Lahey clinic nurse refresher program

[Lstcats]

I wanted to know if anyone has taken the nurse refresher at Lahey clinic. If so, can you enlighten me as the work load and what you thought of the program. Did it prepare you to return and where did you end up getting a job? Was it worth it for $1500? Thanks

[Steffaniern]

I work at Lahey and I am not sure if the program is worth $1500, but Lahey is a busy teaching hospital with very sick patients. So, if you work on the floors you will get plently of experience. How long have you been out of bedside nursing? Why do you think you need to do a refresher program? If you take the course and take a job with Lahey and they offer you reinbursment for the course make sure you get it in writing. My friend took it, because she did case management for 5 plus years and had little floor experience prior to that. She thought she could have done without it. Personally, I think you can get a job with a 4-6 week preceptor agreement and be fine if you are an previous experienced hospital nurse. I did case management for years, but had 4 years of floor experience with a year of telemetry prior to working as a case manager. I also stayed doing perdiem for a few years while working full time case management. When my son was a baby I worked part time as a case manager and that was it. I took a week critical care course at Lahey and then took a job as an ICU nurse. I had no problems getting back into the swing of bedside nursing in a critical care unit. Send your resume out to some places and see if you get any bits. Good luck!!!

[Lstcats]

I looked at the syllabus that was sent to me and things missing like no mulsc.system and death & dying etc. Only one day of shadowing someone in clinical and no actual clinical experience. I decided against it for several reasons. I have been a nurse for 22 years but no real steady hospital experience since 1992 (one year of med/surg rehab in 200-2001). I left to go into home care in 92. I have been through this many times that no one will hire me unless I have a nurse refresher course (BIDMC, MGH, B&W, BMC, NSMC, etc.). They would rather take a new grad rather than myself. In 1986 I started in tele and PCU until 1990 when I went to MGH to work in MICU, then to traveling nursing late 91 to 92 then to the Vineyard for home care. I couldn't do floor nursing anymore and I still can't. My health has worsened. I always think bigger than I can do. Thanks for your pointers.