Career Suicide??

You worked in acute med surg for approximately 3 years, and that qualifies as recent experience. Having been in home health for less than a year really does not make you unmarketable for acute care facilities. Are you trying to return to the same acute facility you were previously or a different one? If the one you were previously employed at is still viable try to return there and then move on to another acute facility for further experience. The reason I say this is the facility you were at previously is aware of your work ethic and your experience and more likely to hire you. If you left in a good way, you should return there. I do not feel the ones interviewing you are being totally honest. Sorry Home Health did not work out for you.

My original employer got rid of a lot of staff. Not many remain. I left because I knew I wasn't safe being staff that was there with way more years of service were sent packing. I see PRN openings and staffing agencies have contracts with them. It wasn't a good place to work prior and it would be a last resort to go back. I've had two companies turn me down because of 'no recent hospital experience.' Another was a generic email of 'not at this time' type thing.

I wouldn't call it career suicide as you were trying to keep yourself employed. You do have recent acute care. Any hospital that says otherwise has no idea what they're talking about. :/

Any experience you can get is welcomed I would assume. Although it may seem like it's hard to get a job right away, just don't give up, and keep at it. We hire a lot of new grads where we work in an acute care hospital with no experience. Most about 75% are there 1 year or less before moving on once they get that experience. I plan to leave my nursing job soon as an RN of 6 years in a m/s-tele department to travel the world for a couple years. It's a career break. If I don't get hired when I come back after 2 years, then so be it. The blame is on me, and it is not their fault that they don't want to take a chance. All I can do is keep trying to apply, because when one door closes, another one opens (hopefully, lol) but good luck to you, I'm rooting for you.

Working in a hospital isn't all its cracked up to be anymore. High stress with little in return. I've worked for 11 years in the hospital and I'm looking to escape to a different nursing setting.

Think outside the box. You have 3 years M/S experience in the hospital setting and a year of home care experience.

Plenty of employers will find that valuable. Stop selling yourself short.. get on the job boards... Career builder, Indeed, etc. and see what you can do!

Frankly, I wouldn't want to work at a hospital that doesn't consider you to have recent acute care experience (ridiculous). Such bad judgment doesn't bode well for how they handle employees.