How do I go back into nursing when I haven't been practicing for awhile??

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I graduated last October and can't find a job anywhere, so I have an opportunity to move to Italy for a year and I think I'm going to take it but I am worried about taking the time off from nursing practice... Does anyone know how this will affect my getting hired later on down the line and what I will need to do to get back into it? Like a refresher course??

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Specializes in Tele.

yes you have the right idea! take a refresher course, which they offer at community colleges. I know my community college does! you are so lucky! I'm so jealous of you, I wish I could go and live in italy for a year!!

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Thank you! Yeah I'm so excited but I'm also feeling apprehensive because I just spent all that time in school and I'm afraid I will not be able to find a job if I take time off... I do feel better though that they offer refresher courses. Thank you!

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Specializes in rehab.

Dear Renee1126,

I was in your position a few years ago. After graduation, I married a military man and was shipped off immediately overseas for 2 years. I did not work. Coming back, I had a hell of a time getting employers to take me seriously. Here was a new grad who had done "nothing" (according to them) for two years. This was also at the very beginning of the economical crisis, but I was still lucky to get a slot at a small hospital in a less desirable 'specialty".

When I left the country in 2006, at that time all you had to be was a live RN in good standing..now they want a BSN, certifications in this and that and lots of experience...RELEVANT in the area/specialty in which you are applying!!

If I were you I would enroll in a BSN or Masters program on line. School is always a good reason to not work. Then use that excuse when you come back and job hunt. Hopefully the economy will have improved by then.

My advice, if you really care about your career, stay if you can. If you do go, when you come back just keep in mind that you will not be competing against the average new grad..but vicious, frustrated new grads, some who have been job hunting since 2008 who are ready and willing to do anything for a job, and other experienced nurses who have been doing all and everything to improve their chances of getting hired...while you are in Italy.

Good luck, I hope you make the right choice. This is just my 2 cents.

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Thank you for your advise! I will definitely be looking into the online BSN programs. I really appreciate your advise :)

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Specializes in Dialysis, Home health.
Dear Renee1126,

I was in your position a few years ago. After graduation, I married a military man and was shipped off immediately overseas for 2 years. I did not work. Coming back, I had a hell of a time getting employers to take me seriously. Here was a new grad who had done "nothing" (according to them) for two years. This was also at the very beginning of the economical crisis, but I was still lucky to get a slot at a small hospital in a less desirable 'specialty".

When I left the country in 2006, at that time all you had to be was a live RN in good standing..now they want a BSN, certifications in this and that and lots of experience...RELEVANT in the area/specialty in which you are applying!!

If I were you I would enroll in a BSN or Masters program on line. School is always a good reason to not work. Then use that excuse when you come back and job hunt. Hopefully the economy will have improved by then.

My advice, if you really care about your career, stay if you can. If you do go, when you come back just keep in mind that you will not be competing against the average new grad..but vicious, frustrated new grads, some who have been job hunting since 2008 who are ready and willing to do anything for a job, and other experienced nurses who have been doing all and everything to improve their chances of getting hired...while you are in Italy.

Good luck, I hope you make the right choice. This is just my 2 cents.

:up: School is always a good reason..my favorite line " I wanted to focus on my studies and chose not to work". Is always praised.

I actually only did that for 1 year so...I am going to be working soon. Just graduated.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

The multicultural experience you will gain in Italy will be invaluable! Wow take it! When all is said and done at the end of ones life do you want to say you didn't take the opportunity and decided to play it safe?!?

Online classes are the way to go. There might be some volunteering opportunities over there too you can put on your resume. Learn as much of the language as you can so you can say a few things when you get back. :)

When you do come back take as many classes as you can in nursing. I've been looking and I just found ACLS, PALS, PEARS, New Grad classes thru a place called Flex Ed here in CA, Nursing courses at both UCSD and SDSU in extended ed. So in your area I'm sure you can find something too :) And our nurse refresher is thru adult ed., not community college :)

Wow I wish I were you right now.

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can you volunteer or do some kind of health related hands off volunteering while in Italy?

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
I graduated last October and can't find a job anywhere... I am worried about taking the time off from nursing practice... what I will need to do to get back into it?
To me, this summarizes the issue. It's not that you'll be getting "back into it" but that you never were "in it" - meaning that you haven't (and won't have) worked as a nurse... at all.

I'd be very cautious about embarking on that path. I suspect you will find it even more difficult to garner employment when you return than you're finding right now.

OTOH, since your job search is bogged down then perhaps you really have nothing to lose.

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While in Italy what I'd do is spend some time volunteering in some way or another to put some of my degree to use and broaden my personal knowledge. A lot of hiring managers will find any excuse to look at an applicant with suspicion in a tight job market yet the same people will literally be phone stalking applicants and begging them to take jobs without barely knowing the applicants last name when it's an employee's market. Since everyone knows markets are cyclical, in their shoes I'd try to be more even keeled about these things. Anyway I guess my point is that some interviewers will try to make a negative out of anything on your resume - but it's your job to spin them into positives and it can be done.

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I may be wrong but I thought nurses were internationally recognized? Maybe you could work as a nurse or at least check out volunteer oppurtunties. It may be hard to get a job when you get back but the job market isn't very good right now anyway...

If I were you I would take the chance that some employers might not like it and go live in Italy! If you stay and job hunt and are unsucessful you will regret it.

What type of oppurtunity is this exactly if you don't mind my asking?

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Specializes in rehab.
The multicultural experience you will gain in Italy will be invaluable! Wow take it! When all is said and done at the end of ones life do you want to say you didn't take the opportunity and decided to play it safe?!?

Online classes are the way to go. There might be some volunteering opportunities over there too you can put on your resume. Learn as much of the language as you can so you can say a few things when you get back. :)

When you do come back take as many classes as you can in nursing. I've been looking and I just found ACLS, PALS, PEARS, New Grad classes thru a place called Flex Ed here in CA, Nursing courses at both UCSD and SDSU in extended ed. So in your area I'm sure you can find something too :) And our nurse refresher is thru adult ed., not community college :)

Wow I wish I were you right now.[

At the risk of sounding negative, I will have to disagree with the above post. Sure, anyone would love to move to Italy and not work. Italy is beautiful!!! But you have to look ahead in this case.

Learning a new language will not help you. When job applications ask if one is bilingual, they almost always mean Spanish...German, Italian, Swahili..etc will not help much if at all (depends on the region). Also, no matter how much you do as far as health care is concerned in another country, it still will not count. US hospitals are looking for US experience. Why do you think they make foreign nurses take GCFN or whatever its called now instead of the NCLEX and get them straight to work? Overseas health care is very different form US.

Experience will almost always be chosen over certifications. It does help your resume some, but without any hands on stuff, not very helpful. If you were to choose whom to hire between a new grad with no experience and an ACLS card, or a 5 years medsurg nurse with no ACLS, both competing for an ICU position? I bet you the employer would rather pay for a two day ACLS class on the medsurg nurse rather than 8 weeks plus training a new grad.

Bottom line, we/I can only advise. Its up to you to choose. Who knows you may be luckier than I was. I only advise because I went through something similar.

All the best.:)

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