Eighteen years after graduation from nursing school, with seven children at home, she enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program and graduated four years later. She did not work outside the home for another 10 years until taking a position as sales assistant for a home builder.

Then, 35 years after her diploma graduation and 13 years after her BSN, Charlene took a refresher course at a local community college and soon afterwards started in a full-time position on a nephrology and gynecology unit. She was 55 years old at the time.

Over the next four years, she concentrated on taking graduate courses, writing and defending her thesis, and passing comprehensive examinations while working full-time, earning a master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in administration. During that time, she also became certified in medical/surgical nursing. Today, at age 62, Charlene practices as a nurse case manager in a large suburban hospital.

This story is about a real person who says, with a laugh, that she always did everything the hard way! She wanted to get back to nursing and never gave up. How did she do it? How did she overcome all the hurdles and barriers along the bumpy road to her career dream? She applied effective career-building strategies that are critical for reentry into today’s nursing job market. Here are several helpful lessons from Charlene’s successful career climb:

Don’t wait: Start as early as you can to begin working toward a career goal. Even if you are busy working and/or raising a family, try to anticipate the future and plan for it. Think about where you’d like to be and how you’re going to reach your career goal five or 10 years from now. What steps, even small ones, can you take now that will help you get there? Charlene recognized the value of going back to school for a degree. She also attended inservice classes and continuing education programs and read nursing journals whenever she could to keep her knowledge up-to-date. She knew she would need computer skills, so she found a way to acquire them.

Learn from nonnursing work experience. When Charlene went back to work the first time, she chose a sales-assistant position where she excelled in making her boss look good and helped him become the company’s top sales person. What she learned about herself in the process gave her the confidence she needed to get back into nursing.

Develop and transfer your core skills to nursing. Core skills are important and go with you wherever you go. While Charlene was at home and busy with the children, she was actively learning valuable skills through parenting, household management, and volunteering in various activities. Her experiences as a volunteer included activities in the home and school association, teaching and directing religious education, doing the school’s bookkeeping, and chairing a women’s club. Teaching, communication, organization, leadership, delegation, and budgeting are all transferrable skills that she learned and applied to nursing.

Look for support and encouragement, and ask for help. Going back to school and reentering the workforce can be frightening. Charlene found strength in the hospital setting because it was familiar to her, and she knew she wanted the patient contact it offered. She joined a car pool during her baccalaureate program that became a mutual support group and gave her encouragement when she needed it. When she found herself struggling with exams, she asked for help and was referred to a tutor for test-taking skills. She looked for a small graduate program that provided a caring atmosphere and faculty mentors for students. She also found a clinical coach to help her develop hands-on skills.

Prepare to market yourself against tough competition. Charlene became aware of the challenge she faced in getting a job when she took a refresher course. She used the opportunity the course offered to learn as much as she could about current nursing practice, what new trends were evolving, and what career options were open to her. She revised her resume and networked by phone and in person to spread the word. Then, she went to a career counselor who helped her develop interviewing skills and create a professional portfolio.

Consider the advice of someone who’s been there and done that. Charlene suggests that anyone considering reentry into the nursing do the following:

• Prepare yourself by acquiring needed credentials (degree, continuing education, certification)
• Establish personal and professional priorities and goals
• Become familiar with and be able to articulate your strengths, abilities, and interests
• Use your available resources for information, support, and encouragement
• Manage your time effectively, and keep good records of your progress
• Keep an open mind, and be flexible
• Use your common sense and instincts developed through real-life experience
• Envision your dream, and be persistent in working toward achieving it.

Valerie Restifo, RN, MA, MS, is a career consultant and educator in private practice in Annapolis, MD. She is a frequent contributor to Nursing Spectrum.