, but normal 99.9% of the time. During that .1% he is totally out of control. He will get out too if HIV doesn’t claim his life first.
How many of the medical staff are really tryng to heal patients, and how many just don’t care because they’re a bunch of rapists and killers?
“I suspect a greater problem is staff burnout. Some people come in thinking they can make a breakthrough with the killers and rapists. They realize they can’t, and then they feel powerless and pointless.” DocCathode
Doc said it perfectly. We had a male RN fresh out of school come in with the idea he was going to change his small part of the world. I admired his enthusiasm, but it only lasted until he was stimied by policy, patients who can’t or don’t care, and a few punches in the face.