Hi Stacie,

Thanks for writing to us.  You are asking great questions, which is a key first step to figuring out what you are going to do next. The next step is really doing some research to understand all the kinds of roles that your background might contribute to (and identifying any necessary schooling to go with it). Have you connected with anyone who has taken their LPN experience and moved into the holistic/nutrition/dietary area? Perhaps talking to people in your healthcare facility would be a good start. And, certainly LinkedIn might help both in building connections and seeing career paths to provide some inspiration. As well as perhaps connecting with one of the many nursing professional organizations (like the oncology nursing society). These informational meetings and fact finding efforts will help you see what is possible in your area, with your skills and desires before you start spending any money on programs. Another, often overlooked, approach is to do some volunteer work with organizations who you find interesting. This lets you see how they operate, what kind of backgrounds the people in them have, what you might bring uniquely to their work, etc.

I’ve reached out to one of our career coaches to get further insight into your situation, but in the meantime the following resources might be helpful:

• Job Search Toolkit (2^ndEdition): http://www.cancerandcareers.org/publication_orders/new (features advice on improving resumes, cover letters; interview and networking tips and other useful tools to help you during a job search)


• Recording of the 2017 Job Search
  Webinar: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/job-search
  


• Article on cancer as an inspiration for career change: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/exploring-your-options/cancer-as-inspiration-for-career-changes 
  


• Financial resources: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/resources/categories/financial
  

Something to remember for next year, Cancer and Careers has a Professional Development Micro-Grant program which offers cancer patients and survivors financial assistance to pursue professional development opportunities to enhance and/or build on new skills (http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/resource/micro-grants). The 2017 application round is now closed, but we can notify you when our next one is open. Although we do not offer tuition assistance, this program might be of interest if you’d like to take professional development courses towards expanding your skills.

I hope that this is helpful. Please reach out to us at cancerandcareers@cew.org or 646-929-8032 if you have any additional questions.

A coach will be in touch soon!

Kind regards,

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers

Good morning, Stacie,

As Nicole said, you are asking the right questions.   It sounds like you are flexible about the role you will ultimately want to play, and are planning for a staged, step-by-step approach to returning to work.   That does make sense.

What I do not know is what sort of restrictions you have due to  your illness and your chemo meds.  Do those restrictions keep you from working in a health care facility?  With those who are ill?   Working at certain times in your treatment cycle?  These are questions to address with your treatment team to ensure that you are healthy and safe as you return to work.

That said, one area that is always seeking people with LPN skills is the eldercare industry.   Independent living, assisted living and memory care facilities are springing up all over with the aging of the babyboomer population and their parents.   Each of these facilities seeks individuals for direct care, activity directors, sales or transition counselors and administrators, and all of those roles would benefit from someone with your nursing background.  Once on board with an organization like that, tuition assistance is often part of the benefit package as long as the degree you are seeking is related to the work you are doing.To check out this type of facility in your particular area, go online and use the keywords, elder care, senior care, assisted living or senior care.   You will find so much information, you may be overwhelmed.    

A few other alternative you may or may not have thought of would be home health agencies and hospice organizations.  Each of these hires individuals with your credentials, and the hours may be flexible and suit your needs.   

While you are exploring these options and the great resources that Nicole mentioned in her post, check in with a local community college to explore their nursing, nutrition and wholistic health programs that may be available.   The community college systems are geared to adult learners and are quite reasonable in tuition costs and flexibility of scheduling, to include online and evening courses.

I am so happy that you have reached a point in your treatment that you can  explore returning to work.  I know how important one's work identity can be in the recovery process.

Please do reach out if you have further questions or if these ideas spark an alternative you want to explore further.   Cancerandcareers resources are superb for digging into alternatives.  Glad we can be there for you.

Happy Holidays!

Kathy Flora, Career Coach

Thank you both for your response. I'm limited due to my immune system being compromised, which rules out facilities, home care and hospice.