what refresher course to take for nursing if been oout of work force

Offered through colleges and hospitals, nurse refresher programs are designed for RNs and LPNs who have been out of the field for at least three years. Whether your current nursing license is inactive or lapsed, your state board of nursing requires you to take a nurse refresher course to return to active status.

Full Answer

How do I get a nurse refresher course?

Whether your current nursing license is inactive or lapsed, your state board of nursing requires you to take a nurse refresher course to return to active status. "There tends to be a lot of ...

How many nurses have completed the refresher course in North Carolina?

Aug 11, 2011 · Nursing refresher programs prepare you to enter practice at the level of a beginning staff nurse who works with a medical/surgical adult population. A refresher course does not replace a hospital or agency orientation nor does it prepare you to work in a specialized setting such as pediatrics, obstetrics, or psychiatry.

Why don’t nursing boards offer refresher courses?

Mar 10, 2020 · Refresher courses typically require nurses to have passed the NCLEX before enrolling, and in North Carolina, former nurses wishing to return to nursing are required to complete a refresher course if their license expired five or more years ago, said Catherine Moore, PhD, RN, regulatory consultant and legislative liaison for the North Carolina Board of Nursing.

How to get back to work after a break in nursing?

Jun 24, 2014 · My license is current, but I haven’t practiced nursing for a while. I’m enrolled in WIA program. My career coach suggested a CNA refresher course because transportation to NOVA is an issue. I don’t think WIA will pay for an online course. I feel I may have to take a step back, so I need your best advice. May Need to Step Back. Dear Donna ...

How do I go back to nursing after a long break?

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How do you're enter the nursing field?

How long does a nurse refresher course take?

How long can you be out of nursing for?

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How do I renew my lapsed nursing license in Michigan?

What skills do you need to be a RN?

Home Study

Michigan State University (MSU) is one college that allows students to take RN refresher courses from home, as does the University of Delaware and South Carolina's Beaufort Memorial Hospital, which offers a four-month online refresher course for both RNs and LPNs.

Refreshers as Recruitment Tools

Like other medical centers across the country, Maui Memorial Medical Center uses a refresher program to help recruit and retain RNs and LPNs. The weeklong program, which was open to any nurse in the area, included training in wound care, respiratory and vascular therapies, infection control, pain management, dialysis patient care and documentation.

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Nursing Refresher Courses Overview

In some states, you may be required to complete a nursing refresher course to have your registered nurse or licensed practical nurse license reinstated after being inactive for a certain amount of time. Some states may also let you use nursing refresher courses towards continuing education requirements that must be met to renew your license.

Course Eligibility Requirements

While course requirements may vary, schools typically require you to hold an active nursing license or to have held a license in the past. You may also be required to pass a criminal background check and drug test. Some schools may require you to have health insurance and be certified in CPR.

Course Contents

The length of nursing refresher courses varies, but they may range from about 80 hours to over 170 hours. Some may be offered online, while others include clinical work that must be done on-site. Common topics covered in a course include legal responsibilities, ethics, pharmacology, patient assessment and nursing theory.

Is it easier to get a nursing job while away?

Returning to your nursing career will be easier if you take a few steps while you’re away from work. It’s not impossible to find a new nursing job if you let some of these things slide, but it’ll take longer and be more stressful than if you kept current on aspects of nursing like your certifications while you were out.

Why is experience important in nursing?

Experience is worth a lot in the nursing field because you learn the real business of being a nurse while you’re at work, not while you’re at school. You have the experience, which makes you a valuable commodity for a nurse manager who’s looking to hire staff .

What is functional resume?

For example, a functional resume highlights your skills and certifications, not your work history, which may help hiring managers see past the gap.

What happens if a nurse fails to complete continuing education?

If a nurse fails to complete continuing education, they will fall into "inactive" license status. To change this, submission of continuing education requirements completed within the past two years is required. It is essential that the nurse check the regulations pertaining to his or her state.

Where is Amanda Bucceri?

Amanda Bucceri Androus is a Registered Nurse from Sacramento, California. She graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She began her career working night shifts on a pediatric/ med-surg unit for six years, later transferring to a telemetry unit where she worked for four more years.

What is a nursing refresher?

Nursing refresher programs prepare you to enter practice at the level of a beginning staff nurse who works with a medical/surgical adult population. A refresher course does not replace a hospital or agency orientation nor does it prepare you to work in a specialized setting such as pediatrics, obstetrics, or psychiatry.

What to do if your RN license is expired?

If your RN license has expired, you will need to enroll in a reinstatement course. Check with your state board of nursing for your state’s requirements for license reinstatement. If you have a valid RN license, explore nursing refresher programs. Nursing refresher programs prepare you to enter practice at the level of a beginning staff nurse who works with a medical/surgical adult population. A refresher course does not replace a hospital or agency orientation nor does it prepare you to work in a specialized setting such as pediatrics, obstetrics, or psychiatry. Your state board of nursing may maintain an online listing of nursing refresher programs offered in your state. You can check online with your local schools of nursing and hospitals to learn about their offerings and prices. See below for ideas as to what to look for in a refresher course.

What is a skills lab?

Skills lab to practice nursing skills, including patient assessment common procedures. Simulation lab to practice critical thinking skills related to assessments, interventions, and evaluations. Clinical. Clinical experience on an inpatient, medical/surgical unit with an experienced staff nurse as preceptor.

Why is documentation important in nursing?

Although documentation has always been an important part of nursing practice, the increasingly complex healthcare environment, litigious society and the diversity of settings in which patients receive care require that nurses pay more attention to documentation .

What is the Triple Aim of IHI?

The IHI Triple aim addresses care, public health, and cost containment.

Who is Heather Stringer?

Heather Stringer is a health and science freelance writer based in San Jose, Calif. She has 20 years of writing experience and her work has appeared in publications such as Scientific American, Discover, Proto, Cure, Women and the Monitor on Psychology.

Question

What is your recommendation for an RN refresher course? My license is current, but I haven’t practiced nursing for a while. I’m enrolled in WIA program. My career coach suggested a CNA refresher course because transportation to NOVA is an issue. I don’t think WIA will pay for an online course.

Dear Donna replies

I wish I knew how long you’ve been away from nursing and what you did beforehand. I also had to research what all the acronyms in your question might stand for because none of them are standard abbreviations. By CNA, I’m going to assume you mean California Nurses Association although at first I thought it meant certified nurse’s aide.