How to continue working as a nurse as you age gracefully. This article provides some clues to hopefully allow nurses to age gracefully and still remain an active member of the nursing community. From the simple cosmetic changes we can make to reduce the signs of aging to further education and keeping up to date with current practices - these are all steps we can take to reduce the signs of aging.
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We all must face it - we are aging. Oh yeah, when I was 20, 30, even 40, heck I was NOT going to get old. I was going to keep learning, stay current with evidence based practices and be on TOP!
However, there was something else in store for me: many more birthdays. I am now uh hmmm in my mid-50's. Fortunately, my health is excellent - I can still run with the 20 and 30 year old nurses and think on my feet.
But, how long will I remain healthy?
Is it a given I will be fit enough to continue to work full time, take frequent call, remain mentally sharp enough and physically able to do my job until I'm 70?
Although not as physically taxing as being a staff nurse in a busy (>100k visits/yr) ER, my current position still expects me to run a code, remember protocols, be able to troubleshoot patient care issues and deal with irate patients and family members. And of course, see my 200 patients weekly.
So, what do I need to do now?
Well, the first thing is I must keep my naturally dark brown hair as natural-looking as I can while still hiding the gray - :). This requires frequent visits to the local discount store where I buy Nice and Easy #7A in bulk. It has also meant that I must lose weight as hauling around an extra 50 pounds makes it difficult to run to these codes.
So, check that off as a done - now to maintain the loss. Positive from this is that I got to buy new clothes as even my patients were making comments that my clothes were too big.
I was fortunate to make the choice about ten years ago to go back to school. So besides school loans which will be paid off with my social security check, I have the requisite MSN and a couple of other certificates. Hopefully, this education will keep me employable.
In this day of continued Medicare/Medicaid cuts I will need to continue to stay on top of my game. So, I guess the moral to this musing is that to stay employed as you age, you need: experience, education, ability to adapt quickly and constantly reinvent yourself.
