in rn refresher course now

Nurses Retired

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I am hoping to return as an RN on a medical surgical floor in a rural hospital soon, but feel the typical lack of confidence right now. Has anybody got a word for me? I am excited and then sometimes I think I must be crazy! I would love to hear a success story from somebody who has been out about as long as I have and your new job in the hospital. I know I can do it, but hope the hospital, should I be hired, will be patient with me and provide the orientation I need to feel confident.

I really appreciate your words of encouragement,

tashby40

Specializes in behavioral health.

Okay, you have defintely help me make up my mind. I am going with the refresher course at Community College in Pittsburgh. That is if my disability insurance will pay for it. They were wiling to pay for the self study course which was cheaper. But, this one already has my clinicals set up, and I think that it will be much easier. However, exhausting after the 1hr and 20 minute drive. My husband is not very supportive. He thinks that it will be too much on me. But, the end results will so justify the means. On Monday,I am meeting with a vocational consultant who was hired by my insurance company. The company is called Genex. I am going to tell her that I choose to get into a HH agency type of nursing. However, I will need a refrehser course first.

How long was your course? I would imagine that it would be very condensed and a lot of homework to do. However, that is fine, as I am 51 and have a lot of time. Currently, my husband does not even live with me to due tohis job. I only see him on the weekends, as he works about 81 miles from where we live. So, plenty of time to put into studying. I will just miss spending so much time with my grandbaby,(see him everyday now) who I absolutely adore. But, when I am done and working, that is just more money to spoil him with.:yeah:

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Hey Iwanna,

Good for you! I have to say that the classroom portion of the class for us wasn't bad at all. The only homework we had was she would give us a diagnosis and have us give an oral report. I did 2 the entire 6 weeks of the course. She let us research online the diagnosis and read directly off our paper. We just printed out the pertinent information and read it to the class, but I learned so much by doing that. We had a total of 3 tests that weren't bad at all. I do have a 14" binder packed with notes that we covered in class. The clinicals are great as we are put with a nurse to shadow and we let them know anything we want to do. I have inserted a foley, iv and given many meds after just a couple weekends. It is intimidating, but well worth it if you want it bad enough. I have 2 more weekends working 12 hour shifts on whatever floor I'm assigned to. I'll let you know how things go. Please keep me posted on your progress. I wish you the very best!

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Texasnurseeducator - I am considering going formy RN refresher course. I summer in Wyoming and winter in Texas. I did not find the person that I talked to at TBON very helpful.

In their information, it says that the first part of refresher is up to the individual assessing the 'student'. There can be as much or as little as the instructor feels that the person needs.

So far, all I have seen are courses that are an already defined time frame.

Are there courses that are given by individual people?

I understand that the minimum of clinical is 80 hours. That is fine, but I have a question on which areas are worked in. Can you do your clinical in the area where you will be working? I will only be working in specific areas due to an injury that has left me disabled.

What can you tell me, please.

You may email if you would like- Thank you.

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Edited by traumarus: Please don't include email addys in the post.

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I had not worked for 20 years. I had no intention of returning to nursing so let all my credentials lapse. After my children had left home I decided to return to the workforce but could not figure out what I wanted. Finally I decided to return to nursing. Maybe it is like childbirth, you forget the pain after time and do it all again. So I went about restoring my license and took a refresher course. I was open to working in a different area of nursing than I had but found nothing else interested me. I took a job in intensive care which included stress, 12 hour night shifts, weekends, and an unbelievably difficult workload. While I love the patients, families and the care, I am having a very difficult time adjusting to the behaviors of the staff. From nursing to respiratory therapists, to x-ray techs, lab personnel, there just seems to be a general lack of respect. I am now one of the older nurses in a unit that is predominiently young. Can that be the reason for the attitudes I am confronted with on a daily basis? I am fifty-five. Not so old and look younger, act younger and feel younger. So I am surprised to be treated as if I am invisible or as if I have no right to an opinion by some. Or is the work climate so different than it was 20 years ago and I am just experiencing new culture shock? This is not to say that "way back then" we did not have problems with personalities and unfair treatment but it seems to be everywhere and with an incident happening almost every shift that makes me feel terrible. I should be stronger, I know and not let these petty issues get to me but it is disheartening and can just ruin an otherwise good day. I am pretty strong and not usually emotional but I have left work in tears several times now. Before this job, I can't even remember the last time I cried.

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Bonfire- I am sorry that having the chance to go back to a job that you love has changed so much.

I talked to XXX at the Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas last spring after a not so good admission of 5 days.

The person I met with is just beside herself- she readily admits that a large majority of new grads (and I am not hitting on a particular age group as all ages go to college to become nurses) do not really want to 'nurse'. She said they are interested in themselves- 'this is where I want to work, I will work xx day, and I won't work holidays, etc'.

I am sorry that people don't seem to be interested in the patient and the treatment and care of someone who is needing the education/expertise of nurses.

Maybe you will be able to find a unit where the staff are not so self absorbed- I just know there have to be places like this...

