Refresher programs: My licence has lapsed, ugh, retesting sounds challenging, advice?

debbren · Mar 27, 2009

Wow, good for you...I am so excited to get going I will tell you. I have downloaded some review books on my new Kindle (small, and portable) and I am waiting to hear what NY says. I am pretty sure I will have to retest. But like you, it is really coming back. Amazing isn't it. I think we will make excellent nurses again because our hearts are in it. Once I get the ok from NY I will register with NCLEX, but must wait until I am given the ok. I was never licienced in NY, just 3 other states! So while I wait I am studying...

I bet your re-entry class is wonderful. Nice to be with other people in the same boat huh? Best of luck...you sound very committed so you will do great! What state are you in?

schu0909 · Apr 19, 2009

Hi All,
After working as a Neonatal Nurse Practioner for 10 years I "retired", and have been living abroad for several years. I am really wanting to return to nursing and realized I must first get my licence back. Does anyone have advice on how they have chosen to study for the exam? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Being in Hong Kong, I have lots of free time, can do online course work, but have no availablity to do any clinical here. But for now I think the matter of preparing to retake an exam I havent taken in 25 years is a tad daunting!
Thank you and love the site....

Deb,

I just joined allnurses.com and have read your above notice.....I too am in the same situation and wonder how you are doing....sherry

debbren · Apr 19, 2009

Hi Shery,

I am reading Med-Surg Demystified at the moment. I also have downloaded at least 100 podcasts on my itouch and listen to lectures everyday when I exercise and when I can't sleep. Sometimes up to 4 hours a day! I really am amazed how it comes back to you....you will be amazed also.

I also have found UTube to have some interesting stuff under nursing and medicine. I used to be proficient at intubation, central lines etc...not saying I am ready to jump in with out refresher...but it makes your realize it is still there, just hastn't been used in a while.

My gut tells me to believe you can do anything you set out to do....

As far as the paperwork, all has been recieved by my state board, just waiting to hear back....

In the meantime, I will plan to follow the advise given to me to do "Suzanne's Plan", you will see that on an earlier post. I figure all these people have such good advice, and that sounds like the way to go....

How are you doing with your future plans? Dream it and it will happen!

Debbie

schu0909 · Apr 19, 2009

Hello Debbie, Thanks so much for responding to my need for help and someone to talk to about my problem. I left nursing and went into being a Mary Kay Cosmetic Director and now want to go back into nursing. I found out last Friday that I failed my nclex exam. I was studying day and night on a site called nclextestanswers.com and could do all of the test to around 88-90%. None of the info on that site was on the exam. Now I know that I must find a site that is going to teach me what I need to know. How do you find a site that offers to you what you need to know? I want to study what I need to know to continue to be a good nurse and be successful. Does the board of nursing have any counseling information? Does the league of nursing help with counseling as what site is not a scam and is the "Real Deal". I did learn lots of information about diseases.....Please tell me what you know.....sherry

schu0909 · Apr 21, 2009

Hello Everyone, I wanted to State a GREAT BIG "Thank YOu" to all of you that have responded to my request.

As of right now, yesterday was a very productive day. I read all of the responses and couldn't get any info from the Suzanne suggest. I'm awesuming she doesn't exist anymore. But, did get a response about the Kaplan program and also got that from a nurse friend of mine. So this is what I did yesterday....contacted the board of nursing and they took me to their web site and down loaded the plan for Nclex exam to see what is all on it. They told me I can test again in 45 days. There is not a requirement from them to take any classes until you fail x3. But, I don't want any part of that.....and my friend who stated that it takes a life savings is correct to get your license back and also the friend that stated "DON'T EVER LET YOUR LICENSE LAPSE".... two very correct statements. So I enrolled in the Kaplan program as recommended from another friend on here. So I have that scheduled in Ann Arbor, Michigan 2nd aND 3RD week of May. I don't want to wait.....Thanks and Hugs to all of you....sherry

schu0909 · Apr 21, 2009

I have one more ??????? Does anyone know of any money out there to help with the cost......being there is a Nursing shortage......I just wondered if there is aid out there......sherry

backinthesaddleRN · Jul 17, 2009

Hi

I just re-took my NCLEX RN after 17 years off duty being a mom. I got a bunch of review books but the best thing I did was an online Saunders interactive review. I think it was $59.00 and it was totally worth itThrough a website called Evolve.). You take a pretest and from that they fashion the course by your weaknesses. At the end you take an actual CAT type test. My test stopped at 75 and so did my NCLEX RN and I passed. You can even choose how long you want the material spread out and they make a calendar for you. I highly reccommend it!

schu0909 · Jul 18, 2009

Thank You so much for responding to my story. I just took my Ncclex last Tuesday, July 14th for the second time and I have passed. After Fail, the first time, I took the Kaplan program and worked on it online for about 6-8 hours per day except Sunday. I have succeeded at my goal and can't wait to start working now. So very happy and will never let my license lapse again....

Sherry

backinthesaddleRN · Jul 18, 2009

Congratulations to you!!!! I know how daunting the whole process is!!! Good luck with all future endeavors!! :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :nurse:

schu0909 · Jul 18, 2009

Thanks

It feels so good!!! That all that hard work pays off and really works...

I would recommend Kaplan to everyone.....it works if you work it!!!

Now I have to find a position working as an RN....in the Flint area.....

I want to work Visiting Nurses or Home Care.....does anyone have any employment agencies that they would recommend????? Sherry

debbren · Feb 15, 2010

Hi
I just re-took my NCLEX RN after 17 years off duty being a mom. I got a bunch of review books but the best thing I did was an online Saunders interactive review. I think it was $59.00 and it was totally worth itThrough a website called Evolve.). You take a pretest and from that they fashion the course by your weaknesses. At the end you take an actual CAT type test. My test stopped at 75 and so did my NCLEX RN and I passed. You can even choose how long you want the material spread out and they make a calendar for you. I highly reccommend it!

Hi there, I too have been sidelined for over 10 years, and just got my RN back....why I ever allowed it to lapse...anyway would love to hear what you are doing with your licence now!

All the best...

backinthesaddleRN · Feb 15, 2010

Hi,

Thanks for your interest. I applied to about 6 hospital positions.....A Kaiser personnel RN called. She said I needed 6 months current experience before they would hire me. Kind of a catch 22, we can't hire you without RECENT experience so where do you get that? I am in the hunt for a state position but they are very slow at filling them. I started the process in October went through one round of interviews in Dec., ranked no.1 and am still waiting for round #2! Thank goodness my husband has a great job and we are not depending on me getting a job to survive! I have a friend in home health placement....she said they would have to place me as an LPN.....that made no sense, you can't get RN experience working as an LPN! So I search apply and wait! I did get my BLS! :nurse: