What would you do? Need advice from RN's and MOMS

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

I need advice..esp if you have more than one child. It's long so TIA!

I graduated from RN school in 2007 but only worked a few months before quitting d/t complications of pregnancy (my first pg-it ended in m/c) and then to mostly SAH with my daughter. I went back to an old job that I had that payed less $$ but I make my own hours and work as little and as much as I want (it is non clinical). That said, my earning power would greatly increase if I secured RN work.

But it's been two years since I graduated and as you know finding RN job for NEW GRADS is very hard in this economy right now. I feel I need to take a refresher course b/c I have been away so long, I really would only feel comfortable working if I did that. It is a semester long. It requires me to be fingerprinted through the state, which I already am, and that fingerprinting will expire in 2010. After the refresher course, it is my plan to then look for a job within 6 months or so or immediately after depending on when I take it.

Ok..so question is...I am 7 wks pregnant with my second child. I could either hurry up now and take this course in the fall. I'll be 7 mos preggo in December, remember. Hopefully I won't have any complications (didn't for Cory). My figerprints will still be effective (its kinda a pain to do them again, really). I'll only have Cory and not a new baby and my sis will help watch her when hubby can't. I'll have to give up my California vacation we had planned. Major bummer. But I'll be preggo for clinicals and the hospital I do them at won't really want to hire me b/c...well, I'll be preggo...and I won't be looking for a job until new baby is at least 3 months, so 6 mos after refresher. But I am assuming i'd start applying before then. Not sure if the economy would look better then or not. I may not be able to get a job even after refresher!

OR

I wait until roundbouts Spring 2011 or Fall 2011 to take this course when Baby #2 is almost one yr and Cory almost 3. Maybe the job outlook would be better then, I dunno. I'd have to do it then b/c my license will expire! My sis would prob then watch both kids when hubby could not. This option would allow me a year after baby is born. I'd have to work PT at my lower paying job till then but financially I could make that work. I just have to work when hubby is off to keep kids out of daycare. Drawback is, fingerprints will be expired, I'd have to do that again which is a minor inconvenience.. With this option, I'd be SAH mostly full time and could BF both kids just like I do now till baby #2 is a yr. I WON'T pump at a new RN job.

I earned this degree and I hate to see it go to waste. To be totally honest, I am not sure it is a career that will make me happy but it will offer me and my family security! Floor nursing doesn't appeal to me much but I'd like to work in chart review or something one day. A real priority for me is being home with my kids as much as I can and I don't want to do FULL TIME daycare. RN work would def require at least a few days per week daycare but I'd be ok with that if it was only PT daycare. Initially I thought I'd just wait until 2011 but now I am wondering if I should just bite the bullet and do it now while my life is somewhat saner??? And part time RN work is not an option for a new grad (as I found out in 2007)..hospitals want you to work full time to train up (FYI). And office work not so much an option either until you have experience.

OR

Look into RN-BSN at university and try to do that part time until whenever I finish with a bachelors. This is a more expensive option, I'd need FA but I'd end up with a bachelors...Wondering also if this option would look better to employers? I think going back to school would also allow me to renew my license..

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?? LOL

My real hope is that after a few yrs of full time RN floor nursing I can then step down into PT work or up into office nursing..

What I am wondering really is do you think that I'll end up just not taking the course if I wait? or that life with two kids will just put an end to that? When would you do it?

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Hi, why don't you find a part time job, at nursing home or where ever, any experience looks good. you need to talk to someone working where you live. good luck.

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Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

Do you have to actually be working as a nurse to renew your license? I know my mom stayed home with me off and on when I was little but she always kept her license. I think if you check with your SBON you will find that if you are not working you may have to do more CE but you should be able to renew your license.

Your kids will only be little once, if I were you I'd stay home and then do the refresher course in a year or two. I don't see the point of doing a refresher course and then waiting 6 months or more to get a job. Rushing things so you don't have to get fingerprinted again seems kind of silly. I had to get fingerprinted both for my initial nursing license and when I moved to Missouri and my husband had to get fingerprinted for his concealed carry permit. We just went down to the police department and got it done. It didn't take very long at all.