If you are going home at the end of the day and are unhappy, it isn't worth it.

Somehow, I hope the ones that are only interested in a paycheck will be weeded out. Why do the charge nurses, unit coordinators etc put up with this behavior?

I hope your job becomes what you are expecting- Good luck.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.

Yes, that is true each instructor evaluates the individual student needs after providing the core didactic. For instance, a nurse that worked only 1 year and has been out 12 years would need more than a nurse that worked 5 years and only out 4 years. Clinicals are set up as close to the area of previous experience and planned return area as possible. Sorry, all nurses will not allow you to post your e-mail or me to post mine. Also, if you are disabled you might qualify for a limited license if you are not going to do any hands on patient care. I would be glad to help more.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.
I had not worked for 20 years. I had no intention of returning to nursing so let all my credentials lapse. After my children had left home I decided to return to the workforce but could not figure out what I wanted. Finally I decided to return to nursing. Maybe it is like childbirth, you forget the pain after time and do it all again. So I went about restoring my license and took a refresher course. I was open to working in a different area of nursing than I had but found nothing else interested me. I took a job in intensive care which included stress, 12 hour night shifts, weekends, and an unbelievably difficult workload. While I love the patients, families and the care, I am having a very difficult time adjusting to the behaviors of the staff. From nursing to respiratory therapists, to x-ray techs, lab personnel, there just seems to be a general lack of respect. I am now one of the older nurses in a unit that is predominiently young. Can that be the reason for the attitudes I am confronted with on a daily basis? I am fifty-five. Not so old and look younger, act younger and feel younger. So I am surprised to be treated as if I am invisible or as if I have no right to an opinion by some. Or is the work climate so different than it was 20 years ago and I am just experiencing new culture shock? This is not to say that "way back then" we did not have problems with personalities and unfair treatment but it seems to be everywhere and with an incident happening almost every shift that makes me feel terrible. I should be stronger, I know and not let these petty issues get to me but it is disheartening and can just ruin an otherwise good day. I am pretty strong and not usually emotional but I have left work in tears several times now. Before this job, I can't even remember the last time I cried.

I think this is typical of how all of us felt when entering nursing and this is a period that we go through on returning usually as well. It can be decreased by having support at home and work. But, these of course are sometimes lacking. I think the most important factor in a successful return is finding a good job match for your personality and work ethics. This means sometimes less money, further drive,etc. But, is worth the effort if you feel like a good nurse that has done a service at the end of the day.

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Texas Nurse Educator- Thank you for making the clinical clearer. I thought that it was as you stated, but when I called TBON, the girl I spoke with stated that it was 80 (I believe ) hours clinical no matter what.

I do hope you are right!! Thanks.

Edited by traumarus, admin: please don't include email addys in your posts - we prefer you use the PM system after 15 posts. This is so your knowledge/answers are shared as they might help someone else. thanks.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.

We offer the program by Correspondence as well as in class. You could come to class for skills labs and do the rest of the work by correspondence. You are not just alone with a book. You have instructor support and phone conferences set up with each module. We have clinicals in various parts of town. What area of nursing are you planning to return to? How long have you been out and what areas did you work in? Let me know and I will see what other suggestions I can come up with.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.

I am sorry that there is not one near you. The problem is there are not enough nurses needing refresher programs to keep them up and running in many areas. Stay encouraged, you can get through it. Just take it one step and one day at a time and the time will pass really fast. Remember it takes 9 months for a baby to grow. :nurse:

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.

As you take refresher courses and do skills labs and clinicals your confidence will return with your comptence. A little fear is not a bad thing anyway. It is a healthy respect for the critical nature of the tasks we perform and the clincial decisions we make. Look for a supportive environment with more experienced nurses than in-experienced to surround yourself with mentoring, caring professionals. A successful return is possible.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.
Texasnurseeducator - I am considering going formy RN refresher course. I summer in Wyoming and winter in Texas. I did not find the person that I talked to at TBON very helpful.

In their information, it says that the first part of refresher is up to the individual assessing the 'student'. There can be as much or as little as the instructor feels that the person needs.

So far, all I have seen are courses that are an already defined time frame.

Are there courses that are given by individual people?

I understand that the minimum of clinical is 80 hours. That is fine, but I have a question on which areas are worked in. Can you do your clinical in the area where you will be working? I will only be working in specific areas due to an injury that has left me disabled.

What can you tell me, please.

You may email if you would like- Thank you.

\

The Texas minimum is 80 hours. The time increases depending on your individual situation and needs. We try and do clincials in the area requested as much as allowed by the facilitues. Also, Texas BON allows for a special license with no clinicals if you are not doing patient care. It is a limited license for nurses that are disabled and not able to do clincials. What area are you planning to work in? Sorry, the editors will not let us give e-mails,websites, or phone #s. I believe you may instant message another person by clicking on their name. If you look on MSN or google for a nurse refresher program in Texas we will come up along with other options. I think they do this so this does not become a maketing forum as it should not be. PHES is also on the Board of Nursing website under Nursing education, courses that meet stipulations along with other programs in our state.

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