I don't think I should return to nursing

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I left my job as an agency nurse a year ago due to health problems. I was with this company for three years and in that time I never really did any real "hands on" nursing. I mean I may have helped with transfers, Depend changes, and medication administration but most of that was aide work. I have been out of school for a little over 6 years and I am going to be honest when I say that I feel like I have forgotten how to do a lot of the skills that I have learned. I can read about them and practice them in my mind but I am terrified to return to nursing and not know how to do them because agency nursing was a joke. I have honestly considered applying for jobs at Walmart just so that I don't have to go back. I loved LTC when I got out of school and would love to go back to that but I don't remember how to give an injection or even do a manual BP. Forget about refresher courses because they don't have any available in my area. I am afraid I am washed up.:o

this is all so depressing and sad

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Specializes in ortho, med-surg, LTC, hospice, Quality.

I finished nursing school 13 years ago and 7 months pregnant. I did not want to work a 12 hours shift on a hospital med surg floor. I took a job at a nursing home with a plan to go to med surg in a year or two. I ended up staying in LTC and Hospice for the next 12 years with the last 8 years of those in management. I bit the bullet and went to work on ortho/neuro floor-it took me about 6 months to feel like i really had my feet under me, but in that 6 months i didn't harm anyone or make med errors or do all the things i was scared of doing. I was very upfront with HR,unit manager, my charge nurse and all my co-workers that I had been an RN for 12 years but had never worked in a hospital and they were great!!! You learned the skills-you have the knowledge you just havent used it in awhile-but i promise you IT IT STILL IN THERE!!!! If i can do it so can you!!!! Take a deep breath and just jump!!!

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

I was away for ten years and returned to ICU. I was amazed at how much I remembered and how quickly I returned to my previous level. Give it a try!

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I completely understand your reservations. I worked in a joke of a nursing home for 6 years right out of nursing school. Now, I do not feel like a good enough nurse to go anywhere else. I feel I am not as good and I have picked up bad habits. It is is bad!

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Specializes in Home Care.

Have you thought about community health nursing?

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

If nursing is your passion then continue with it! Right now you lack confidence in your skills which is making you doubt yourself. If you still have your old nursing textbooks and/or notes read them to refresh yourself. There is a wealth of information on the internet - you could probably even watch videos on YouTube! Ask family members or friends to be your "patients" to practice assessment skills and v/s on (including manual BP). LTC would be a great place to get back into as it's a little slower paced and low acuity. Once you start the job don't be afraid to ask another nurse's for advice or help, most co-workers are more than willing to help you along.

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I can relate... I graduated 5 years ago, worked for a little under a year, and have been home every since raising a family. I, too, feel insecure and like I have lost skills... but I have been applying for positions lately and am getting PSYCHED about returning to nursing! I know there will be alot to re-learn/remember, but I am willing to try because I spent too much time working towards this to stop.

I am glad I came across this post... I didn't realize there are so many videos on YouTube for nursing! I will definitely be checking those out :D

I agree with what everyone said, DON'T GIVE UP! At least give it a try before you decide to quit completely... if not, you may always regret not even trying.

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

You are way too harsh on yourself. You need to pull yourself up by the bootstrap. You can't just sit there and take it. Fight. I know it's scary, but get out of your comfort zone and find a refresher course out of your area even if means you have to drive a lot of miles. Then find a job in a hospital as a med-surg nurse or go back to a LTC facility and let them train you. If you've worked this hard to become a Nurse, then you owe it to yourself. Good Luck.

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please post your area- I am the queen of finding refresher courses for people and I wouldnt mind looking for you!its great that you are so honest and feel that you may do more harm than good, but honestly every facility has their own way of how things should be done, so maybe get a fundamentals of nursing or procedure book and just reveiw it and keep it on you at work so you have somethin to reference to if you need it. You prob have soem anxiety going on about going back, as anyone would after being out for a long time. Just remember you love being a nurse and all of the other stuff will fall into place!

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https://aceweb.gvltec.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?~~083BOB89901D

Online Refresher course for nurses out of state, also there's one for in-state (SC & FL nurses). They even have venipuncture online, click on healthcare and scroll all the way to bottom for online course, hope this helps.

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