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I graduated in '97, too, and I had a tough time finding a job!!! Now, I get cards in the mail daily to work with this company or that. Take a refresher course and see if you can't get a med/surg internship somewhere, that way you'll get a chance to get more refresher information and hone up on skills. Good luck!!!!!
I would love to encourage you to march right in to a teaching hospital where you live and tell exactly what you said about being the only RN in a LTC and inquire about the preceptor program they have and "go for it". You know your answer to your dilemma is buried in the question. Believe in yourself and go for it. We need you out here to make a difference!
Best of luck to you,
From an old nurse in TN.
Hi! Find a place that has a good preceptor program and jump right in, ask a lot of questions. You should be allright, even if you don't take a refresher. I'm sure you remember the basics, head-to-toe assessments, looking up meds, etc. A good preceptor and a good long orientation for some on-the-job learning is the best refresher course you need.
Good luck!
Welcome Mayo!
Take a refresher if it will help your confidence. I agree a good preceptor is a great help and can be as good if not better but you can't tell if they are good or bad till you have them.
I also agreeyou have not foprgotten as much as you think and you sound like you are going to be the a vvery speacial nurse.
Glad you are now a member. PM for anything if nesc.
MayoRN
14 Posts
Just registered and my first time posting here....feel like i know everyone already cuz i usually view the new items weekly. I am an RN (graduated in 1997) but never truely practiced. (i did work on the 3rd floor of a LTC facility for approx'ly 2 months. no orientation, but around 3 weeks into the position there was a fire in the only elevator i was just about to enter...i would have orphaned my 2 children cuz thats where the electrical fire was) ...i left nursing even though i received awards because none of the 39 skilled residents i had, nor 40 assisted living residents under my care suffered any type of distress.....i was the only RN for the whole bldg. 1 LPN for the assisted living side and a few CNAs. (i left my ACLS expire and went on to become a Nursing Home Administrator with a BS in Marketing & BS in Management). I really loved nursing, but back in '97 it was hard to find a job without experience. I'm thinking of taking a refresher course and going back into it. I'm afraid i might have forgotten a lot, and wouldn't recognize any drugs. (never did an IV...but had a lot of theory). Wondering if anyone else benefitted from any refresher course. Always wanted to work in ED, but never had the chance. Think i maybe ready to try again. Would love to hear your input.