Unemployed before nursing

[jessicaoropesa]

Hi everyone!

I am a pre-nursing student, I've been unemployed since 2014 when I had my daughter, I do not plan on working as my husband works graveyard/rotating 12 hr shift schedule (similar to a nurse schedule) and I'm home with the kids or at school. I have about 3 years left of school... So that will leave me with 7 years no work experience.

I am concerned about this long gap in my work history will affect me when I finish nursing school even though I'll have a degree. I appreciate the feedback! Thank you :)

[caliotter3]

Since you will be starting over in a new career, it will not affect you that much. You will be a green RN. For example, a year and a half of experience at Mickey D's or for that matter, as a receptionist, or as a retail employee at Target, is not going to affect you getting your first RN job very much. About the only employment that might even help at that point will be some kind of patient care experience. That would be the only work I would recommend in anticipation of applying for new graduate RN positions. Good luck with the rest of school!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Eh, my work history when I graduated nursing school (since I entered at the age of 18) was 4 summers of working at a pre-school aged summer camp, substitute teaching, one summer as a bus monitor for a child with autism, temping at the sewer department in the town I grew up in and the accounting firm my father's friend owned and one summer as an aide in the hospital in my town. Most of these jobs were only a few months at time.

You are starting over in a new career, no one will care. "I spent the last 7 years as a stay at home Mom" is a perfectly reasonable explanation if anyone asks.

[caliotter3]

Eh, my work history when I graduated nursing school (since I entered at the age of 18) was 4 summers of working at a pre-school aged summer camp, substitute teaching, one summer as a bus monitor for a child with autism, temping at the sewer department in the town I grew up in and the accounting firm my father's friend owned and one summer as an aide in the hospital in my town. Most of these jobs were only a few months at time.

You are starting over in a new career, no one will care. "I spent the last 7 years as a stay at home Mom" is a perfectly reasonable explanation if anyone asks.

Yeppers. This. Stay at home with your family and enjoy every minute of it.

[brownbook]

I had little to no work experience before I went to nursing school at the age of 28. A few scattered years in clerical positions. Full time mom is a job!

[jessicaoropesa]

Thank you for the replies. That puts my mind at ease. I am actually going to become my little sisters (8 yrs) respite caretaker, she has autism. I will pretty much only be babysitting her once in a while but it still some kind of employment and hey, it might come in handy one day on a resume.

[cleback]

Just make sure you have good references. If that's professors, fine. You may also consider volunteering if you need professional references.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

temping at the sewer department

OK, so I originally interpreted this as you taking the temperature of the sewage.

Sorry, carry on.