<p>I am in the process of looking into renewing my NY nursing license after not practicing nursing for about 20 years. I allowed my license to expire.</p>
<p>I actually used to be licensed in NJ also but I hear that it is much more involved to renew a New Jersey nurses license and I live close enough to NY to work there.</p>
<p>I have a yearning to get back into nursing and am wondering about part-time or per diem positions. </p>
<p>If anyone is familiar with the renewal process, ideas for positions best suited to someone who has been out of the field for a while, and any other words of wisdom would be welcome. </p>
<p>I hear so much about the great need for nurses and am wondering where the most need lies?</p>
<p>I’m a laboratory professional in a large hospital system in NJ.
I don’t have specific info on recertification procedures for nursing but have a suggestion.<br>
You could contact a hospital near you and speak with the nursing office. I believe that they may have ‘refresher’ courses or at least be able to put you on the right track. Maybe a community college in your area could give you some leads.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>questbest,
With such a significant practice lapse, unless you have specific focused skills in your past, I think you will have a hurdle re-entering nursing in this economy.
I would recommend starting by accumulating some patient focused volunteer experiences with local free clinics, the Red Cross blood donor centers. etc</p>
<p>The above is the NJ procedure - looks somewhat costly, and you will have to pass an exam and get current on continuing education if you have not renewed in over 5 years. </p>
<p>NY must have a nursing board website with that state’s requirements.</p>
<p>One thing, in NJ, every school and camp that I am familiar with has a nurse. This might be less intimidating than going right to a hospital. I think the hospitals, nursing homes and other places like rehabs are almost always looking for nurses to meet their requirements.</p>
<p>I went back into nursing after a 20+ year absence. I had kept my license active so I didn’t have that hurdle. However, most places I interviewed did not want someone who had been away so long, especially with a glut of nurses at this time. </p>
<p>I ended up working for two different home health agencies. With one, I only do flu clinics Sept thru Nov. The other is a senior home care company with whom I do evaluation visits when a client is signed up (establish care plan, history, etc). And then I am responsible for quarterly reviews with each client. I also do some inservices for care givers.</p>
<p>I feel like at least this is giving me a work history, though very limited hours (which is fine with me).</p>
<p>I’m a current RN in New York. There will be several mini courses that will be required in order for you to renew your license. Some hospitals have offered refresher course for individuals just like you that was out of the field for awhile and want to return. You can contact the local community college that offers nursing and see if they offer any refreshers and they usually offer the required classes such as child abuse reporting, infection controls,etc. One particular area that might be willing to give you an easier opportunity are nursing homes. Nursing has changed so much in the 20 years you have been away. Most hospitals have gone to the electronic medical record. Charting is done on the computer. Pt’s name bands have bar codes unique to them. Now you scan the bar code on the pt with the bar codes on their medication. Not to discourage you, but everything is so technical now, it can be very exciting. Good luck to you.</p>