Outcomes of a university-based registered nurse refresher course. A 5-year follow-up

Registered Nurse Refresher Courses are not uncommon in university, community college, and hospital settings. Most are costly to the organization in terms of money and human resources--especially when students choose not to practice once they have completed the course. In this study, the author reports the findings of a survey conducted on graduates of a university-based refresher course during a 5-year period. The issues include a retrospective evaluation of the course, mean age at the time of taking the course, time away from active practice before taking the course, number who returned to the workforce after the course, the number who left the workforce, and identification of respective clinical practice area. Statistical follow-up on the Registered Nurses completing the course and descriptors of personal frustrations, rewards, and overall concerns related to the refresher course are described in this article.