RN who has not worked

[Jenn27may]

I passed the board in Sept 2015. I have always kept my nursing license active and recently renewed my Texas nursing license. I have extremely limited experience working as an RN. I did flu clinics two years in a row which is seasonal and not true patient care. I never thought I would not be working as a nurse all this time. After I graduated and passed the boards my husband and I got married and moved. Then we started a business and shortly after that had a baby. I want to get into nursing at some point but I’m nervous because of the gap and not only that I never really had any experience to begin with. I guess I’m wanting to know if I’m the only one out there like this or if anyone has advice on the matter

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

If you search the topic on AN via the top right search box, you'll find that many people have posted similar stories and/or have had similar experiences.

One piece of advice that I've seen many times is to not be choosy; get any (reasonably acceptable) paid job to get some history of nursing experience on your resume. Usually, that would mean going into LTC.

If you do, learn what you can from it, study/review things on the side, and if you don't like it, treat it as a time-limited apprenticeship that you need to go elsewhere. (Try not to pick up bad habits, as the staffing ratio in most SNFs practically invite those to develop.)

Also, study up on interviewing skills if you've not gone through a lot of them in your career up to now.

[HM7]

I have this same situation going on. I am looking for advice also on what to do. I graduated in 2017. I had some extenuating circumstances and still did hair while taking care of some things. Now it’s been 5 years and I have no experience. Feeling really bummed because I worked my butt off and really miss the hospital setting! 

[AdobeRN]

I would look into some kind of Refresher course - maybe check with your local community college.  Our local CC has them listed under "Continuing Education" type of courses for the community.  Good Luck!