Returning to Nursing and need advice.

[MEL65]

I am an RN/BSN from the state of Texas, but I currently live in Germany. I live overseas because my husband works for the US Army as an MD/civilian. We hope to be moving back to Texas (San Antonio) this year (in the fall) or next year; we are still waiting on military orders. I really want to get back into nursing and hope that you all can steer me in the right direction. I have worked in telemetry, ambulatory surgery unit, recovery room, home health, and Shriner's Burn Hospital. My favorite area is Ambulatory Nursing/Day Surgery.

My TX RN License is active, but because I have lived in Germany for 12 years I have not worked in a hospital setting for many years. I have all of the head knowledge” but lack the hands on clinical” practice. Plus, I have been home raising children, one of which has High Functioning Autism. I essentially have been working as a home health nurse for my son because of the demands of his disability. He's 21 now and is such an amazing young man. I also have a daughter who graduated high this past June, so now it's time for me to return to work.

I have volunteered with various nursing facilities here, like the high school nurse's office, and summer camps with Vacation Bible School and the Red Cross. It has been very difficult to work here as an RN because jobs are scarce or often given to active duty military RN's over civilian RN's. The military hospital will only allow volunteer nurses unless they are directly hired as DOD employees. I would have to work regular 40 hour weeks with rotating shifts and no pay. Sounds crazy, but it's true. I'm sure you all can imagine how eager I am to get back to the US.

As required by the state of Texas in order to renew my RN license, I have taken online or by mail CEU classes every two years since graduating nursing school in 1992, so I've kept up with the new trends and practices. I'm registered to take an RN Refresher course online with Austin Community College that starts on August 28, 2017 (this month) but what I really need is a clinical refresher course. I can only do the clinical rotations once I'm back in the US, so for now I'm reviewing the didactic portion of the refresher course. I greatly appreciate any recommendations that you all might have for someone like me. I am eager to get back into the nursing profession. Blessings to you all from Germany. ☺️