jus flapping in the wind....

Nurses Career Support

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Specializes in M/S, onc,geri,hospice, palliative.

I am a RN with 25 years experience I currently work on a Oncology med-surg , geriatric, hospice, palliative care, pick your day of the week kind of floor. With all that activity you say how could any day be dull? But after 12 years on this floor I have hit the big dead end.

I am considered "senior" staff, and there the "dump on" begins !!! No advancement opps, charge and orientation actually goes to "newer" RN's. I work in a university town and the "glut" of nursing schools and new grads is High.....Yes I've applied to over 100 jobs yearly for the last several years with no luck. I feel my wage and my age have finally caught me....I am ADN trained, spent 8 yrs as a outpatient clinic float to over 30 areas and seen more than I need to share... Travel nursing, insurance work, elder law, patient advocacy, I have researched multiple venues and paths to take and quite frankly need some direction other than jus flapping in the wind....feel free to share they'll be caught in my wind

Thanks in advance

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I am sorry to have to say this, but you might want to look at your overall situation and prepare for the day where you might not have a job at all, even if you are short of your planned retirement date. There are many who find that they can no longer stay one step ahead of the age discrimination that is becoming more and more of an undercurrent in the profession. Get your financial affairs in order so that you can survive should the worst come your way. It does not feel good to be at a dead end, but as long as you are still working and getting a check, you are better off than those who have no job and can get no job.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

The health care industry has finally caught up with the rest of the world. Being "experienced" is a negative.

caliotter is correct. Her prediction about getting older and job security, would have seemed overly dramatic to me even five years ago.

Now I know it's not. It's scary. I stopped worrying about promotions and opportunities. I just worry I'll still have a job until I can draw some kind of retirement.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

This is one of the aspects of nursing that doesn't seem to make an impression on all those folks who refer to the 'great wages' for new nurses. There is (and always has been) tremendous salary compression in our profession. Salaries usually plateau very early in a staff nurse's career - 5-7 years as opposed to other professions who have a more continuous wage growth throughout their careers.

It's demoralizing for highly expert staff nurses who basically have to leave their chosen career path (direct patient care) and seek a "higher level" job if they want to increase their incomes. I don't have any magic solutions - just wanted to express my disgust at our industry's "white ceiling" that fails to recognize the inestimable value of highly expert nurses remaining at the beside.

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Specializes in public health.

Going back to school?

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I'm not sure why you didn't continue your education in all those years? We all know that an ADN is not what it used to be. The easiest way to be promoted is to continue educating yourself; it shows the employer that you're not complacent.

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Specializes in M/S, onc,geri,hospice, palliative.

Update Update update.....after my last post I gave up my job, and you were all correct Ageism does exist, does occur, and now after applying for multiple jobs, and NO offers I have truly decided the wind will just have to take me...

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