How old is too old to safely practice?

Specialties NP

Published

Okay - I just read one of a comment on another thread and was floored when the comment was about a person getting a DNP at 62 and a poster wondering how long they would be able to safely practice at that age...

So....my question is: how old is too old to safely practice as an APRN?

I will preface my remarks with the fact that I am in mid-late 50's, have been an APRN for 10 years, currently precept two new NPs, and my practice considers me at the top of my game.

So...at 62 I'll be washed up??? Ugh - I'm planning to work till I'm 70 as long as I remain physically able to do the work.

Is there a magic age when one should just hang up the lab coat?

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Not everyone develops dementia, people.

Ehhhh but sadly plenty do and it scares me to death. Imo its sort of like cancer, if you live long enough....

From: https://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2014.pdf

An estimated 5.2 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease in 2014. This includes an estimated 5 million people age 65 and older and approximately 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer's.

One in nine people age 65 and older (11 percent)has Alzheimer's disease.

85+ years 38%

75-84 years 44%

65-74 years 15%

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
Ehhhh but sadly plenty do and it scares me to death. Imo its sort of like cancer, if you live long enough....

From: https://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2014.pdf

An estimated 5.2 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease in 2014. This includes an estimated 5 million people age 65 and older and approximately 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer's.

One in nine people age 65 and older (11 percent)has Alzheimer's disease.

85+ years 38%

75-84 years 44%

65-74 years 15%

I think I saw a study linking people in the AB blood group to dementia. I've made a point not to find it again though, because I'm pretty sure what I read was that there was a definite link.

Annnndddd guess who is AB.....yep, this girl. :alien:

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I practice with a physician partner that is 80 and I would trust him with my life.

I had a dear friend who practiced nursing till she was 82. She could work circles around all us younger nurses!

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Besides California, (thanks Juan) is there any other state that requires some kind of competency for providers once they reach a certain age?

I'm in IL, home of the AMA and we don't have anything that I know of....

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Its coming but for now looks like its more facility wide rather than state. My guess is nursing won't be far behind. Personally I'd be in favor of having no set retirement age if older clinicians were evaluated and deemed competent.

"In a vote without debate at its annual meeting, the American Medical Association agreed to develop guidelines to assess the physical and mental health of older physicians and review their treatment of patients. It is suggested that older physicians may be incompetent and harm their patients." from: AMA Seeks to Test Older Physicians

"As many as 8000 physicians in current practice are likely to have some form of cognitive impairment, and the existing medical literature provides little guidance." from: Medscape: Medscape Access

Norcross, who evaluates 100 to 150 physicians annually, estimates that about 8,000 doctors with full-blown dementia are practicing medicine. (Between 3 and 11 percent of Americans older than 65 have dementia.” from: As doctors grow older, hospitals begin requiring them to prove they’re still fit - The Washington Post

" A 2005 study found that the rate of disciplinary action was 6.6 percent for doctors out of medical school 40 years, compared with 1.3 percent for those out only 10 years." From: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/health/25doctors.html?pagewanted=all

And thus will begin the campaign to prove that most older (and experienced) nurses have some form of dementia and physical impairment and are unfit to practice. We older nurses have been in the trenches a long time and have skills, both nursing and interpersonal. A huge number of posts on AN have to do with new nurses who can't get along with coworkers, and post such questions as How Do You Start an IV ? or What Is a Saline Lock? or I've Worked Here 6 Weeks and I'm Ready to Quit Because My Preceptor Hates Me, or I've Been Accused of Drug Diversion!!!!!!! If newer nurses can't handle the stress of nursing now, just wait till they take the older nurses away and everybody is a new nurse. You'll have to find your own way through the minefield without us!

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
And thus will begin the campaign to prove that most older (and experienced) nurses have some form of dementia and physical impairment and are unfit to practice. We older nurses have been in the trenches a long time and have skills, both nursing and interpersonal. A huge number of posts on AN have to do with new nurses who can't get along with coworkers, and post such questions as How Do You Start an IV ? or What Is a Saline Lock? or I've Worked Here 6 Weeks and I'm Ready to Quit Because My Preceptor Hates Me, or I've Been Accused of Drug Diversion!!!!!!! If newer nurses can't handle the stress of nursing now, just wait till they take the older nurses away and everybody is a new nurse. You'll have to find your own way through the minefield without us!

Although I believe we all should attempt to retire before it is clearly time I don't think this is about minimizing experienced nurses and it seems the policies are more geared toward physicians right now. I thought we are discussing the extremes not the norms and certainly there will be some who can continue into their 60s-70s competently.

While I think this is a different topic I agree with you 100% about the lack of skills new grads present with in all the realms you mentioned and will also be forever thankful for the experienced RNs who were so generous when I was a new nurse. And no worries because I don't think many of the new nurses have any intention of being nurses prior to moving up the grad school ladder. :D

I'm 58 and am going to enroll in my NP in January. It will put my graduation out to about 60 1/2 years for me. I don't feel 58, I don't look 58 and I've even had management tell me I don't act like the other 50-somethings. It's all in your head, age is a state of mind if you keep your body healthy and your mind happy then all is good. Let me add that I have had to change my NP from Family to Mental Health. Not because of my age but because I don't want to go into a hospital to learn my skills. You see, I've only been a nurse for 3 years and went straight into hospice. I just got a job as a psych nurse and look forward to watching someone walk away from an illness instead of letting it take them away.

There is no specific age imo. It is all about the individual and their capabilities.

your age is not on your birth certificate

Specializes in med-surg, mother-baby, teaching, peds.

Like Juan I believe making decisions based on passe' beliefs about aging leaves little room for true understanding that aging is not in and of itself a disorder. There could also be rationale for this choice to obtain a DNP later in life which regard improved income function say post divorce or loss of a spouse/partner. Use of the NP does not have to involve independent practice rather a more senior professor position well supported and audited in an academic setting. The nursing profession needs continued growth in such leadership positions whether from younger or more experienced generations.

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