Looking for advice

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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I left nursing about fours ago to stay at home with my newborn and my two other children, both under the age of five at the time. I was only in nursing for three years before I decided to stay home with my children. My experience is in OB and NICU. I would like to go back to work and stay in this area of nursing. All the articles I read say take a refresher course, but I have only been out four years, do I need that? The refresher courses in my area are strictly medical/surgical. Any advice would be appreciated.:)

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Hopefully you've completed your CEU requirements in OB/NICU related topics. Orientation to these areas is very long. Mine in postpartum/nursery was 8 weeks, full time. 2 weeks of it was pure classroom. I know NICU's is MUCH longer. Those guys orient for months and months.

I've never ever HEARD of "refresher" courses. The orientation should be enough. If they let new grads do it...

Where in Ohio are you?

Heather

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Thanks Heather. I live in Avon Lake, it is about 20 minutes west of Cleveland. Several colleges in my area offer "refresher" courses to nurses who have been out of the workforce for awhile. From what I have read they seem like a medical-surgical nursing minicourse. They are a couple of weeks long and some include clinicals. I have never worked as a medical-surgical nurse and as I said before I hope to go back into maternity nursing, so I don't now how benefical it would be for me to take such a course. I read your profile, Hockey is Great!!! My two sons, 11 and 10 play travel hockey. We are leaving for Detroit in the morning, they are in a tournament all weekend. We are also season ticket holders for our new hockey team here in Cleveland, The Barons. Thanks again.

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Hi MK

Like you I stayed home to raise my children for 8 years after working full time for 5 years. I was fortunate to be hired by a small hospital which did not require a nursing refresher course just their OB orientation. I had been turned down by some larger hospitals because of the years I had not worked. I quickly passed my orientation. Things hadn't changed a whole lot in 8 years as a matter of fact it seemed somewhat easier. I had been used to 3 laboring patients with only 2 fetal monitors, no IV pumps for regulating pit., and few policies governing anything. Now we had 1-1 nursing and monitors for all our laboring pt. Besides now I was older and more confident. After two years of 24-40 hours a week I went per diem and then 8 years later went back on staff.

It seems the only thing I missed in all those years of working was working weekends, holidays and the "what ifs." I am certainly glad I spent time being home with the kids. They are now grown and doing extremly well. Those years you can't get back. Work will always be there. Good luck.

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Thanks Kristina! We WORSHIP Spongebob in our house. He is THE MAN! My 7 year old went as him for Halloween. He & his dad labored over the costume for 3 days, we're very proud of it. I think I may have gotten into it a little more though! :D

We should be getting pics back soon, I can't wait to post them!

Heather

aka "Spongegirl" (:eek: ewww, that sounds weird!)

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