There are an estimated 70,000 nurses who could return to practice. Whilst retention of nurses remains high on the agenda, there is an increasing level of interest in encouraging non-practising nurses to return to the profession. In the past there has been no statutory requirement for nurse returners to undergo a period of reorientation. It is predicted that the UKCC will introduce this statutory requirement in 1993. The author highlights two main reasons that keep non-practising nurses from returning to nursing - fear and lack of confidence. The book aims to allay these fears and boost confidence by looking back in time and considering "how it was". It then moves on to the present time, identifying skills and knowledge that have been gained in other areas and concludes by looking ahead to the future, exploring the up-dating options open to those wishing to return to practice