<p>Relaunching your nursing career can be challenging, especially when you have been out of the workforce for a long time. If you left nursing to focus on other aspects of your life, pursue another career, travel the world, or take care of your family, you can still return to work. In this blog, we discuss <strong>9 tips for returning to nursing</strong>. Let’s dive in! </p>
<h2>1. Maintain Your Credentials</h2>
<p>Nurses worldwide require a nursing license to practice. If you plan on returning to nursing, it’s important to keep your license and skills updated. That way, when the time comes, you are eligible to resume work as a nurse. </p>
<p>Depending on where you live and the laws, you might find that you need to put in several clinical hours for your license to remain active. Otherwise, your license will become inactive, and you will have to resit a licensing examination.</p>
<h2>2. Keep Your Certifications Valid</h2>
<p>If possible, you should maintain your certifications, including your Basic Life Support Licensing, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support, to make you a valuable candidate when you decide to <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/go-back-career-long-hiatus/">return to work</a>. </p>
<h2>3. Maintain Professional Affiliations and Memberships</h2>
<p>Nursing is a rapidly evolving field. New diseases and treatments are discovered daily, not to mention the rapidly changing healthcare technology. You can keep in touch with the developments in your field by retaining memberships to professional nursing bodies, reading relevant publications, and attending networking events for healthcare professionals. </p>
<p>In addition to keeping you updated on the developments in your field, building networks while you are on a hiatus also makes it easier to find a job when you want to go back to work. </p>
<h2>4. Stay Active in Your Community</h2>
<p>While you might take a hiatus from your nursing career, you can remain active by joining volunteer groups or communities. Depending on your schedule and other commitments, you can help out where possible. Volunteer work will also look good on your resume to fill employment gaps. </p>
<h3>Preparing your Return to Work</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="568" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/unnamed-2-1-1-1024x568.jpg" alt="Nurses training to return to nursing" class="wp-image-12729" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/unnamed-2-1-1-1024x568.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/unnamed-2-1-1-300x167.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/unnamed-2-1-1-768x426.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/10/unnamed-2-1-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Nurses training to return to nursing</figcaption></figure>
<p>When you are ready to go back to work, you should take a few steps to prepare and increase your likelihood of being hired. </p>
<h2>5. Update Your Resume </h2>
<p>Updating your <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/readying-your-resume-for-the-digital-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resume</a> after a hiatus is different from updating your resume when continuously employed. Even with a gap in employment, use your <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/ultimate-digital-cv/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">digital resume</a> to showcase your strengths, skills, and the value you bring to organizations. <strong>Here are some tips on how to deal with a gap on your resume:</strong></p>
<ul><li>Start by doing your research into the skills employers find valuable in nurses. As healthcare changes, so do the skills and qualifications that nurses need to secure employment. Identify the skills you have and the roles that match these skills before you start applying. </li><li>Refresh your skills with short courses and certifications from online courses</li><li>Take advantage of your career summary to highlight your marketable skills, core competencies, and notable achievements. </li><li>List related volunteer work and part-time work you may have taken on during your hiatus<strong>.</strong></li><li>Highlight valuable skills and lessons you may have learned during your break. For example, if you took a career break to travel the world, indicate how your interaction with diverse cultures helped you communicate better, be more culturally aware, or empathetic towards people of different backgrounds. </li></ul>
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<p>Working with a career coach is helpful, especially if you think your hiatus has impacted your career significantly. Coaching may help with confidence when returning to nursing.</p>
<h2>6. Know What You Want</h2>
<p><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/choose-nursing-career/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nursing has grown so much over the years</a>, giving professionals a lot of choice on the career paths they want to pursue in the field. As you prepare to return to nursing after a break, you should make a list of what you want. <strong>Ask yourself questions such as:</strong></p>
<ul><li>What nursing position am I looking for?</li><li>What is my ideal work schedule (part-time, full-time)?</li><li>What are the challenges I may face and how will I overcome them?</li><li>What kind of organization do I want to work for?</li><li>Do I have the skills and qualifications for the position I want?</li></ul>
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<p>Once you have answered these questions, you can identify and apply for jobs suited to you. </p>
<h2>7. Network </h2>
<p>When going back to work after a hiatus, it pays to network with people within the field. Networking with people in your field can help you learn about new opportunities you are qualified for. In addition, you can mention your interest in securing a nursing job and have referrals from your networks. Your networks might refer you for these opportunities even before they are advertised. Keep in touch with former employers and co-workers who can put in a good word for you when you want to return to work. </p>
<h2>8. Take a Refresher Course</h2>
<p>If you have been away from work for a long time, it pays to brush up your skills with a refresher course. Currently, you can find a lot of credible refresher courses for nurses online. These courses refresh your theoretical and clinical practice knowledge to give you the skills and confidence you need when returning to nursing. Such courses are also great additions to your resume and can show employers your enthusiasm and passion for nursing.</p>
<h2>9. Start Applying for Jobs</h2>
<p>Of course, you must <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/jobs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">start applying for jobs</a> if you want to go back to work. Since you have an <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/build-a-digital-resume" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">updated resume</a> and have refreshed your skills and knowledge, the next step is to put yourself out there and apply for jobs.</p>
<p>Looking for jobs can be frustrating at first. However, there is a growing <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/work-overseas-nurse-saudi-arabia/">global demand for qualified nurses</a>. You can choose to work in different healthcare settings depending on your interests and schedule, so make sure to look for positions that match your <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/build-a-better-career-on-the-new-trueprofile-io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">career goals</a>.</p>
<p>Some nurses even choose to work at long-term care facilities and similar institutions to rebuild their resumes then later apply for jobs in acute care settings. </p>
<h2>What’s Important</h2>
<p>It’s easy to focus on what you do not have when you want to return to work after a hiatus. Taking courses or additional training to fill any skills or knowledge gaps will help when returning to nursing. Don’t let a career break discourage you from resuming your nursing career. Use the skills and experience gained while on hiatus to your advantage. Welcome back! </p>
<h4>Ready to return to nursing? Browse and apply for nursing positions through TrueProfile.io Jobs:</h4>
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