Success Returning to Nursing

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I am currently in the process of reactivating my license which I let expire 5 years ago. I graduated from nursing school when I was 19, got my license, and then accepted a position in a long term care facility. Well I didn't last long in this environment. I felt overwhelmed and just not ready for a nursing career. I'm now 36 and wanting to return to nursing after all these years. I truly enjoy a medical environment but I'm concerned about how easy it will be to get back into the career. Has anyone else ever been in a similar situation and made a successful transition back into nursing?

why you change your idea after so many years? This change may bring you some difficulties than before.

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I decided to return to nursing after 15 years, and I let my license expire! i just took the NCLEX RN in California on Jan 4, and found out that I passed! i have been lucky enough to be working as one of the school nurses at a private school for the last year and I am so thrilled to be official. I also did camp nursing which is so fun and plan to do that this summer. The hardest part of all of this was finding the discipline and time to study for the NCLEX with 3 kids! I took one NCLEX class which really helped with the strategy and using the nursing process, Maslow, etc.... to answer the questions. The content was really up to me though and I had to really work hard. I found that reviewing the rationales for right and wrong answers really helped, Saunders and Kaplan CDs really helped. After the test though I would recommend Exam Cram and NUrsing MAde Incredibly easy, the questions were more similar. Also, the Prioritization book by LaCharity is a goldmine. Good luck to all of you returning to nursing, it's possible!

in fact, I do not to choose to return as a nurse. I think I could earn money from the nurse experince of the past

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Specializes in L&D,surgery,med/surg,ER,alzheimers.
I decided to return to nursing after 15 years, and I let my license expire! i just took the NCLEX RN in California on Jan 4, and found out that I passed! i have been lucky enough to be working as one of the school nurses at a private school for the last year and I am so thrilled to be official. I also did camp nursing which is so fun and plan to do that this summer. The hardest part of all of this was finding the discipline and time to study for the NCLEX with 3 kids! I took one NCLEX class which really helped with the strategy and using the nursing process, Maslow, etc.... to answer the questions. The content was really up to me though and I had to really work hard. I found that reviewing the rationales for right and wrong answers really helped, Saunders and Kaplan CDs really helped. After the test though I would recommend Exam Cram and NUrsing MAde Incredibly easy, the questions were more similar. Also, the Prioritization book by LaCharity is a goldmine. Good luck to all of you returning to nursing, it's possible!

Congrats! You are an inspiration for those of us who want to do the same thing :)

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Specializes in dialysis, OR.

i know this posting is old but i read it can relate a bit. i graduated in 2006 (rn) and worked in dialysis prn for less than a year. to add to this, the center i worked at is very different than a hospital center. i basically administered meds to patients all day. i had some pregnancy complications and started staying at home on july 07. i knew i wanted to be a stay at home mom and have been so ever since. i now have 2 children. i would like to return to nursing in the near future but i am unbelievably nervous about it. i know i am basically a brand new nurse. i feel like i am going to have a hard time finding a job and i know i do not want to do dialysis again. i just hope that someone will give me a chance and not throw me to the wolves so to speak.i would love to know if you have found a job and how everything has turned out for you. i was reading about the capscare online refresher course. is it just an online thing or is there some sort of clinical part to it too. does anyone have any advise for me or in the same situation as me? please share your story. ;)

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I took the Capscare Refresher Course and I loved it . There are clinicals as well( 100 clinical hours) which is awesome. I did finally get a job and a I love it! The market is tough here in South Florida. Capscare gave me both the confidence and tools to return to nursing (after 25+ years) If you have any further questions and I can be of any help let me know! Good luck

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Specializes in dialysis, OR.

thanks so much for responding. so you took the capscare online refresher course? it appears that you can take theory, clinicals or both when i looked up the site. where are the clinicals and how often did you do them? i guess just a little bit more information about the program would be great if you have the time. i see it's pretty expensive so i don't want to waste my money. did you have a lot of nursing experience before you left for 25 years. i do not have hardly any experiece at all. if the clinicals are a long way from my home then i may just have to do the theory part. would that be worth it to you or is the clinical aspect the best part. i am very nervous about going back into nusring. anyways any information or advice you can offer me would be great. i am so glad someone responded to me, i kind of thought because the original posting was old that nobody would.:)

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

the clinical experience will enhance your confidence, plus it is a great place to market your self:nurse:

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Yes it is a little expensive but I think well worth the money. I think the clinicals were as important as the theory, it gave me a chance to get familiar with the hospital experience and routines a chance to look at common meds etc. The clinicals I took were in Boyton Beach, Fl, it was about an hour and a half from my house but again well worth it. I all took anotheer refresher course through Kane seminars and that was strickly for procedures ie catheters, Iv's, trach care etc that was a one day class.

the insructor at Capscare is great and I am soooo happy i invested the money afterall i am worth it! And so are you

And as far as how much experience I had it really did't matter 25 years is a long time and so much had changed, procedure wise!

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I took the Capscare refresher course and it was great!!!!! The instructor is awesome , the clinical experience was a great one too!!! It gave me back alot of confidence, I have been out of nursing for 25+ years and so many things have changed. But I feel like capscare gave me the tools I needed to be successful. I am presently waiting for my Fl license through endorsement, this process can take 30+ days.So you should definitely check out Capscare online course, I wish you much success in your present endeavor,please keep us updated if you need further info on capscare please feel free to contact me. I will follow this thread with great intrest.

Hi,

I am looking into taking the Capscare Remedial course (on-line) as my Florida license lapse. I'm a little nervous about having to review and be tested on all the areas of nursing again, but I know I have too. Did you feel as if the course/testing method was super hard. Just feeling anxious....Thanks for any input regarding the program. Thanks so much.

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Actually no. I did the online program and what is nice is you do it really at your pace also worked along with Saunders NCLEX Review book!I also was so nervous about going back to school, but as i got into the class i was more relaxed about it. The support was wonderful! I owe my successful return to nursing to Myself and Capscare!Good luck!

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Actually no. I did the online program and what is nice is you do it really at your pace also worked along with Saunders NCLEX Review book!I also was so nervous about going back to school, but as i got into the class i was more relaxed about it. The support was wonderful! I owe my successful return to nursing to Myself and Capscare!Good luck!

Thank you!

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Specializes in home care, med/surg ICU, ER, Hospice.

I returned to nursing after many years and I am really having a difficult time with my confidence. I graduated in 1996, worked part time in homecare (1 patient) from 1998 to 2002, and I am now working in the ICU of a small hospital. I took an RN Refresher Course in 2008. I started working in the hospital in December of 2009, trained on med/surg, ICU, ER from December 2009 through May 2010, and I am now on my own in ICU. I keep getting floated to either the med/surg floor, or ER because we don't have enough patients in ICU to warrant having 2 nurses, so I'm not getting the experience I need to become confident.

I was just wondering how you all made out returning to the field after being off for a long time.

Any advice will be appreciated!

:confused:

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