My Freelance Nurse Writer Career Thrived—Until 2025. Now I’m Going Back to the Bedside

When I stepped away from bedside nursing in 2013, shortly after having my fourth baby, I kept it in the back of my mind that I could always go back if I needed to. Having my nursing degree—and keeping my license current, of course—has always felt like a security blanket for me. 

I told myself that thanks to my nursing degree, my family and I would never starve. I could always find work if I needed to. That security and knowledge gave me the peace of mind and confidence to try other pursuits while I raised my children, like building a freelance writing career, publishing a book, and managing a busy household as the "at-home" parent for our brood of five kids.

My strategy worked, even better than I imagined, as I was able to make a full-time income while being home with our kids, but near the end of 2025, as was the case for many freelancers, my work slowly dried up. I'm now facing one of the most expensive times in my life with teenagers, kids going to college, extra cars and phones, rising property taxes and healthcare costs, all without a job. 

It appears that the time for my "rainy day" nursing back-up job may have gone. And now that I'm dipping my toe back into the world of bedside nursing, I'm realizing it's not as easy as I thought it would be. Here's what I'm facing in my search.

There are far fewer nursing jobs open than I expected.

With all the talk I hear about the nursing shortage, when I logged back on to search local nursing jobs, I expected to find an overabundance of open nursing positions. To my surprise, I found only two open at my local hospital, which is the largest hospital in our rural area.

I ran into similar situations at the other local hospitals I checked. Either it's been a random stroke of unluckiness for me, or the nursing shortage isn't the same for rural areas. 

I will basically have to start from scratch.

By the time I left nursing, I had worked my way into a day shift role, which I far preferred over night shift. At my age of almost 40, with 5 kids, I can't just fathom going back to night shift. 

And yet, that's exactly what it looks like I may have to do, as nearly every open position I have found is listed for. My years of nursing experience that helped me work my way up to a day shift position no longer translate when you're looking to start over after 11 years "off."

I'm terrified of adjusting to a nursing schedule again.

I've been working from home with my kids for 12 years, and my husband is a public school teacher. That means that for the entirety of our family life, no one has had to work evenings, weekends, or holidays. 

That's a privilege I don't take lightly, but now, looking to go back to nursing, it feels like it will be doubly hard to adjust to a new life of missing sports games and tournaments, school events, holidays, and even the "little" things like days off of school or sick days when I would get to stay home and snuggle with my younger daughter. To be very honest, I'm terrified of missing out on those parts of my kids' lives. 

I haven't been hired yet.

Here's my truly embarrassing confession: despite applying for over a dozen jobs, I haven't been hired yet. I've been rejected from one role, ghosted from several, and offered one casual position that I probably should have taken in hindsight before I realized how difficult getting hired would be, but at the time, I was worried it wouldn't have enough hours.

Our family really only has enough savings for us to live for another month or two before we go into debt, so I am really starting to panic. No part of me expected it to be this difficult, and I wanted to share my experience so other nurses facing something similar may know they're not alone.

Tips for Going Back to Bedside Nursing

For myself and nurses like me looking to return to the bedside after a significant time away (ahem, over a decade in my case), here are a few tips that can help you land a role and set yourself up for success.

Consider basic and speciality certifications. 

Many of the positions I interviewed for asked me if I had my basic ACLS or any speciality certifications, and I was embarrassed to realise I didn't. I'm a nurse who was no longer certified in CPR, and that definitely looked bad. You can get recertified with basic ACLS through a local hospital or search for a course through the Red Cross.

Take a nurse refresher course. 

While it may not directly translate into employment, taking a nurse refresher course could help you feel more confident and signal to your potential employer that you are serious about your career. Search "nurse refresher courses" to find one local to you or online. And bonus: some courses count as CE credits as well. 

Search for nurse re-entry roles. 

Some facilities offer nurse residency or re-entry programs specifically designed for returning nurses. These structured environments provide additional support during the transition period as you get back into the swing of bedside. 

Don't be afraid to be a beginner.

New nurses take on roles all the time, and while you may not exactly be a "new" nurse, you are a nurse that will be new to the bedside again—and that's okay! It's okay to admit we're learning here, so be open and honest with hiring managers and recruitment personnel about the type of role and support you're hoping to find as you transition back. 

Talk to other nurses you know. 

So far, I've had the best luck in talking to other nurses I know who work locally. While I haven't had any job offers yet, many have expressed willingness to let me know of upcoming job openings. It's a little embarrassing to feel like I'm begging for help finding a job, but nursing is about knowing when to call in a team member for help, so I'm relearning that skill, too. 

Give yourself time. 

That being said, none of this has been easy. It's hard realizing how long I've been out of the game, it's hard realizing how much more difficult it is to get a job than I thought it would be, and it's downright terrifying to consider what actually stepping back onto the hospital floor will look like. 

So, I'm trying to be patient with myself and give myself time to make the transition. This is a career that I love, and I am hoping that eventually, I will find a position that is the right fit for me. I went into nursing because I believed in the flexibility, opportunities, and passion it provided, and I have to believe those fundamentals will carry me through now. 

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts about this below.