Nurse/mom needs advise

[catfish1]

Need advice please. I've was an LPN for 15 yrs. then went back to school and got my RN. Most of my experience is LTC. I've been an RN for less than a year now. There are big gaps of time in my work history due to being a stay at home mom, school, ect. Three of the previous facilities worked for are closed. My last job at a LTC has had so many changes,new DON, new ADON. So my dilema is references. I never know who to name. I have'nt worked as an RN since getting my lisence in May '08. I really want to work in the hospital setting but not full time because of my daughter who is 6yrs. old. I want to be able to take and pick her up from school and just be there for her. I've decided to work only weekends. Here's my other dilema. Yesterday, when I applied at one local haspital I was told that I need to do a full-time orientation even if I only do weekends. So, my only other option is to go to another LTC facility without a doubt get hired on the spot. If I continue to choose to be a mom at home 75% of the time, I'll be waiting at least another 4 yrs. before I feel comfortable not being available for my daughter during school hours and she is able to do more things independently. I know this is a choice I am making and could take my daughter to an early morning daycare program if I wanted to. She is my last child and dont want to miss these important years with her because I'll never get them back. Should I just go to work at a LTC and get any exp. I can and apply at a hospital after 3-4 more yrs.? Also, would someone advise me on filling out applications or a resume'. What do you do when you have no professional references to give? Thanks for anyone's input.

[dfs1961]

I would take that job on the weekends and then just suck it up to get through the full-time orientation. Figure out daycare for 3 months and then after that you are golden. It is only short-term and then you will get your experience for your resume.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Could you name some of your nursing instructors as references? That's what I did when I was fresh out of nursing school and had no nursing experience to reference. I agree with the above about trying for the weekend position; if I could afford it, that's what I'd love to do to be with my kidlets during the week.