Returning to hospital nursing after 7 years out of hospital setting - would like feedback

[Peachpit]

I have been a nurse for 30 yrs. I worked in a hospital setting until 2015, left for home health/hospice and a PRN position at an MD office. I recently interviewed and was offered a position at two different hospitals one Med/Surg and one in IMCU.  Both Directors are clear I have not worked in a hospital setting since 2015 but have current clinical experience. Both hospitals offer extensive refresher/returning to the hospital orientation for nurses who have not been in a hospital setting and/or are returning to the profession after an extended period of time. 

There are things I miss about the hospital but the majority of those (like wound care, IV's) I can do in the home/hospice setting without the 12+ hr shifts, working holidays, weekends or on call, in the position I'm currently in. And I know hospital nursing has changed exponentially in the past 7 yrs. based on what I read here and elsewhere. 

Truthfully, I'm not sure I want to return to the hospital setting. I am not even sure why I applied/interviewed in the first place except  I've been feeling like it's almost a "now or never" type situation going back to working in the hospital as I know the longer I'm out of the setting the more difficult it will be to get back in and eventually there won't be an opportunity at all.

I guess I'm answering my own question while writing this but I would appreciate feedback/advice from nurses who did go back after years away from the bedside.

 

Thanks everyone

 

 

[RNperdiem, RN]

2015 was not that long ago.

I can't thing of what really has changed since then. We wear masks all day as standard PPE now. Many places, even my unit, has had a lot of staff turnover in the past couple of years, so many of your coworkers will probably be new to the department too. Other than that, I suspect you will find everything else familiar.