As for it never happening if you don't do it now, yes sometimes that happens but if you want it and you plan for it, you can do it.

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Specializes in telemetry.

I vote for PT LTC too. Keeps your skills up, your license up, you earn money, you wont need to spend more money on refresher classes, and you will not be concidered green if or when you want to move on.

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Specializes in BSc, ASN- RN, MBA.

My first question would be do you NEED to work right now?

What do you need to keep your license? Is it just CEUs?

Are you a person that gets stressed easily? Is stress a concern for your health or the babys?

- Like another poster mentioned, your children are young only once. They grow up so fast and trust me - their toys get more expensive as they get older (I have 3 girls - 11, 13, 16 yrs old). Your children do not know what they are missing (if you are on the lower income side) at this young age!

- I am in Philadelphia and a group offered a skills refresher course for about $300 over a weekend. Something like that might work for you. The rest could be refreshed via Nursing text books or NCLEX review book. You may remember more than you think.

Refresher course can be taken any time. But, might I suggest online RN-BSN courses. You can work on the online course while kids nap or play. Online can be harder sometimes because you have to teach yourself, but they are respected, accredited and offered by many universities. And, you can work on them while laundry running, dish washer running and kids watching a video LOL Multitasking at its finest!

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do. Take a deep breath and trust your intuition.

Lisa

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

Thank you everyone.

As far as the PT LTC thing..I don't have any experience except for two months out of school..and it's been two years since I had that. I guess I pretty much consider myself unemployable as an RN till I take a refresher of some kind (considering even the new grads straight out of school can't get jobs!).

Maybe I'll just revamp my resume and apply for a few jobs..see what happens. I think I could "refresh" myself with old textbooks and online tutorials if I had to.

And yes, in my state, you have to have WORKED or volunteered hours (965) to renew your license. Or proof of enrollment in a RC.

I totally get the "your kids are only young once" thing. But no one else I talk to IRL seems to feel that way!

I could stay in the job I have now and work enough hours to survive...on days hubby is off...so we wouldn't have to do daycare. The pumping thing still sucks but you gotta do what you gotta do!

THANK YOU ALL!:up:

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I wouldn't worry about the fingerprinting. I've been fingerprinted 3 times in the last 7 months... once for a class, once for my ambulance drivers certificate and just again today for a job. It's really not a big deal. I think the LTC is a good idea too or even some registry work so you can be part time if you want. If you're fired up to, take the class now. If not you can do it later. I returned to school with 2 small kids and finished my RN pre-reqs, CNA and EMT training. I may not have had as much clinical time as you will, but you're licensed so it will probably be easier for you anyway as a refresher class. It can be overwhelming to be a mom, be pregnant and want to accomplish career goals if you think too much about it. Just do what feels right and take it all as it comes one day at a time... you'll be fine. Good luck to you and enjoy your babies!!

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

Yeah, I guess the fingerprinting thing isn't enough of a reason to hurry me into class right now!:icon_roll;)

My main reason for waiting on taking the refresher, honestly, is the economy and the all around lack of RN jobs. I mean, why spend my time and energy taking a refresher course and not necessarily be able to get a job anyway? I guess I was thinking that chances are better in two years or so that the economy won't be hurting so bad and that RN jobs will be more plentiful..since it is all cyclical anyway. I'd volunteer from now till then a bit if it would look better on my resume, but who to volunteer for, that is a mystery..my BON had no clue!

And, yeah, 7 months preggo doing clinicals..NOT appealing. Plus, I'll lose my $$ and the experience if I end up with complications or something. If I'd be finishing earlier in my pregnancy I might just go for it but...

Thank you again to all those that replied!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

It sounds to me as though you are leaning towards putting off the refresher course until your baby's here and on his or her feet. That is definitely what I'd do. And well-meaning as the people are who are suggesting a part-time job, personally I would not do that without any nursing experience and without a refresher course. The stress would be very high and who needs that with a little one and pregnant to boot.

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