getting out of nursing?

JonRN · Mar 5, 2003

I wish I had went back to school for something else when I was younger. I stayed with nursing, and not a day goes by that I don't regret it. My back never stops hurting despite a, L5/S1 fusion with instrumentation in 1997. All you young nurses think about this: some day you will be old nurses. If you can get out, get out! I am speaking from experience here. Don't listen to all the people on this BB that tell you how wonderful Nursing is, it will chew you up and spit you out!!!!

mattsmom81 · Mar 5, 2003

(((HUGS))) to all my fellow nurses and 'specially those who are older and hurting...I resemble that myself.

Yes this is a risky profession...patient care is full of physical pitfalls and we are injury prone just by the nature of our job.

I don't think we can say it enough to younger nurses...be careful out there, pace yourselves, look out for #1 'cuz the facilities/healthcare industry will indeed use us up....IF we allow them to minimize our health and welfare they will.

maggie7 · Mar 5, 2003

Originally posted by mattsmom81
(((HUGS))) to all my fellow nurses and 'specially those who are older and hurting...I resemble that myself.

Yes this is a risky profession...patient care is full of physical pitfalls and we are injury prone just by the nature of our job.

I don't think we can say it enough to younger nurses...be careful out there, pace yourselves, look out for #1 'cuz the facilities/healthcare industry will indeed use us up....IF we allow them to minimize our health and welfare they will.

Here Hear!:stone

Chiaramonte · Mar 7, 2003

I totally agree with l.rae. Upping the retirement age would be tragic in nursing. I would hate to think that I would have to change depends on someone younger than I when at 70 my own will need changing.

I am gradually backing out of nursing by trying to recoup my first love of painting and silversmithing.

Disablednurse · Mar 7, 2003

I worked in nursing for 25 years, from the time I was 18, most of it spent in LTC because that is what I loved. I thought many times of getting out, but would look at the elderly people I took care of and hung in there. Last year I changed professions, but not the way I wanted to. I became disabled because of a back injury at L4/5. The admin. kept making me feel guilty for wanting a vacation or time off that I had worked for that I put off going to the doctor and now I have permanent nerve damage to both legs and intractable back pain. I loved nursing and still miss the good times, and if I had it to do over, I would still pick nursing. Just be sure that you do not let people make you feel guilty about taking care of yourself. You and your family have to be number one.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 7, 2003

I like this thread because it is taking an honest look at the problems associated with long term careers in nursing without being overly bitter, mean, or nasty.

As we all know, there are some very real and very serious problems with staying in nursing for a long time. The challenge seems to be to develop ways for nurses to "progress" throughout their careers through a series of roles/jobs that build on their knowledge and previous experiences -- roles/jobs that are suitable for people at different stages of their lifespan. What might be suitable for someone at 25 years of age may not be suitable for that same person at age 55. (Not that terrible conditions are suitable for anyone at any age.)

However, I have known few nurses who actually PLAN to have long term careers when they are young. The life decisions they make when they are in their 20's and 30's do not take into account that they will still need a paychek when they are 60. It's as if they assume that someone (husband?) will rescue them from having to support themselves. I've known so many nurses in the 40's or 50's who say, "I never planned on still working this much." They never planned, never took steps to see to it that they would be qualified for the "better" jobs they now wish they had.

How can we change this culture in nursing? Yes, we need to improve working conditions in general ... but even under good conditions, bedside nursing is physically demanding and not a good choice for many people over age 50. What can we do about that?

llg

mattsmom81 · Mar 8, 2003

I am always gratified to see facilities who appreciate their mature nurses...and promote them to positions less strenuous for them physically. I saw this occur when I was young but not much anymore. I am an older Diploma RN and my teaching hospital promoted their own...it was a culture that worked for us then. But that was then this is now.

Today's nursing culture seems to appreciate youth and the college degree more than the nurse, unfortunately. Younger nurses with BSN/MSN etc are frequently given these less strenuous positions. Many younger nurses today are getting that advanced degree so they don't 'have to' work at the bedside. There seems to abe a lessening of status in the nursing culture towards those whose gifts lie at the bedside...a real shame in my opinion. We have lost some of our nursing heritage and roots with this shift.

So when we older nurses at the bedside retire, who will replace us? With the average age of nurses in their 40's healthcare has obviously created it's own problem here.

nurse2002 · Mar 9, 2003

I love my patients and hate all the other crap. I dont know what ill end up doing. What a thought.

bestblondRN · Mar 9, 2003

This thread is great.....I am one of those older nurses who has been at the bedside for the past 25+ years. Now I have degenerative disc and spine problems from my neck to my butt, and lots of pain every day. I recently lost a job in the OR because I hadn't been there long enough to qualify for a LOA, and my physician insisted on putting me on a lifting restriction after seeing my full spine MRI. Fortunately, he was the smart one--I have been in significant denial of my problem for many years and have continued to work and probably caused more damage to my spine.

As a result of this, I have been forced to take a long, hard look at what I can do, and I am amazed at the options out there. I always thought I would be a bedside nurse or middle manager, but I realize that I can't continue doing this. I have taken an asst. manager position on a tele unit for the time being, but will definitely be heading back to school for something else--haven't fully determined what it will be as yet! I think when one door closes, another one opens as long as you keep yourself open to different possibilities. There are lots of options, and as nurses we are trained to deal with the public in a way that many professions aren't. We also have great critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These attributes can make us valuable in any situation, and give us a great deal of versatility.

Going80INA55 · Mar 10, 2003

With your years of experience you may consider going out of the hospital for work. There are many comapanies who would snap you up.