i need help with new career directions for old rural nurse

[suelson]

i am an RN with 17 years hospital experience in various departments. after being laid off from a facility that is undergoing downsizing and financial difficutlies, i have been unable to find employment. i feel reasons are as follows;

1. physical limitations (from many years of nursing?) prevent me from doing direct patient care

2. experience as a rural nurse leaves an excellent generalist but by no means a specialist in any of the areas nurses in more populated communitie are able to obtain

3. i live in a very rural area with few jobs which means i am trying to find a telecommute job

4. i do not live in a compact state nor in a state that does much telecommuting it seems (I am in Washington state)

so... does anyone have any suggestions for CAREER DIRECTIONS and how to better my chances of getting there? i am willing to do some training and refreshing in to different specialty areas, preferably on line. but i am willing to drive to my nearest city if i could get some practical clinical experience in these areas.

i have heard that communicating with other nurses can be a big help so i am appealing to anyone out there who has some suggestions.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

First of all, you are not "old", you are "tenured", "seasoned", "highly expert". . . anything but old - LOL.

It just sucks that you are left in this situation through absolutely no fault of your own. Your generalist skills may actually be a bonus in terms of case management or 'advice-line' type jobs. You should make sure that your resume emphasizes the fact that you have such a diverse background, with experience working with all types of patients. Talk about critical thinking!!!! When it comes to tele-type jobs, state lines don't mean much. With the right technology, all things are possible. You could audit charts or manage claims from anywhere. Licensure would only become an issue if you work directly with patients.

Since you were actually "displaced" from your job, can you claim any Federal re-training or up-skilling benefits that are available to others in your situation? Have you talked to your state employment office to see if this is a possibility? If so it may open some additional doors for you.

[tewdles, RN]

Hospice?

[suelson]

Houtx, thanks for all the good comments. i do have some assistance from my state department of vocation rehab. so far, i think i know a lot more about RN jobs than they do. but my biggest issue is trying to impress a computer when i do on line job applications. it's not like talking to a real person so i haven't been able to get a foot in the door yet.

[mariebailey, MSN, RN]

Public Health Nursing! Look around at local health departments in the area.