One year after graduation and afraid to begin my nursing career!

[Hkroeck]

Hello everyone!

So today officially marks a year to the day since I graduated nursing school with my LPN. I've been licensed for nearly a year as well. Since I unexpectedly transferred schools and was unable to bridge into an RN program right away like I thought I would I've been taking general classes for the past year. I've been discouraged about not being able to get right back into a nursing school, and that along with some other unexpected turns in my life have kept me from looking for LPN positions until now. I'm finally ready to begin applying for nursing jobs but I'm afraid that I've lost all of the knowledge and skills that I need to actually do well on the job. I don't want to endanger the lives of my patients or my license! Its just been SO long since I've cared for a patient or even thought of opening a book, I'm worried that I'll be completely on my own and have no idea what I'm doing!!! Is it a bad idea to get a job after being out of school for so long? Can anyone give me some ideas of what specific information I should brush up on? Are there any long term care LPNs that could give me an idea of what a day on the job is like? Any resources or advice at all is welcomed!!!

[Novo]

Work as an LPN while going to school for RN.

[Majestas]

Maybe taking a refresher course would be helfpul. I know they exist for RNs, and probably do for LPNs as well. I think it's been a while since you posted this thread, but maybe this idea helps. Novo's idea is also a good one, so I would say apply for the LPN positions after taking the course. Or maybe take a few relevent community college classess (or university, if you live by one and can afford it).

[Hkroeck]

Thank you for your suggestion, I didn't know refresher courses existed but I will definitely look into it!