How useful are RN refresher courses?

bummer83 · Aug 22, 2009

Im thinking about it too, but as for my case im a foreign grad and the nurse recruiter suggested i enroll for are fresher course ,but still it has no assurance that i can land ajobso i dont know, how long is the program in your place?iwas inquiring at CSUSM and it cost 2500 for 10 week long program and 675 for UCSD extension fora week long program,soi dont nknow yet.i hope somebody can help us out or atleast give their opinion if they have undergone the program.

JustKaren2 · Sep 28, 2009

Hello,

I am currently in the CSUSM refresher course. It actually will end up costing more than the $2500 because you have to pay for your background check and get insurance....plus the cost of the physical, immunization titers (unless you have your records) and scrubs (or all white) The didactic component is easy and pretty boring. There is one day of a skills lab before clinicals.

We had orientation to clinicals yesterday and today was our first clinical day. I have to say that the clinical portion is what you make of it. You find your own preceptor and work out with her/him what you will take on for that day. So it is kind of self-paced. You call the instructor the first time you do a skill, otherwise, you are pretty much on your own to get out of the day what you will. We end the day with a 1-hour meeting to discuss our experiences...and sort of 'give report' on our patients.

Just like in nursing school, I was 'all thumbs' when the instructor was present :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 29, 2009

To the OP, I'm not sure that volunteering is going to allow you the hands-on, structured experience that you'll likely need, and a potential employer is probably going to want to see that you've done some kind of refresher since you've been out for quite a while. I'd do the refresher. Good luck!! :)

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 30, 2009

In order to attend most refresher cources, one needs to have an active unrestricted license. I'm finding more employers saying if you've not worked in hospital seeting in past 2 years, to take a refresher course ---as updateing skills on your dime not potential employers. Make sure refresher course is just not theory, but also hands on in hospital setting.

Check out nurse.com list of refresher courses by state: http://www.nurse.com/education/refresher.htm

jadu1106 · Oct 3, 2009

Hi,

My local community college has a RN refresher course for under $500, is there a community college near you that offers nursing courses? Maybe possibly they have a RN refresher course that may be less costlier than $1200. Hope this helps. Good luck!

indigonurse · Oct 4, 2009

Whatever state you happen to be in you can go to the board of Registered or vocational nursing web site or call them and see if you can find approved refresher programs. Then you can compare things such as location, cost, length. I would imagine that if you are after brushing up on clinical skills you might get the most out of a program that offers the most clinical hours. One program that I knew of had Licensed nurses and Registered nurses then after going to orientation the Licensed nurses were told that they could only get clinical experience at an urgent care.

MissBrittanyRN · Oct 4, 2009

Hi, I don't really know first hand, but I spoke with a nurse recruiter, that I have been working with a little bit at a large hospital a couple of days ago. she did not give me too many details, but I asked her if she has been seeing a lot of inactive nurses returning to nursing, and looking for work. She said, that it has been an issue, because although they are taking the required refresher course, they are still not prepared to work on the floor. Of course that is where orientation comes into play, but employers can't seem to afford/want to train, which is why they are not hiring many new grads (at least in my area.)

Of couse it probably varies with the program that you are in, I'm sure some are better than others. I still would recommend it to show a potential employer your dedication to being as prepared as possible.

I am working with this recruiter for a short term assignment, not providing patient care, so I told her that I am concerned that I am forgetting everything, and have been considering a refresher course in the event that I do not have employment within 6 months or so. She is rather experienced, and has not found that they have been very beneficial, but many hospitals do require the course.

indigonurse · Oct 4, 2009

Sometimes the hospitals where the nurse refresher students take their clinicals get hired by them. A nurse refresher course wont create jobs, but taking one wont hurt. I can understand if someone is not working the costs of the programs can be prohibitive or if you have young ones at home might be expensive to hire a baby sitter as well. Sounds like a good idea to ask a prospective employer if they accept a refresher course in lie of experience. With new grads dont quote me on this one but I believe most hospitals can no longer finance the new grad programs. I also believe most hospitals cannot afford a nurse to be working with a full time salary with another nurse for more than 3 days. There is also a legal liability if you hire a nurse who has less than 1 year of experience to work independently.

Nuieve · Oct 10, 2009

I got enrolled in the course. I finished reading course objectives, but I've got BIG problems with given tests. I got 4 tests (and one pharma)... I don't know the answers to 80-90% of the questions. It's those little knowledge details, obscure diseases, obscure facts, nothing like NCLEX exam preparation based on critical thinking and some core knowledge (I passed it with 75q on the 1st try). I find this course extremely frustrating. The book it's based on is about 3000 pages, and the test asks about random small details from it (impossible to remember), and I can't use my critical thinking at all.

These 4 tests don't worry me themselves (they are do at home ones) but the comprehensive will have to be taken at school, and if it will contain the questions like the ones I got in these 4 tests, I have little belief I will able to pass it. It's basically the whole nursing school all over.

I feel really discouraged. The good news is that I'll take the comprehensive test in the next week so I will know soon if this program is for me or not.

trnsplntgirl · Oct 10, 2009

I'm an LPN who has been out of the industry for 8 years and now currently taking an RN refresher course. My state BON sent me a list of approved providers. Only a couple out of many allowed LPNs in the class. However, I found a GREAT instructor at a reasonable price($500), 8 weeks, and clinical rotation (as much as I feel I need-my instructor teaches 2 nursing programs & has multiple clinical rotations that I can get in on at my convenience).

All courses are NOT like this apparently. I was given prices up to $2000 or commit to a contract of 1 year or told about independent-study refreshers that would require me to connect with hospitals on my on to do a clinical, which would be up to the hospitals discretion and availablility.

I worked on oncology & med-surge floors during the clinical. And yes, I felt like a fish out of water at first because neither were my past areas of nursing. But my instructor and the final-semester nursing students I did the rotation with were of great help and encouragement. I remembered a lot of what I already knew before and learned quite a bit as well. There were nurses who had been out of the workforce anywhere between 3 to 18 years. Though I havent decided where or even when I may get back to work, I would say for me personally it was well worth taking the course.

indigonurse · Oct 13, 2009

I can relate to your comments. It is not reasonable for a nurse to retake an entire nursing course and have to read an entire med surg book. The test questions often do not have any particular format. I agree the refresher courses are not the best preparation for NCLEX. I believe this has to do with the fact that the course must meet the requirements that the board of registered nurses set. I took a class with an instructor who only had a two year degree and when the instructor was asked a question he would say I dont know go read the book and find out???? I think that if a person can survive the class room that the most beneficial part would be the clinicals. So a person can obtain the confidence and skills they need to go back into nursing. I also believe it is a good opportunity for a person to impress a clinical manager who might want to hire them for a position. I didnt complete the course I took. Sitting in a class room 5 hours a day, having an unreasonable amount of pages to read in a med surg book pushed me out the door. I did well and passed the exams but I didnt feel like I could stay tuned in for 5 hours, sit in a chair and deal with a poorly educated instructors demeaning attitude. It just wasnt what I expected. In a way I do regret wasting my time and money and should have stuck it out.