What type of jobs would you look for after completing a nurse refresher course? I have about 10 years of experience in peds and med/surg but have been out of work for 8 years. Thanks!
Honestly these days bedside nursing is hard. People are living longer and are more debilitated. They are medically and physically heavy. If you want less hands on you may like a clinic job or even school nurse if you like working with children.
I would go where my passion and enthusiasm resides. Because if you are interested in something this with simulate your quest for knowledge in this area.
You would be an excellent candidate for a career in a pediatric PACU.
Look for an area which offers a Fellowship to get back into practice.
I would get on some medication and therapy. I suggest to try to work in another nursing specialty that less stressful.
Look for a private duty peds job.
I've retired, and been working in my own business as a foot care nurse for now 10 years. I love home care and community health so this was perfect for me. After working hospitals and nursing homes, now I choose my hours and where I want to travel to. I charge the going rate and am also able to volunteer my services at a free clinic, my church, and a homeless shelter. I earn enough to live on and even go on vacations, and met other great foot care nurses. And the gratification is immediate - families love it when I come, clients are so happy because I've given them new life with feet freed from pain, and I do lots of client teaching. This has been the best nursing job I've ever had. It's great for full-time and less than part-time. I met one foot care nurse who only works 2 days a month. I recommend this for all nurses.
I would look for a job that I have a passion for. Regardless of the area nursing, I can be a nurse and be a good nurse.
Nurse Manager
Welcome back! Perhaps try school nursing or pediatric outpatient unit. Can ease you back into things, and then after a while, maybe you can do some PRN on a low key med-surg floor. I've also heard the Kaiser is a pretty decent/light place to work.
You would feel less stress and less awkward if you took a refresher course to update nursing knowledge. Then select a unit where you have had experience in the past.
I would stick with Pediatrics. There are so many avenues and rewards in Peds. You have Outpatient clinic, School Nursing, and Peds Specialties. My clinical background is Neonatal and Pediatrics.
Good Luck
You may want to consider public health nursing,home health care or school nursing. The hours are usually better than hospital positions and you won't have the acuity levels of a hospital or risk being floated to a unit that you may not feel comfortable on.
I really have no idea, been a nurse 30 years I wouldn't know how to start over
Not much changed since you last worked. Go with what areas you feel emotionally and mentally connected with. I always tell my students to make the best use of their "deck of cards" - meaning what they enjoy as well as feel competent doing.
All depends on how confident you feel, having completed the refresher. Hospital protocols change quickly these days, so while the salary will not be equal to what a hospital pays, consider working in a pediatrician's office of for an Internist, perhaps. Or consider an outpatient clinic, urgicenter or a part-time postion in peds or Med-Surg in a smaller hospital to get your feet on the ground. And wherever you work, do please get a mentor! Good luck!
Hi!
School nurse can be a path or perhaps start out as an ambulatory nurse. Apply as a per diem and get a feel for which direction you may want.
Good luck!!
Hello fellow senior nurse.
My best advice would be to seek a part-time position in person or med/Surgical due to advances in medicine. You can always work into a fulltime position once you are acclimated to a new position.
You might choose to start at a MD office or clinic until acclimated back into the nursing routine
Always be honest in your goals during your interviews regardless of your choice.
Since you have experience with peds for 10 years and you have been out for 8, I would start with peds but in an outpatient setting and go from there. There is a lot of urgent cares and doctors offices hiring nurses. I which you well on your come back.
How about MD office for a while, it might be a good refresher and get you back in the swing. Go with the familiar either PEDS or Med Surg.
If you are comfortable with the areas you worked before, I would choose that. Just know and accept the fact that you need to transition into the changes. You should do well 😊
You should choose somewhere there is training. You can also be sure others will help while you start a new job.
New York does not provide a refresher. It's back to school.
AS SUCH, I DONT EVER ALLOW MY LICENSE TO LAPSE.
I think 6 mos Med-Surg going back in after 8 years. I think because its carries all the fundamentals that will get you back in the grove its great. Think about med-surg you learned to comb through charts for results, time management, documentation, and brush up on skills and update yourself to new technologies/devices and techniques (all of which chnages faat). All the previous listed will set your mind back in sink. Now after 6 mos becuse you already have experience you should be good.
Home health is at your own pace less stress
I’d look for output job with the refresher course you could go back to the hospital but you are stressed already and don’t need the extra added stress of working in a hospital you left 8years ago there must have been a reason get out
I think with ten years of experience you are going to be quite capable. Nurses are in high demand. Go for what you think you would like best.
Start back with med/surg and get all the new things under your belt. Then you can figure out where you want to go from there.
