Inactive rn Need advice

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Hai i've been a silent observer in this site .it has been a great help for i passed my nclex on my first attempt.Its almost a year now since i got my RN (California) .

I completed my degree in 1999 and worked as a nurse in operation room in my country (INDIA) for almost 2 years . Then I had to resign my job after marraige .Till now since mid of 2003 i have not worked as a nurse . I had to look after my kids.

But i feel bad about not working and keeping my license inactive (which i strived for 4 years to get all the documents correctly from my school and to complete the RN) and i also fear i'll lose my knowledge and skills since its been 5 years without practical experience..I wish to work as an operation room nurse...I know the set up here is completely different when compared to our country..

Please Can anyone tell me if i could be hired with this long gap of experince and that too will they feel i'd have enough knowledge in the OR eventhough i have worked in my country where nothing can come near to the book picture....( its like we work as first assisstants mainly and the work load will be heavy because of huge population) will they orient me? If i ask for orientation will they feel bad about me? what should i do? I'm ready to go for any training programme they would recommend ..And can anyone tell if i need to comlete the BLS before my interview?

I will feel more confident from your responses and i can start looking for the job seriously with a positive attittude

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I haven't worked since 2000, and am now looking at going back to work as well. I live in Virginia and was told that I'd need to take an RN refresher class in order to get a job. I would assume that would be a good place for you to start as well. Here is a link I found for the CA board of nursing. Halfway down the page is a listing of refresher classes. http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/courses.shtml I don't know how much luck you'll have going straight in to the O.R. Talk to the hospitals where you want to work, or look them up online. It seems like there are a lot of training programs here in VA, maybe CA is the same way? Good luck to you! :)

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Hai jandkmom,

Thanks for your response . I'll try the link and find someplace nearby to complete the refreshers course....Would it be fine to ask You some more questions? what speciality are you ? should one be specialised to work as an RN? would the employers accept if i complete the online refreshers course? any idea?...I have an active rn license...do i still need a refreshers course?.......

Have you aompleted the couse .....Do they give practical experience too?

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I start my refresher class in two weeks. It's part online, part practicing skills, and doing IVs, and two weeks of following a preceptor in a hospital.

As far as if you need a class.... I was told here in VA that if a nurse hadn't worked for more than 4 years, they were required to take a refresher class. I have done a lot of reading up on going back to work and it all said to make yourself as prepared and marketable as possible. I personally would be kinda scared to just walk right back on to a inpatient unit today. Meds change, policies change, equipment changes... I used to work in California actually and worked in psych as a new grad. I wanted to get a job in med surg so I took a refresher class, even though I was working as a nurse at the time, and was hired on a med surg unit. My boss told me that if I hadn't taken the refresher class, she wouldn't have hired me.

I wouldn't say that I actually have a specialty. My last job was on a orthopedics/general surgery unit. I'll be happy to get a job on any kind of med surg unit and then take it from there.

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Hai jandkmom,

Thanks for your reply....hope you complete your course successfully and get a good position in the med/surg unit as you wish...Now that i'm in INDIA i would be able to start the course only when i return back....i'll keep my hands crossed and pray to god and let him show the right path for us

good luck to you

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Specializes in neonatal intensive care unit.

Hello barathi7 !

Your written words of "...will pray to God and let him show the right path for us...." touched my heart because I am also seeking a path to return to nursing work! Yes! Amen to your prayer!

I think you wrote that you did check with the board of nursing in your state to learn what the requirements are for working as a registered nurse in your state. Yes! The state board of nursing in one's current home state seems to be the key resource to learn steps to be eligible for registered nursing jobs in that state.

Regarding review books, I agree with one of the other writers on this site that if you are required to take a refresher course there will probably be recommended nursing reference books within that course.

If you are not required to take a nursing refresher course, I have found very good quality review books at the bookstore here called Books A Million for prep for the ususal required written tests for job applications for registered nurses(meds test and general nursing test)---best picks of review books for me were pharmacology review books and NCLEX review books with sample questions and answers with good rationale for best answers(zoom in on ONLY most common stuff such as med surg and zomm in on ONLY twenty or so key meds such as digoxin,lasix,insulins)---these review type books helped me oh so much to actually pass the written tests for the private duty R.N. job I am currently applying for! Good luck in your experience in India and best wishes on your efforts to meet requirements to return to R.N. work when you return to the States! Peace to you.

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Hai neonatal3,

your words were encouraging ...thanks for your response..i'm going to check with my board about my requirements and try to follow them ...hope you do ur test good and get the job you wished for let god be with you....:up: And could you tell me if you need to pass the private test to get that job? does all the employers select the employees by conducting a private test?

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Specializes in neonatal intensive care unit.

hello again barathi7 :

To answer your question about whether most employers in the U.S.A. select nurses by giving private tests, the answer is yes. Most employers require a registered nurse applicant to pass a private, mulitiple choice, written medications test.

The health services agency where I am applying for a private duty R.N. job requires more private tests than I have been required to take with previous nursing job applications. The first three written tests were on medications,general med/surg nursing and home ventilator care and I had to prepare using my own nursing reference books. Now I have learned that next week I am required to take and pass three "open book" tests on OSHA infection control guidelines,HIPAA patient confidentiality guidelines,and general patient safety guidelines and that the agency provides the reference information for these tests.(but before the tests I am reviewing at home some info on these topics which I have found on the Internet). Since I have been out of nursing for five years, I don't know if all employers of nurses are requiring more than a medication test now?

Best wishes in your efforts to get back into nursing. Peace to you.

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Hai neonatal3

Thanks for your reply...Then i have to start my preparations from now on....Since i've kept all of my study materials there in california I'll try the books you have recomended, when i return back....I have registered myself for the bls and acls certification here...Hope i finish it in india and start my refreshers course in california when i return back...

Wish to hear more good news from you ....god bless you

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.

I know it's not pertinent to the original post since it's about how things work here in Oz, but I'll share with you anyway.

Here in Australia, if a nurse has not worked within a 5 year period, she/he must do a refresher course. This is regardless of whether or not the nurse has maintained her/his registration with the board.

I'm of the firm belief, that after a period of 5 years, a nurse really does need to update/refresh skills. Both for the nurses sake, the co-workers sake and the patients sake. As one of the other posters wrote, things change.

I wish you all the very best with your endeavours. :)

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jankmom- if you re still around all this time (after the original post below)....which refresher class did you end up taking? how was it? was it worth the money? did you end finding a job after taking the class? was the class instrumental in securing employment or helping YOU with confidence and rusty skills?

I'm considering taking a refresher course but it is PRICEY and I'm not sure employment would be guaranteed anyway....

I start my refresher class in two weeks. It's part online, part practicing skills, and doing IVs, and two weeks of following a preceptor in a hospital.

As far as if you need a class.... I was told here in VA that if a nurse hadn't worked for more than 4 years, they were required to take a refresher class. I have done a lot of reading up on going back to work and it all said to make yourself as prepared and marketable as possible. I personally would be kinda scared to just walk right back on to a inpatient unit today. Meds change, policies change, equipment changes... I used to work in California actually and worked in psych as a new grad. I wanted to get a job in med surg so I took a refresher class, even though I was working as a nurse at the time, and was hired on a med surg unit. My boss told me that if I hadn't taken the refresher class, she wouldn't have hired me.

I wouldn't say that I actually have a specialty. My last job was on a orthopedics/general surgery unit. I'll be happy to get a job on any kind of med surg unit and then take it from there.

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