Getting back into nursing-- so much anxiety!

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I am coming back into nursing after a 6 year break and am finding myself overwhelmed by anxiety. I'm so worried that I'm going to mess up! Has anyone else been through this and survived? ;)

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a lot of nurses have come back into nursing in this economy, you'll be fine.

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

The main changes you'll see are all the electronic systems, especially computer charting, and the emphasis so many facilities put on 'customer service'.

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

Yes. I returned to nursing after being out for fifteen years. I felt like a dinosaur at times and was very unsure of myself in clinical settings. While many things had changed, I found that the knowledge that was the foundation of nursing was still very much the same and once I felt more confident, I became more competent in practice.

I took an independent study refresher course through South Dakota State University, which helped tremendously. There are other refresher courses available online (maybe even through that particular school) as well as courses in community colleges. The only disadvantage I found to taking a refresher course independently is that I had to design and plan my own clinicals. After being away from nursing for so many years, I think I would have benefitted from having more of a traditional clinical experience with other refresher students. I definitely would have benefitted from having a peer group of other nurses going through a refresher course because it would have been good to have had known I wasn't alone in going back to nursing.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
:eek::eek:I feel that way everyday I go to work.:eek::eek:
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Specializes in ICU, ER.

I was an ICU RN for ten years, left for ten years to open and run a business, and then went back to ICU nursing. I was with a preceptor for 4 weeks and I did great. It comes back quickly.

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Thank you all for responding. I am finding that I'm second guessing myself on everything, even things that aren't difficult. I just have to build up my confidence, I guess. Probably time will help with that. I really like the idea of doing a refresher course, especially the clinical aspect. For those of you that did that, how did you set up the clinicals? Did you just call places you thought would be good and ask if they'd let you do it? I wonder if nurse managers would let me shadow if I wasn't actually in an official refresher program. I know, basically, what I'd like to do because I want to go back into oncology.

Thanks again everyone!

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I was out for almost 5 yrs and went back 7 months ago. It came back quickly. The only thing that has changed is the computer meds and charting on a computer. There are some new gadgets out there, but you'd have to learn those no matter where you went.

You'll do fine. Just take a deep breath. (((HUGS)))

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For those of you who have gone back, was it hard to find a job? Did you return to your previous specialty?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

I am going back to and feel the same way as you! I have been away 2 yrs.

The agency I have worked with on and off for many years and knows my prior

work history will put me right back to work.

But I am freaked out and studying and just do not

feel confident as yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Once before I was away for a year.

I went to work through any agency

and they sent me to acute rehab unit.

On this occasion I just kept telling myself...you have

done all of this thousands of times! just forget the time

and go do it again.

On this occasion it was fine...in fact I was given an "excellent" by

charge.

But for some reason I am really second guessing myself right now.

So for inspiration I am repeating a Dr Seuss quote:

Most questions are complicated, most answers are simple.

This is my thoughts on it for today...

And maybe tomorrow I will just....GO

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.
Thank you all for responding. I am finding that I'm second guessing myself on everything, even things that aren't difficult. I just have to build up my confidence, I guess. Probably time will help with that. I really like the idea of doing a refresher course, especially the clinical aspect. For those of you that did that, how did you set up the clinicals? Did you just call places you thought would be good and ask if they'd let you do it? I wonder if nurse managers would let me shadow if I wasn't actually in an official refresher program. I know, basically, what I'd like to do because I want to go back into oncology.

Thanks again everyone!

You are welcome!

I had to come up with a set of objectives to meet and the ways and settings in which I would meet those objectives and submit them to the school I attended for my refresher course. Once those were approved, I approached the education coordinator at the (only) hospital in the community in which I lived to see about getting a preceptor and arranging for my experience. I needed to do 80 clinical hours so I went to the hospital when my preceptor worked and pretty much functioned like an RN on orientation and was on my own with a full patient load by the end of the experience. My preceptor wrote detailed narrative evaluations of my progress and, upon successful completion of the clinical practicum, I was was awarded 30 CEUs and able to get my license off inactive status. (BTW, I did have to get a temporary permit from the BON so I could do the clinical practicum and I had to show proof of my own professional .)

A lot depends, too, on whether your kept up your license or let it lapse (or go into inactive status). If you kept up your license, you aren't necessarily required to take a refresher course but if you are no longer licensed, you will be required to take a course so your license can be activated again.

I'm not sure how a nurse manager might react to you shadowing someone. At some point, you will want to practice your skills again and if you're only shadowing, you legally cannot touch any patients. You might run into concerns with HIPAA as well.

If you take an independent study/online course and end up setting up your own clinicals, there is no reason you couldn't choose to do them on an oncology floor. That might be a smart career move for you as well because it shows employers that you are willing to learn and work to get back up to speed in a clinical setting and it would familiarize you with the oncology staff---if you impress them, they will keep you in mind when you apply for a job.

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That sounds like exactly the kind of program I would like to do. Thank you for this information. Now I just have to find the right program! In the meantime, I'm doing flu shot and travel vaccine clinics. I've kept my license active and have done nursing related volunteering the whole time, but I do think a refresher would help me feel more confident and, probably, help nurse managers feel more confident about me!

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