I know how you feel.  I graduated from nursing school in 98.  Worked 3 years in a hospital setting before quitting to stay home and raise my children.  Now, I am able to take care of my family including being there at any time of the day for my aging parents.  Now that my kids are in college, i want to go back to work, yet i do not know how it will affect my ability to be there for my parents.  also, been out for nearly 12 years and need a refresher nursing course.  I am also afraid to return to nursing.  Have i been out to long?  I have taken several online quizzes concerning nursing actions and I do fairly well on them.  I pass each one.  I am not sure about going back to hospital nursing.  I think i would like clinic nursing or public health nursing such as an immunization nurse or working with the wic program.  good luck with anything that you do. 

Cford Rn

Burnoutrn-

I have been in the medical field for the past 10yrs (EMT, Phlebotomist, MA) and have decided to go back to school after being laid off for the past 2yrs. Yes I know the depression, confusion, sadness, guilt, anger, etc, I feel it daily. A fantastic job for you would be to work for the school board, or health department. They aren't open on weekends, past midnite, no triage/trauma, or anything. I know a few people that are working in the Flu Clinics giving flu shots. It's seasonal, but it pays pretty darn good (here in FL). You have so many options with your background. Some technical schools need teachers for certain classes, online and in class. I hope you find something!

The market for jobs sucks here in FL too. What I was suggesting was to be a school nurse (elementary, middle, or high school). You'd reap many benefits as a govt employee, summer vaca, pension, decent pay. It's a consideration. If you can teach CPR, go free lance and teach school teachers, construction workers, store employees, scout leaders, daycare providers, police departments, etc. There's a program here where CPR instructors can teach cruise ship employees CPR, AED & basic 1st aid. They get to stay onboard the ship for free and get compensated! I also had a few classes back in high school that was taught by a retired RN. They were Health Occupations, First Responder, and Health Sciences. There are schools here with magnet programs that prep students for careers in Healthcare, the students become CNA's by the time they graduate, or like me an EMT by graduation. I wouldn't step backwards to move ahead, I know it's tempting though selecting a job that will "make ends meet", but you have sooo much to offer others as well as yourself! Keep in mind that hospitals aren't the only option for someone like you. Physicians love someone that has had as much experience as they've had, and not just a warm body. Depending on their specialty depends on your pay, benes, and so on. I'm not sure about the laws in CA when it comes to your license and how teaching CPR by yourself and not as a Red Cross employee. It may be worth it to look into this as an option because you can charge $X per person, or by the group. I just had my CPR recert class on Saturday, the instructor owned his own company, his own equipment (AED, Rescue Randy) and made a killing ($40-$65 per person) depending on what cert was needed! He also sells AED's to individual people and to different businesses and then goes to give a complete class to teach the consumer how to use it properly. By doing any of these you would probably get the time off you needed and still make the ca$h you wanted !