YOU Are NEEDED!!!!. Nursing is always having to learning about new things. Get your BLS. Your licence up to date. And go for interviews. There is not enough of us. We need you 🥺 ❤️
Home care BAYADA covers both areas and will teach you what you need to be successful.
I would suggest a revisit to Med-Surg as there have been many changes in evidenced-based practices. Also it's a good way to assure that you still have a good handle on your fundamentals.
NONE. DO SOMETHING ELSE.
Pediatric or Adult primary care
Jump right back in! I was out for 15 years and went back from PACU to Hemodialysis.
I have a great passion for pediatrics. You can begin by providing homecare for a single patient or by accompanying pediatric patients to school. Additionally, there’s a significant demand for care management. With your years of experience, you’ll be back in action in no time.
What is your passion in nursing?
Determine what you want and your goals then look for positions that will meet your needs and will make you happy and eager to go to work every day.
As you are completing your nurse refresher course, think about what area appeals to you. When I did mine when I got to the unit on hospice, I just knew that was the direction I wanted to go. There are so many different options. Working as an RN. I wonder if someone has a questionnaire that helps nurses discover what specialty would be a best fit for them
My work experience was similar. Med/surg units were the only ones who would talk to me until I had at least a year of recent experience.
Hello
I know med Surg is hard work for nurses but it gives the most experience up front in your orientation. I would ask to shadow a preceptor and see what you think of the way that med Surg floor embraces new staff. You are in charge of your career.
Consider home hospice care. I had only worked ICU followed by a long career as a cardiac cath lab nurse, found myself newly moved without a hospital close enough to take call. Had a slightly awkward interview for hospice, when I asked why I wanted hospice all I could say was I had no idea. Home hospice offered control of my daily schedule, without the physical load of routine home healthcare.
Home hospice allows you the time to independently manage your clients with great office support. It's best to make sure the company you hire with keeps you at a reasonable census perhaps 13 clients. Most hospice nurses can complete their day in 4-6 hours. Some few days of call per month are typical. A normal day is education driven, most physical work is performed by home health aides, rn spends majority of visit following up on prior education pieces and acting as a case manager for hospice team.
It has turned into a fantastic new rn field for me and my coworkers seem largely satisfied with the excellent work life balance as well. Good luck in your search.
Try interviewing for another job. There is
nothing but opportunities out here, and everyone wants nurses with some level of experience. If it's not your dream and it's not working out, then consider a new move. There is nothing like your peace being disrupted.
Or you can ask God for guidance, which I would do in any case, and see what he has for you in his will. Sometimes, it's a demon fight to get you to move because he is there with you, and sometimes, it's a demon fight because you do not belong there despite your wanting to. The only way to know is to ask him and see the response.
I would look into school nursing! It's a great job, busy but you can't beat the hours and the schedule :)
If you’ve been working as a parent, that’s nursing for free - so maybe try school nursing! :)
Hi
I would go back to bedside nursing or whatever makes you happy.There is also outpatient position.Be open to new opportunities.I have the same med-sur-peds nursing background.Go for it!U was home raising my kids for years but I went back.
Med Surg is always a good place to start but take a Peripheral IV insertion skills training in addition to the Refresher Course. An outpatient clinic is another option. Take notes during orientation to capture all the information taught which will come in handy when you’re on your own.
I would start out in Medsurg for about a year. If your passion is peds, then while honing your basic skills be on the lookout for a pediatric job.
LTAC, urgent care, or primary care. LTAC is best to get your feet wet for inpatient care.
You may want to look into pediatric home health :-)
It’s the population of clients you’re used to , and you can take care of one patient at a time , or even private duty . Peds w chronic illness at home , that need nursing care is a high demand .
Don’t know where you live but BAYADA Home Health , is across the country , and in many places need peds at home help . Just a suggestion but look into that . Hope that was helpful :-)
Clinic, internal medicine/peds. With your surg background maybe a specialty clinic with pre /post op care in the outpatient setting.
A clinic job
I worked in Critical Care in a level 1 Trauma center for 30 hrs. I quit that and worked with Nei ages on vents for 4 years and I have been retired now for 4 years. Because of the stress and skills and new knowledge needed to return to a hospital you should seek a clinical position or Doctors office. It’s too hard to walk back into a hospital especially after 8 years. There are too many places that need nurses. Perhaps you could add to your skills and hire ability by adding something line X-ray tech or ultra sound or something that’s not a long program while your working a lower level
Job. Hospitals are not what they used to be.
Hospice or long term care.
I’d try a clinic job
I would say start with a med/Surg position as this will give you the most experience and refresh your memory on different procedures, eg. caths, IV etc.
