Older nurses

[poopylala]

I notice that most nurses now are younger rather than older (less than 35 years old). Where have all the older nurses gone? Do they tend to work in certain units at your hospital or work in clinics?

[caffeinatednurse, BSN, RN]

We have a ton of older nurses in LTC. There's maybe a handful of nurses who are

[DeeAngel]

All the older nurses I knew either retired, went to less physically demanding units or quit the floor for desk jobs. It is simply too abusive to the body to work a busy floor when you're older. The last hospital I worked had almost all new grads on day shift and the charges usually had less than one year experience on the floor on a uper busy 48 bed unit. Most times day shift never had a nurse scheduled with more than 2-3 years experience. The older ones had all left.

[Vette RN BSN]

I am soon to be 72 and still working full time, did give up ER and ICU and am now a Diabetic Coordinator in a Native American Clinic. The "older" nurses have disappeared due to hospitals not wanting to keep us as we are expensive in salary and benefits. They let older, experienced nurses go so they hire new grads because they can get them cheaper. In our area one big hospital let everyone go that had over 6 years and hire new grads at cheaper rates. The new ones should remember this can happen to them also when the become to expensive to keep. As a manager I know for every dollar paid in wages it costs almost the same amount for benefits a big cost to the company.

[Loracs72]

I'm 66 and retired at 63 ( I was fired). I believe I was fired because my employer wanted to hire someone younger and who would be paid less. The reason I was fired was "Insubordination " which I challenged ,however lost because they had a better attorney. I now have Spinal Stenosis which is a permanent and progressive disease and the demands of nursing didn't help. We often didn't have the equipment to lift a patient OOB. What other employer would let their employees not have access to equipment to do our jobs safely ? I was always told I was young looking and still do, but my body doesn't feel young !

[NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN]

BSNbeDONE said:

I took a huge pay cut to get away from the bedside 2 years ago. Personal issues shoved my *** back in it last year. Now that those issues seem to be finally resolved once and for all, I left it again back in April for a non-patient-care community job. The only way I'd go back is if the VA calls (excellent pay for someone of my experience in years, plus a 5-year, full-benefits-eligible retirement plan--I'm only 52)!!

May I ask what type of position you're currently working?

I lost inpatient work involuntarily and keep going back and forth between needing the money and not wanting the terrible working conditions. I'm curious about non-patient-care options, too.

[Loracs72]

NotAllWhoWandeRN : I was able to retire at 63 and receive Social Security . I did work for about 6 months for the State in the Department of Aging, but just didn't like it. Then I went to a Long Term Care facility and worked 10 months and retired. I don't regret retiring early after working 40 years !

[NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN]

Loracs72 said:

NotAllWhoWandeRN : I was able to retire at 63 and receive Social Security . I did work for about 6 months for the State in the Department of Aging, but just didn't like it. Then I went to a Long Term Care facility and worked 10 months and retired. I don't regret retiring early after working 40 years !

Thank you! I am in my 30s so not yet "older," just a little bit broken, and trying to plan for a career where I'm not further damaging my body (had a lifting injury) but don't feel stagnant (currently specialty clinic, forgetting all my general knowledge) and tied to work (5 days a week for full time instead of 3).

[alison86786]

I think a lot of it has to do with hospitals and medical centers giving preference to nurses with BSNs over ASNs. Wasn't as competitive to become a nurse 20+ years ago

[Surfandnurse]

My experience, I am young and have been LDRP for 4 years and worked with some older gems on night shift. I always did the busy admissions etc and we had an agreement that if a baby/mom went south the older RN (who had so much dang experience and knowledge) would then step in to be the BEST resource available to me in all of man kind. That being said I am still working but with different people and there are older nurses (60+) whom I work with and they move slower than me but they are so efficient and knowledgeable, and I still have copious amounts of energy so we continue on in this homogenous relationship and it's absolutely wonderful! Because I know someday I will be the older, smart, efficient RN and I will want a runner 😂 So "older" nurses ? Please keep working! We. Need. Your. Smarts!

[nutella, MSN, RN]

Here are some numbers from May 2016 from Registered Nurses

Unfortunately, it does not tell us anything about the age of the nurses, if they are working full time, part time, per diem or at all ...

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

Older nurse here.

I'm 52 and going strong in the ED... though just took a new RRT job.

Personally, I plan to keep working into my 70's... presumably in a hospital-based clinical role.

I still routinely outwork, out-think, and out-hustle nurses half my age and I don't see any reason to expect that to change....

[Boomer MS, RN]

KindaBack said:

Older nurse here.

I'm 52 and going strong in the ED... though just took a new RRT job.

Personally, I plan to keep working into my 70's... presumably in a hospital-based clinical role.

I still routinely outwork, out-think, and out-hustle nurses half my age and I don't see any reason to expect that to change....

Love hearing this. In a perfect world, I'd love to be back at a Level I, but that ship has sailed. Keep up the good work! And I don't think 52 is old since I passed that milestone.