[nreb]

Hi I have been an inactive RN since 1980 because I chose to stay at home and raise a family and since have worked in the family retail business. I am anxious to return to nursing , am not picky about where I work but want to feel like I am making a difference. Does anyone know of a good refresher course in the Cincinnati, Ohio area? Tri Health offerred one that ran from Sept through November but I do not know if they will offer another next year.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou. NREB

[leslymill]

http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/

I would contact the Ohio State Board. There are lots of refresher courses, but not all are approved by every State Board.
Might save them and you heart ache if you find out which ones they have already approved.

[marinemom07]

I returned to nursing after staying at home to raise my children for 12 years. I was a dialysis nurse previous to staying at home. I went back to work in dialysis for 4 years and was physically exhausted by the work. I switched to ICU nursing in May and could NOT be happier! It was quite an adjustment to go from outpatient care to an intensive care setting. I have found that it is kind of like riding a bike-if you were good at it, if you love what you do-it really comes back. Also a fabulous, intensive 6 week orientation program didn't hurt either. Now at 48 years of age I work nights in ICU and I love it. I never thought my life would take this turn!

[jlcole45]

I left nursing about 4 years ago mostly out of boredom and followed another career path which has turned out to be a lot more work and hours then I want in my life now at 45 yo.

So I to am looking very seriously at returning. It's good to hear your positive comments (marinemom07). Sometimes we need a break from it to realize it's not as bad as we thought and is some cases better!

I think it's just a matter of time before I completely transition back - got to figure out a graceful way of getting out of my current management job.

[Franemtnurse]

Originally Posted by Marie-123

Kathryn, I went thru returning from inactive status to active status after being a stay at home Mom for 7 years. First I went to take a CPR class at our local hospital to gain alittle knowledge and confidence. Then I renewed my Nursing Journals and began reading and reading. I shared all my steps to prepare at my first job interview and was hired out of a 2 inch stack of applicants. Remember Nursing is a revolving circle that even when in practice you are constantly using reference Books attending education from insevices, Nursing Journals and now we have the internet as a resource to keep up with forever changes in the medical world. I learn something new everyday that I go to work from fellow nurses, patients, and Doctors. So keep up. And this is my first post on this web site as I joined today! This is all new to me and exciting!!!!

Marie

:groupwelcome:of Allnurses, Marie. Come on in and get to know us.

[aloha551]

I'm returning to practice after a long absence due to back problems. I am feeling unsure of myself and I question my skills. Don't know if I'll get hired again. So I've decided to take a refresher course at the local community college, say a BIG prayer then dive right in. I'll either sink or swim. And if I prepare myself the best I can and it doesn't work out,I'll know I gave it my best shot. ALOHA.....

[jlcole45]

Originally Posted by aloha551

I'm returning to practice after a long absence due to back problems. I am feeling unsure of myself and I question my skills. Don't know if I'll get hired again. So I've decided to take a refresher course at the local community college, say a BIG prayer then dive right in. I'll either sink or swim. And if I prepare myself the best I can and it doesn't work out,I'll know I gave it my best shot. ALOHA.....

Diving into a refresher course and saying a prayer is as good as any advice I can give!

Good luck and trust that your skills will return. I was in ACLS today for the first time since 2001? A few things have changed but it felt good to be back at it.... it felt familiar and comfortable. And this has reinforced my decision to return to nursing.

[sheRN]

Good luck, thinking of going back to nursing myself.
I've been working in pharma research for past 3 years and find it a bit dull and unrewarding. All of that on top of 60 hr work weeks for comparable pay (if I worked the same number of hours in hospitals I'd make more $).
I've been bitten by the travel bug in this job however, so I'd be interested in travel nursing after I regain some confidence in my nursing skills. I also don't want to get pulled into a lot of hospital politics-which was a major reason I left in the 1st place.
Does anybody here regret their decision to return to nursing??

[momthenRN]

When I read your post, it was as if I was writing it!! I too took 5 years off to raise my family and when I left nursing, I was a bit burned out from ICU for 7 years and 20 years in hospital jobs in general. The break was what I needed. I moved cross country with my husband's job and got the "bug" to go back to nursing now that my kiddo's were in school.

I started out applying for my license which I never let go inactive but I had to get my license active in another state and that could take up to 4 months. I also went ahead and checked into a RN refresher course approved by the State's nursing board. I found one that offered correspondence courses with an optional clinical program. I took my CPR while I was waiting for my courses to start. I complete my courses in 5 months (you can take up to a year.)

I revamped my resume and posted it online with several hospitals. Many hospitals are now only taking resumes online! To be honest, I was frustrated with the online process. I did not get a response at all! I finally started applying for some new grad preceptorship jobs that were posted for several ICU's here in a large hospital system. The looked at my resume and saw that I had SEVEN years experience in ICU and finally, I got several interviews and accepted a job in October at a smaller hospital. I am now off orientation and working on my own and I really enjoy it. Nursing has changed alot but the skills came back rather quickly. The biggest change I have seen is the fact that patients are alot sicker, the documentation has INCREASED big time, and the new meds and treatments for conditions have evolved. Overall, I like what I do and am back in ICU. You can do it. I have a bad day now and then, but so does anyone else in many professions. Good Luck and sell yourself and your desire to do what you love....

[mamma 4]

I've been out of nursing since the birth of our first son. Now, after 13 years, I'm looking into returning. I live in NJ and have a large re-instatement fee and must find a refresher course. I can't seem to find one close by our home. I've looked into online courses but am leary about finding a clinical situation and preceptor on my own. Has anyone ever done this? Any advice?
Help!