Nurses brush up with nurse refresher courses

Earlier in the current season of “Nurse Jackie,” we saw the difficulties that nurses returning to the floor after some time away face, illustrated through supervisor Gloria Akalitus’ not-so-smooth return to All Saints’ Hospital. And though Akalitus is a fictional character, we’ve all experienced the feeling that the more time you’re away from the floor, the harder it is to smoothly transition back into your normal routine.

Nurses who are coming back to the bedside after a long break are relying on nurse refresher courses, designed for those who have not practiced in a hospital setting for an extended period of time. Not only do these courses give nurses the opportunity to brush up on the latest standards and practices, they also provide an environment for nurses to sharpen skills and let their instincts kick back in.

Once such program is the Current Nursing Practice Update CE Certification Program at Harper College in Palatine, Ill. The program is designed to make returning nurses more “competitive” by allowing them to learn in an environment that allows them to function somewhere between a nursing student and member of a hospital nursing staff. Nurses gain practical, hands-on skills in a program that includes 68 classroom hours and 104 clinical hours.

Would you take a course like this?

Below: Gloria Akalitus return to All Saints’ Hospital:

Source:
Nurse.com