If there is such a nursing shortage, why don't more employers offer reentry programs to nurses who have not worked for a number of years (raising family)? We have a lot of experience and knowledge but no one will give us a chance.
Hello! I'm so glad you wrote this because I am with you in this exact same struggle with the exception of stopping to raise a family. I just went towards a different career path while raising my children, but good for you for doing that. I have just completed my RN Refresher course, which was online and they had me perform an in person simulation day for practice. In addition, I just completed 144 hours in a RN Preceptorship program through the same college and am still searching for a specific nursing job (back at the bedside PRN).
In my experience so far, I've only come to one real conclusion and that is networking (I moved from the east coast). You can do everything that is recommended by your state board of nursing and HR representatives, but if you can't get through the screening process or the hiring manager, it's just difficult. One thing that I do find to be successful if you are open to skilled nursing facilities, home health, hospice, vaccine clinics, or corrections, those may be great options for you to start with and are open to hiring nurses without recent experience (I am in one of these fields now and didn't have trouble getting in).
My recommendation is to see if your state board has an online refresher course(s) to take instead because I did see an option in my state (CA) to do that for a shorter period of time for less money. I only opted for the more expensive one because it allowed me to try to network, offered hands on training in the simulation center, and let me work at my own pace. I wish you luck on finding something that resonates with you soon. I am also very disappointed in the fact that I have been trying so hard, just like you, and won't be given the opportunity despite the experience and the evidence to support that I want to go back into the field (refresher courses, certifications, degrees, etc.). I am completely shocked at it, but just as I am ready to give up, something unexpected happens and I keep going.
With the nursing shortage why are they not more flexible? There are many nurses that I know that can no longer/don't want to work fulltime. Some of us have become injured working as a nurse, some of us are just worn out. We are valuable assets but all they want is nurses that work are willing to work full-time or are willing to work 12 hr. shifts or have absolutely nothing else going on in our lives. I love nursing, it is my passion, but I can no longer able to work full-time. I have tried and my job performance suffers for it. I have other things that I need to do on certain days. It is purely frustrating.
Talk to your State Board and State Nursing Association. Many have programs in place for reentry nurses. Good Luck.
100% I experience the same issue. I thought a refresher course would help, but I couldn't find anything in this area. One would think the hospital system, the state or the local university/community college would offer one.
I worked 30 years at one hospital. We got furloughed in 2019. They wouldn't take us back unless we wanted to go back to nights. Or take a lesser paying RN position at one of their clinics. I decided to do outpatient surgery center as a PACU nurse and also work at an outpt endo clinic pre and post procedure. It's really difficult to get past the "you can't keep up" or "you'll cost too much" being a more seasoned nurse. I had to take a big pay cut. But am happier now.
Hi,
I was out of the field for 17 years. I got lucky and got hired at a psych hospital who was in need of nurses. Some hospitals hire only new grads and you would probably get in that way. I started new grad pay and after 2years got an increase of 25% by transferring to another company. The jobs are out there. Stay away from the big hospitals as those are competitive. Try smaller, private hospitals first. They are usually in need of nurses.
After being back in the work force for two years, I am not pursing a master's program.
Good luck.
I worked in the hospital for 11 years, 2 years long term care and 6 years hospice. I am trying to get back into the hospital and understand where you are coming from. Hospice nurses do a lot of bedside care, treatments, procedures, etc. But I was told they wanted someone with more recent hospital experience. We are all nurses. Also, new grads get paid less, are fresh out of school ( which I felt very unprepared when I graduated). They would have to pay us more and being older we will retire too soon.
Bayada offers a Residency program that is great, if you are interested in home health. I was out of nursing for 28 years, the program was just what I needed to feel confident again.
I took off many years to raise my children and recently took a RN refresher course and am struggling to find a job at the hospital! I live in LA and I have sent out many resumes and have not been able to score an interview…. Actually I had interviews setup and then were cancelled the morning of. Hospitals are not willing to train or hire me.. it’s been very frustrating to say the least.
Very true. Unless you've had experience in the last 6 months even, most places have no interest. They would rather hire new grads. It's mostly all been a scam. There has never been a shortage. Just think about supply and demand. As long as new grads, more bodies, keep getting added, they can keep paying nurses less and doctors more. If there was a shortage, we also would never be sent home for "low census". Also keep in mind, physicians, not nurses, run the medical world. Physicians (we need to stop calling them doctors) historically were white male dominated. I've never noticed the equality issue more in ANY other setting.
I had to relocate to Georgia, from Chicago, which I am currently finishing out a contract for 1.5 years to get current bedside experience after being a nurse for over 20 years.
Try Corrections, they are always in need, and its a great field.
