Best Place To Transiton Back to In Nursing

Yosemite, RN, ASN, EMT-I · Jun 28, 2007

Dr. Sabrina7:

Welcome back! With that said, I have to add a "good luck."

While I have never left nursing, I did leave clinical practice to do insurance work and telephone triage for a total of about 12 years.

Two years ago, I left my non-clinical job, tried to get back into clinical nursing. It was a rude awakening. I was, essentially, "untouchable" other than skilled nursing facilities. While I have med/surg, ICU experience, it counted for nothing as it was not "recent." I did get a tentative offer from a private renal dialysis clinic, but the wages were shockingly low... about a 30% cut in pay (above my wages already uncompetative). I finally took a job in a private, for profit, acute in-patient mental health facility. Conditions were horrendous, dangerous and unsanitary. It was the best I could find for my (then) 18 years experience. I'm hoping that this will be viewed as "recent" acute care in the eyes of traditional acute "medical" hospitals.

There are a few "refresher" courses in California, you can find references on the BRN's web site. This will be tough, if not impossible, to do if you have to work, as I do.

In these days of alleged "nursing shortage," it is difficult to comprehend how good, dedicated nurses are turned away. Yet, the state is spending a LOT of $'s to improve the outlook of nursing students and graduates. Employers are spending BIG $'s to recruit foreign nurses.

While there are a great variety of "alternative" nursing jobs, one must take GREAT care in accepting them. If you leave actue hospital bedside nursing for more than two years, going back is VERY hard to do. I believe, now, that it is wise to continue as a part time or registry nurse if one chooses to do non-traditional work.

With THAT said, I would advise you to take just about ANY hospital nursing job you can get, put in your time, THEN apply to transfer to another department.

jjjoy, LPN · Jun 28, 2007

I agree with Yosemite that it's tough to get back into clinical nursing... which is sad because there is such a demand

I can see the point of not wanting to hire someone who hadn't been in clinical nursing for some time straight into a full time experienced position, but there really ought to be more transition options out there - such as intensive refresher courses where you come out being at least competitive with new grads in the job market.

Intensive refresher courses would take time and money, but I think it's reasonable to ask those wishing to return to clinical nursing to invest in that training, just like we did to get our licenses to begin with. As it is, though, you're in a worse place than new grads if you've been away from clinical nursing and there aren't many clear paths to getting back into it and that's a waste of willing nurses out there.

I just don't think it's reasonable to tell nurses who stopped clinical work for awhile "tough luck, once you're out, you're out and there's no getting back in."

On a side note, we could use more nursing jobs out there with supportive environments and reasonable workloads that would help the transition for new and re-entry nurses into practice as well as help in retention of experienced staff.

jjjoy, LPN · Jun 28, 2007

For practical advice in getting back into clinical practice, you'll need lots of persistence and at least one lucky break. Most will be discouraging, or encouraging but not offer any job, directing you to people and positions and turn around that direct you right back where you just were refused from.

When I was re-entering, I did run across one nurse manager (among dozens) who was willing to give me a chance with an extended preceptorship. There was another local hospital that was also more amenable to re-entry nurses as they offered a long preceptorship, but you had to sign a 2-yr contract and repay your preceptoring costs if you broke the contract. There was also an agency with a few contracts at low acuity facilities that were a better fit for someone just getting back into it (no full-time openings there as there were such reasonable workloads and not much turnover).

In terms of what area of clinical nursing would be best to transition... beats me! I think a supportive environment and a reasonable workload is key. Whether it's med-surg or LTC... if experienced nurses struggle to get it all done or if there's lots of negativity between colleagues, it's not going to be any easier for a newbie or someone returning. If you can get in on a new grad program or preceptorship program, that can be a big help - though desperate places will say just about anything to get you to hire on. There's a certain amount of hit or miss in finding a good fit when you're moving into an area that you don't have current experience in. That's why you don't want to give up right away if your first experiences are negative or discouraging.

I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. Returning to clinical practice IS possible. Once you get that first clinical job, whatever it is, you'll find it that much easier to get another offer.

Good luck! Keep us up to date on your progress!

sabrina7 · Jul 15, 2007

Thank you all so very much for the comments and suggestions. I am getting the feeling from you all that it is tough to transition back w/out "recent" experience.

I posted my resume on Career Builders and Monster and to tell you the truth did not find that to be true although the response has been mostly agency work. I have to tell you that I have done two refresher course in the past but they are not recent either.

