I didn't want to post this in inactive nurses forum due to wanting to know about refresher courses.

Wondering if anyone currently working took a refresher course to re-enter the field. How was it, what was it called (some are online and popular), and did it help you get a job? Or, conversely, did you find you had a hard time getting one despite a refresher course?

I am considering a refresher, obviously, and I know there are many but just wondering what your experience was.

Thank you!!

If you are considering such a course, then find out as much as possible

about it before getting involved. Find out how well it is organized.

Find out from people who have already gone through it.

Find out what their back up plans are - when something does not go

as planned (or you might find yourself stranded, after having handed

over large amounts of tuition fees). If they are going to place you

with a preceptor, then find out more facts and details of this

arrangement. If they are going to place you into a clinical setting,

then find out exactly who has responsibility for arranging this -

otherwise you might find yourself waiting a long time before anything

gets arranged.

I took a refresher 5 years ago. My case was a little different though, I spent the last ten years doing prison nursing and being a director in a rehab hospital. While I loved prison nursing I could not go back but what I really wanted was to get back to the Emergency unit. I took a 3 month course which was good but got no help getting a job even though I was at the top of the class but I still got a job in an emergency dept and love it. I know sadly many of the people I went to the refresher class with who had not worked it took a while to get a job. Some got jobs in nursing homes I was the only one who was able to work in an acute care hospital.

I live in MA where there is no shortage in nursing at all and according to a recruiter said he would take a new grad over an inactive RN. I do not think it is this way in other states where there is a shortage. My advice. get into the best program you can one, that has a preceptorship work like heck then apply to every place and sell yourself.