RN refresher programs

Nurses Career Support

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I have been out of nursing for over 10 years and have searched in my area for RN refresher programs only to find that they will only accept those with under 10 year absense from nursing. Nurse recruiters at the major hospitals also are not interested in talking to anyone who has been out of practice over 5 years. So what's an older nurse to do? You can't get hired without a refresher program and they won't take you because you've been out of nursing for too long. It's an actual catch 22. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad due to the nursing shortage. Can there really be a shortage if they won't hire nurses and give them a chance at retraining?

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I didn't realize you couldn't take a refresher if you'd been out for more than 10 years. I'm sorry you haven't been able to find anything. I've been out of nursing for 6 years and I'm taking an online refresher course this fall. Have you looked into online programs?

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I am a recent refresher - I think there are are probably quite a few of us here. Maybe we need our own forum? Anyway, check with your state board. Mine has a list of refresher programs. Contact each one, and if they tell you they can't take anyone that has been out over 5 years ask them if they know who will. Best of luck to you!

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I took an RN refresher last year. There were quite a few RNs there who were out of nursing for 20+ years. Don't give up. There aren't a ton of these classes and some of my fellow students traveled nearly two hours each way to take this course, but they survived. Good luck to you!!

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I took a refresher course last year, I had been out for 9 1/2 yrs, but the colege did say they had had nurses who had been out for 20+ yrs, so there are places that cater for long gaps. My course was online for the theory and then I did the clinical at a hospital convenient to me, organised by the college.

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Also, you may not have a lot of job choices right away when you do find one. I went on lots of interviews where they said - "we really like you, but you have passed the critical 5 year mark" Be prepared for the possibility that it may take awhile to get a job. If the refresher program is offered by a hospital your chances of getting a job there may be higher there.

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