Will I ever land another nursing job since I had my license suspended, even though it is now reinstated and active again?
Yes, but you will need to do more preparation than when you are job-hunting with no history of suspension. You have diligently persevered and won reinstatement, and now you are on the next leg of the journey. Here are a few pointers to get you on track.
- Polish your presentation skills for interviews and even for spontaneous encounters that may lead to a job opportunity. As a part of this, prepare a concise one-minute speech that both acknowledges and addresses any past disciplinary action you have faced in your career.
- Network with healthcare professionals, online and in-person, at nursing conferences/meetings, or reach out to previous colleagues, teachers, or friends in the field of nursing.
- Try some volunteer work in healthcare, possibly with the Red Cross or a free clinic, to show your best qualities, continue learning, and expand your professional network.
- Move forward, increasing your professional competence with new certifications, continuing education, or professional development.
- Make sure to follow up with potential employers after submitting an application or attending an interview to demonstrate your interest, heart, and persistence. You can say that you are seriously interested in working with their institution and would like to know if there is any update on the hiring process or if there is any additional information that you can provide. Remember to keep your tone polite and professional.
Successful Interviews
When you have an interview, be upfront, honest, and dignified with potential employers, and briefly explain both the reason behind the suspension as well as the steps you have taken to remedy the situation. If you do not tell them, they will find out in the background check. Should they ask you more about the issue and answer with humility and clarity? Do not say that you were framed in some way or unjustly disciplined, even if you believe it to be true. They are much more likely to give you a chance if they believe that you have effectively taken responsibility for your actions, learned valuable lessons from the experience, and will be an honest employee.
Before the interview, think about your own professional strengths and achievements, and in the discussion, emphasize and highlight them with examples from your professional experience.
Prepare for the interview by researching the organization, reviewing your own resume, and considering potential questions and responses.
Don’t Go It Alone – Get Some Help!
Job hunting is an art, and in such challenging circumstances, a nurse career coach can help you. Find one by asking around or through the International Coach Federation. A staffing app offering per diem jobs may also be helpful. Furthermore, you can seek practical guidance from a nursing board or professional organization to understand your options and potential limitations.
Where Can Nurses Work After a License Suspension?
Even while your license is suspended, you can work in health-related areas where your knowledge of nursing and health is an important asset. These jobs are generally in the areas of hospital healthcare, sales, teaching, writing, and research.
- Hospital jobs: As a strategy to reduce costs and manage professional shortages, hospitals employ clinical non-licensed personnel (CNLP), including aides, orderlies, patient care technicians, transporters, monitor technicians, and surgical aides. You may also be hired as a medical scribe working alongside medical providers to document patient encounters and manage medical records.
- Sales: Pharmaceutical and medical equipment or supply companies employ representatives who can effectively promote their products to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare centers. They need representatives with your medical knowledge. Health insurance companies also need promoters who are knowledgeable about health issues.
- Teaching: If you have an advanced degree in nursing (MSN) and a strong academic background, you may seek a job and even a career in nursing education as a faculty member at a university or college. As an educator, you can also offer health or well-being seminars or workshops to individuals, schools, or organizations. Nurses who have experience in patient education may be apt to provide coaching for personal health goals.
- Writing: Medical writers create content for healthcare publications, websites, magazines, and marketing materials. Nurses who have strong writing skills may well find this type of job rewarding.
- Research: Research assistants support senior researchers and research teams, performing data analysis and interpreting the results, often using advanced technology to gather and process large volumes of information. They may also review documents or conduct surveys. They usually work in academic research settings in universities or clinical research facilities in healthcare systems.
These are all jobs that will not require a nursing license but are in the field of healthcare and can help you expand your network to find a licensed nursing job once your license is reinstated. In hospital jobs, if your employer has gotten to know you and found you to be a trustworthy and capable nurse, you may find the work you seek right there.
Prepare your curriculum, polish your presentation, network, and inspire doing volunteer work or employment related to health care, get the guidance you need, and keep looking until your persistence pays off and you find the job you want. Then tell the world your story about what you learned from your mistakes and how in the end, you grew personally and professionally.
