Why I quit nursing – and why I chose to return to practice

As nursing faces a backlog of care and a short-staffing crisis, professionals who left but yearn to return are being welcomed back with open arms

• With the NHS in the middle of a staffing crisis, nurses who return to the profession after a career break have never been more needed
• Three nurses talk about their experiences of returning to nursing and what made them leave in the first place
• Find out about the practicalities of taking a return to practice course, including tips from nurses who have been through it

In the 20 years she spent outside of nursing, a lot changed for Alison Leatherbarrow.

After five years working