Going back to nursing. Has anyone done it?

rosie383

I was a level 1 RGN for about 20yrs until I had my last little one. I have been quite content being a stay at home mum, but feel the need to go back to work part time. Money-wise , every little helps, and I don't want to be immodest, but I was a good nurse and would love to do it again.
I was on the NMC website last night, and it looks like I may just be able to squeeze back on the register without doing a RTP course. I left work in Sept 2006, and was working approx 120 hours per month.
So, if I do it quickly, then I could meet the requirement of 750 hours practice in the last 5 years.
My problem is that I haven't got the PREP requirement of 35 hours study in the last 5 yrs.
I am going to contact the education dept of the hospital where I worked to see if they have record of study that I did in the months before I left.
Has anyone any idea where or how I can do some study to make up the hours needed so I can get back on the register? Can I do some online? Or are there short courses that are essential for me to do before I could apply for work again?
Also, has anyone got any experience of working for NHS Direct as a nurse advisor? Is it easy to get a job with them?
I hope this makes sense to someone out there. Thank you for reading.

callow

You can do a lot of study online. The Nursing Times have a section (you need to pay) or you can find some free study topics online. Before you restart as a nurse you will need your mandatory training in manual handling and resusitation, so that will give you a few more study hours.

I don't know how long you have till you have to fulfil your 750 hours, but I would start applying immediately. Whether you want to work for an agency, nurse bank or other post the time from application till you start working is around 2-3 months often longer.

I did a RTP last year. In my area, the whole of Cornwall and Devon, there are no RTP programmes anymore. There are many in other areas (at a cost) and some may allow you to join even though you are on the register so you can regain confidence etc.

Good luck.

rosie383

Thank you so much for your help. I am waiting to contact HR in my old hospital to check out if I had the 750 hours in 2006, so if I had that, it gives me the hours of practice in the 5 year period. I will check out the online Nursing Times study. Thanks for that tip.
I have no idea where I can do CPR or moving and handling. I have always done them through the education dept of wherever I have been working. Do you know are there private places? I'm sure they would cost an arm and leg. I wonder if any hospitals let outsiders join in with their classes for a fee.
Are you glad you went back? The RTP, did you have to pay? Or were you in a paid job, sort of training as you went, so to speak?
Sorry about all the questions, I don't have much time to get this done before my 5 years is up.

callow

You don't need to worry about Manual Handling and resusitation training. It will be included in any induction package you have as part of a new job. If you work for two organisations they often like to take their own courses so you may have to do it twice. If you work for a hospital etc the course will be free. You may have to pay a nominal amount if you sign up with an agency.

I didn't have to pay for my RTP (the stategic regional authority paid). I think most cost between £500 to £1000. Each RTP is different but for mine I need to do 100 practice hours plus a portfolio and 2,500 to 3,000 word assignment. We also had about 12 study days over 3 months. The 100 hours was unpaid. We were, if there were placements available, able to work in an area of our choice.

I am glad that I did it. It was a lot of hard work. I had been out of nursing for 10 years. I now have a permanent job of 12 hours a week. Hopefully as my kids grow up I can increase the hours. I also work for the Nurse temporary staff at the hospital for around 4 - 8 hours a week.

It can be difficult to find jobs at the moment. Your best bet is to join the local hospitals temporary staffing. They will provide you with training and give you several supernummery shifts. Once you are in it will be easier to get up to date references and show recent experience if you decide to apply for a permanent post.

rosie383

Again, thank you so much. I just had a look on the Nursing Times site, and the learning modules are great. At £10 a time giving 2 hrs and a certificate, it would be easy enough to get the 35hrs I need. If I have the 750 hours practice already, then I could just get straight back on the register. If not, you have given me great info about the RTP.

Caroline73_2

The only thing I would worry about if if you haven't got the 750 hours and wanted to get them then you would need a CRB and they take a while (piece of string). All trusts/agencies require you do their own training now too so don't worry about not being up to date with mandatory training. I work for as a nurse for a PCT and in a hospital Trust in the same area, I have to do the training with both. One won't accept the training (or CRB) of the other despite the fact that my PCT department is actually based in the hospital.

Any study you do can be included as long as you can justify it. I started caring for a child with a specific condition I'd never seen before. I read literature in books, from a related charity and a few research pieces as well as spending time learning new dressing techniques. All of which counted towards the 35 hours.

Good luck.

milliemonster

I have just completed my RTP course as I have been out of practice since Jan 2005, I am now awaiting my results. I think the biggest difficulty you may have even if you can re register without doing an RTP course is gaining employment at the moment. You are unfortunately going to be competing with a lot of newly qualified nurses now and other nurses whom have recent experience, when I applied for my RTP course, I also applied for bank work as a care assistant and couldn't even get an interview! this was because I didn't have at least 3 months recent experience, despite my years as a senior nurse prior to leaving the NHS in 2005.

The RTP course I did was 3 months long (started mid Sept) and included 150 hours of clinical practice and 150 hours of study, with 2 assignments a 1500 and 2500 word one, plus a numeracy exam where the pass rate is 100% (meaning you have to achieve 100% to pass it), it is certainly not a walk in the park, it was paid by the SHA, where I live in Yorkshire, there are only a handful of universities which offer the course and have long waiting lists, I'm glad I have done mine when I did as I am unsure how long the funding will be in place for in the current climate.

I am fortunate in that I was offered a post where I had my placement (Coronary Care) which I start tomorrow, but I know of many newly qualified nurses that qualified in Sept last year who still don't have jobs, there are a lot of recruitment freezes on at the moment aswell so you may need to look at if you can get taken on by an agency or even a nursing home first, although they will still expect a nursing reference for you (and a recent one).

This was the situation I was in in early 2009, I was still registered at that time but didn't think I would be able to get a job as a nurse anyway as I had been out of practice for 4 years so I let my registration lapse and decided to do the RTP course instead.

Sammyantha

I actually work for a Clinical recruitment company, placing nurses and healthcare staff nationwide. I can't guarantee there are vacancies right now, but you are free to contact me if you wish to

rosie383

Thank you all for your advice. Lots to chew over. I am waiting for info back from HR and education where I worked before to see how many hours practice and education I have in last 5 years.
I signed up for the Nursing Times, and have started to do some online study, which I have enjoyed. From what you guys are saying, it looks like it is not going to be plain sailing getting back to nursing. I thought, naively (sp) that there is always a shortage of nurses so I would be able to get back in there easily enough. You have brought me down to earth with a big bump!
I am fortunate at the mo, that my husband is a hard worker and I don't have to work, but you never know when circumstances would change and I always thought nursing was something that I love, and would always be needed.

Sammyantha

There are nursing roles available all the time for those who have kept their clinical skill up to date during any breaks. But in the current economy, many employers are only advertising for the very hard to find roles. For example, anyone with oncology experience is being snapped up right away. Newly qualified, and those with little experience are finding things a little harder

rosie383

That's my problem, I'm afraid. I was never very specialised. I worked for many years in Care of the Elderly, then orthopaedic surgery, renal and then colorectal surgery. Sammyantha, do you think I should just not put any more time or money into this? It sounds as if, realistically, I may be throwing my money down the drain.