I think it was JJOY that said that there were a few places more re-entry friendly? Would you be able to share with me where those places are JJOY?

I agree fully about the comments on "recent" This seems to be the key word but c'mon now if I had my choice of a seasoned nurse and a new grad no matter how so-called recent the put of nursing school it is I would choose the re-entry most times just for the "seasoned" factor. We as nurses know the first job as a newbie is shocking to say the least as to what the "real world" is like in nursing and it's not the same as in nursing school when you have an instructor to cushion things. I really believe it is an individual thing and I don't believe they just interview you but thqt you also interview them. I also feel you have to take responsibility when you are out of clinical for awhile and keep as fresh as you can.

I really really don't want to act desperate when interviewing as I am not desperate anyway. I know it isn't going to be easy to go back although my experience so far has been very good and really not concerned with the recent thing.

I want to return to nursing but I really need more specifics on which area ands which places are more feasable to do this in so please if you can share your wisdom with me ok?

You are all so wonderful and so knowledgable and I value your opinions Thanks again!!!

Trauma Columnist · Jul 15, 2007

May I ask how long you have been out of nursing? Have you kept up via CEUs, current license, conferences, reading journals, belonging to your specialty organization?

sabrina7 · Jul 15, 2007

Yes you may ask I have been out of nursing for 14yrs.and yes I have kept up with nursing taking 2 refresher courses w/in the past 5-7 yrs. I also marched the governors steps in LA when we first were trying to get the bill passed for ratios here. I am an avid reader of everything medical I can get my hands on. When I worked I worked at some of the largest hopitals in California in med/surg and I also consider the original training I got to be the best there is.

I recently made a visit to my alma mater and met with one of my original instructors whio is now the director of nurisng there and she said things here in Cali are no different just some new technology but basically things are the same as far as conditions go. I gotta say she wasn't giving it up much and wasn't real encouraging about re-entry. That didn't help me emotionally or really to tell you the truth give me a big reason to want to go back. I had to step back and ask myself again and I just feel I do want to go back but am lost as to where to start looking, I like Psych is that a possibility to you all?

Please know that all advice and comments are MUCH appreciated so bring them on ok!!!!

jjjoy, LPN · Jul 17, 2007

Glendale Adventist Medical Center is the place that I heard has a long preceptorship in exchange for a contract.

In regard to agency nursing, just talk to the agency. Some will work with you to identify suitable placements; others won't. Call and ask.

Good luck!

momababyrn · Jul 27, 2007

Hi! I am a California born and raised nurse who is about to return to nursing after a long time absence.
I do not want to go back tp med/surg that was my primary specialty for 5 years.
My question is what kind of nursing would all of you consider the best way to transition back into a nursing career?
I would very much love to read your opinions which I value and need on this transition.
This is a great forum and a great help in many ways to all of us as nurses.
Thanks and all your advice will be much appreciated!

I feel your pain. I am in the same boat as you. I worked for 2 years in L&D and PP after graduation and left to work as an RN in case managment/ utilization review with an OB focus (for health insurers). I have done this type of work for the last 5 years and have decided after having my baby I wanted to go back to OB nursing.

It's as if I am wearing a scarlett letter in the eyes of some hospitals. Others seemed understanding but I still haven 't had any job offers. I have been looking since May. I think we both have to just stick it out and keep looking for that one person who will take a chance on us.

It's really sad with a nursing shortage that nurses are treated like this if they do something non-traditional but still have been working as a nurse. The flexibility in nursing was one of the many aspects of nursing that made me choose this career. I wish I knew before that the nursing profession isn't as flexible as it would like to lead you to believe it is.

sabrina7 · Jul 27, 2007

Thank you so much momabayrn for the great reply and also everyone else. I gotta tell you I have gotten a LOT of positive response fro Agencies but have never worked thast way although I always worked per-diem. I never really wanted to belong to any one hospital because I hate the politics and I wanted to run my own schedule.

I agree with everyonne with this notion saying we have a so-called "shortage" My opinion is there really wouldn't be such a shortage if they cut the crap (pardon my words here) and just treated RN's the way they should and made the working conditions feasible. Let's get realistic w/out us the hospital doesn't run! Yet they still don't get it.

I wanna go back but I don't really know where still it's beeen so long.

What do you think about agency work anyone?

Thanks again!