Going back to nursing after 20 years. Is it possible?

[purplepuppet]

I have been a SAHM overseas since 1994 and now as my youngest is about to fly the nest (next summer) I have been thinking of returning back to UK and working again. I am 45 and qualified as a nurse in the UK in 1989. Is it possible to do this, would I need to retrain or do a refresher course? If anybody has done this after such a long break I would love to hear from you, thanks.

[Roshbegosh]

Your professional body, is it the RCN(?) will be able to give you the facts on what you need to do. If you are not registered anymore you would have to deal with that and there would be all sorts of updates but I bet they would love to have you back.

[Captainbarnacles1101]

Please Please Please Please don't do it! I have been nursing here since 1994. I worked full time untill 205 and worked "part time" (3 x 12 he shifts a week) untill last year when I felt so shit, undervalued, helpless in my role as a senior nurse (clinical) I decided to take a career break before I ended up in the funny farm!

It's a horrible job to be in at the minute. You can work ur ass off and the boss isn't pleased. The public are never pleased and ur colleagues are so stressed that morale is rock bottom! I was recently at an RCN conference and speaking to the other delegates only proved how this feeling is very common among nurses.

Please u will have to do a back to work course. Do URSELF a favour and retrain as something else.

[NotALondoner]

I think you need to do a return to nursing course, I believe they are about 9ish??? months and are Uni/ward based.

[NotALondoner]

Ok, I am currently training and I don't see it like that! It's children's nursing though, so that maybe different. Huge job satisfaction amongst most nurses where I am training. Give it a go, there's nothing to lose.

[kateclarke]

Just for some balance, I would say go for it. Im a nurse and love my job. Contact local unis and ask about return to practice courses.
There is a long thread on them somewhere if you do a search.
Ask if you have any questions hth.

[Captainbarnacles1101]

NotaLondoner. I'm a paediatric intensive care nurse. I can tell you when u are thrust on to the wards after qualifying you will see a massive difference! All our students love their placements but it's a different story doing it as a Rscn

[purplepuppet]

Thanks for all the responses so far, sorry to hear you are having a tough time Captain. Didn't realise it would be uni based, I trained in the late eighties when you were on the ward after 2 weeks in school so it sounds very different.
Yes Rosh it was with the RCN but I didn't keep up my registration but I will look them up thanks.

[tudorgirl]

Check the nmc (nursing and midwifery council) website, there is a whole section on return to practice. If in doubt sen them an email- I have found them very helpful.

[purplepuppet]

Thanks Tudorgirl, will do