<p>My husband is phasing out his work schedule and wants me to work per diem/on call to allow us to travel. </p>
<p>I have a background in nursing but allowed my license to expire.I have a masters degree in Community Health/Health Education. I have been doing medical writing for many years, and although I enjoy it, I long to work with people. I am very interested in research and health education…</p>
<p>Given the fact that I am not a licensed nurse and do not want to commit to full time limits me greatly. I am at a loss as to where to go from here. I crave academic and intellectual stimulation and am wondering if anyone has ideas for how I can use my skills and experience.</p>
<p>I guess getting re-licenced would be prohibitive? A friend of mine works per diem as a substitute school nurse and gets to set her schedule according to her kids’ schedules. In your state can you work as a substitute teacher? In ours you need a teaching certificate even to substitute in a basket-weaving class, but in many states all you need is a couple of years of college. With your health education background I’m sure you’d be able to manage subbing in science classes.</p>
<p>As a writer and someone having an interest in community health, you could look into PT administrative assistant/communications/volunteer coordinator positions at non-profits. Most can’t afford FT and there are often such openings where I live. It’s what I do for work, actually. Though maybe that won’t be intellectually stimulating enough for you. It can get pretty boring, but I love helping people when the time comes. </p>
<p>But good luck-how fortunate that you can afford this option!</p>
<p>Do you want to get paid, or would volunteer work be OK with you? I’ve just started to be trained with Literacy Volunteers and I think it’s going to be very rewarding. Not financially, of course.</p>
<p>Have you considered something like patient advocacy? You go to doctor’s appointments with patients and help them understand what a diagnosis or condition means, and help them fully understand what choices are available to them.</p>
<p>I would look into reactivating your nursing license. Most states have programs for doing so. You would have a lot of options part time or per diem if you did this. You could work in a hospital per diem, or at a skilled care facility per diem, or doing home health work. </p>
<p>If you do something like medical transcription, you can do it on your schedule. That is an option as well.</p>
<p>jazz-that’s a good idea! Our family’s adopted Nana has such an advocate and it’s really made a difference in her health. When she was trying to navigate it all herself, there were problems with medications being over or under prescribed, her understanding of why certain exercises were necessary, even help with the best foods to eat and when based on her medications. There is a real need for advocates as our population ages.</p>
<p>I like the idea of patient advocacy, especially for those who are sometimes called the “unfriended.”</p>
<p>Could you find a way to work as a paid companion for someone who does not have friends or relatives to take them to appointments or for procedures? Sometimes having a companion is a requirement.</p>
<p>In fact, I am thinking of discussing this need with a couple of local religious institutions, since I have in recent years heard from a few people who have been in a situation where they were unable to easily schedule procedures for lack of a companion. I imagine this need is even more acute for single adults who do not have neighbors or relatives who can step in.</p>
<p>The first issue I see beyond your expired license is the fact that you only want to work per diem/on call - that will rule out lots of non-profit health related positions that will be more part time perhaps, but regular. </p>
<p>Do you prefer working with adults or kids? Are you in a urban or suburban setting??? </p>
<p>I would check online open positions are local hospitals, universities, or a medical college if there is one in your area. Your local WIC offices, health departments, private smaller doctor offices. Temp agencies that service health organizations. Home visiting programs (new moms) , early intervention programs (kids). Again, I do think the per diem idea is going to be harder to fulfill.</p>
<p>In my area in CT, nurses are jumping at any opportunity to take community work and to get out of the hospitals! It will be very difficult to break into that market being away from nursing for so long. Your skill sets and knowledge of current medications and procedures will not nearly match any of those nurses currently working in the field. You may need your license if you wish to work as an advocate. You must also familiarize yourself with nursing practice laws in your state and pick up malpractice insurance. I would also suggest that you update your own immunizations not only to protect yourself, but also your patients or clients. I do believe that there is tremendous need for patient advocates. Best of luck.</p>
<p>If you reactivate your liscense, you could take on clients to suit your schedule.
That seems the best option, to fully utilize your experience if you want to be paid.
Patient advocacy/ombudsman wouldnt require a liscense, but it wouldnt necessarily pay anything either.</p>
<p>I just checked the regulations for reinstatement of a CT nursing license if you have not practiced in the past 5 yrs: mandatory refresher course and successful passing of the NCLEX-RN exam.</p>
<p>Quest…you would need to check the requirements in YOUR state for reinstatement of a nursing license. My guess is that varies.</p>
<p>The idea of a companion sounds good. You would likely need current CPR and first aid to do this, but those are not lengthy courses. We hired a companion for my mom and paid her $250 a day, and that was 10 years ago.</p>
<p>I quit nursing when S1 was born and never went back. I was a SAHM til both S’s reached middle school. Then I got a p/t job as an assistant teacher in a preschool setting. I’ve been doing it now for eleven years. I work M-F 8:30 to 1:30. The preschool (not daycare for working parents) follows the public school calendar so I have all holidays off (2 weeks at Xmas, one week at Easter, 3 days at T’giving,etc) ) plus the whole summer off.<br>
It’s not a job that requires a lot of higher plane thinking but it’s kinda fun and the hours are good.
Also I’m the unofficial preschool nurse. Whenever a kid scrapes a knee of busts a lip, I get the call!</p>
<p>Some nurses set their own schedules by doing interviews for insurance companies. Some work part-time for home care agencies. The receive good pay. It may be helpful to renew that license.</p>
<p>I surprised myself by being a SAHM for 18 years.
When I decided I wanted to go back to work–I still wanted to do it on my terms and on my own schedule. I ended up taking the H&R Block tax course and since then have been able to work in any city I have lived in, first as a tax pro, and later managing tax offices. I like that I have always been able to choose what office I work in, and my schedule in that office. I also work part time for Block in the off-season, a day or two a week for a few hours.
It keeps me busy, it keeps my mind sharp and it’s a very social atmosphere.</p>
<p>The idea of doing interviews for insurance companies interests me! Anyone know where I can seek out these job opportunities? Is insurance company experience a requirement?</p>