Sure didn't expect this!

Nurses Retired

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Been an R.N. for 22+ years, am 56 yrs old. In June 2014, had a motorcycle accident with a pretty severe tri-malleolar fx w/syndesmotic injury. It put me down, NWB for 12 weeks. When released by the surgeon to RTW, (after begging her) my employer did not restore me to my position. Two months later, in November, I returned to work in the full time capacity as a School Nurse without restrictions. I was placed on regular seasonal holiday lay-off for the Christmas holiday in December and by April I was no longer employed.

Subsequently, I applied to every open RN position imaginable, seeking work in my field 8 hrs a day, everyday for 4 complete weeks to no avail. No interviews, no calls!

Couldn't help but wonder, "am I being age discriminated?"

I now work full time in an unrelated field, sales, making 1/3 the wage I did as a professional R.N. I must say, I am relieved of all the stress associated with the profession and demand, but so sad and grief stricken by the professional loss. Comments??

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Been an R.N. for 22+ years, am 56 yrs old. In June 2014, had a motorcycle accident with a pretty severe tri-malleolar fx w/syndesmotic injury. It put me down, NWB for 12 weeks. When released by the surgeon to RTW, (after begging her) my employer did not restore me to my position. Two months later, in November, I returned to work in the full time capacity as a School Nurse without restrictions. I was placed on regular seasonal holiday lay-off for the Christmas holiday in December and by April I was no longer employed.

Subsequently, I applied to every open RN position imaginable, seeking work in my field 8 hrs a day, everyday for 4 complete weeks to no avail. No interviews, no calls!

Couldn't help but wonder, "am I being age discriminated?"

I now work full time in an unrelated field, sales, making 1/3 the wage I did as a professional R.N. I must say, I am relieved of all the stress associated with the profession and demand, but so sad and grief stricken by the professional loss. Comments??

I think there is a good chance that you are being age-discriminated. I agree with traumaRus that revamping your resume to a format that doesn't include dates is a great idea. Getting the interview is your chance to show that any stereotypes people may have are not true in your case.

We're all different in our appearance and "tech savvy-ness" so I won't make any assumptions but agree if you are a little rusty in that area try to improve on those weak areas ahead of time.

I work in home health/private duty as well. Turnover is pretty high so it could be a very viable option for you. That is if you want to return to nursing.

Some people retire or semi-retire but find other ways to keep involved with the profession so the sense of loss is minimized. For me allnurses has been a Godsend for almost 10 years. It's a great way to get a feel for how people of all ages and stages in their nursing journey think and feel.

Whatever you decide to do wishing you the best!

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Specializes in Psych, Substance Abuse.

I empathize with you. Nursing is a second career for me. During school, I applied for and received a scholarship that came with a 2-year commitment to a hospital chain. After passing the NCLEX, all scholarship recipients were to apply online just like non-scholarship recipients, and check off the "scholarship" box. I applied for more than 25 positions and was never called for an interview. I even called, emailed, and snail mailed an HR rep. No response. However, younger grads, with no medical experience, were interviewed and hired. I had nearly 4 years of LPN experience and several other academic credentials. When I saw the writing on the wall I applied elsewhere. One call to an HR rep at another chain led to 2 interviews, a job offer, and more pay than the "scholarship" chain. I thank them for reading beyond the date I received my first Bachelor's degree.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Ask for less money.... This is the best way to compete in the job market nowadays, employees want cheap labor. Show off your skills, get a few more certificates and offer to do the job for less. If you can get into the facility and speak to the manager you could try and win them over with your awesome personality.

Is this REALLY ok? Ask for less money? To just accept that after of humping your behind for YEARS (in my case 35) and say it is ok to be paid as a new grad?

If that is the case what sort of precedent are we setting?

The whole thing makes me sick and angry....:madface:

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Age discrimination is alive and well in nursing! It's alive and well in every profession however IMHO it is new to nursing. I think the OP is pretty active considering she was injured riding a motorcycle. (I am gald you are better OP)

I remember the day when experienced nurses we honored and rewarded...they were respected and sought after. It is a dirty rotten shame that experienced nurses are being ignored and tossed out like trash. I think it is the problem with nursing and mistakes.....there are no proper mentors guiding the new into their roles. Back in the day you were promoted because you were stellar in your position. You had the experience and skills. You were respected. You led by example. The nurse executives were promoted from the trenches and empathized with the working bedside nurses.

Now....they are hired for letters after their name. No bedside experience. They want to do things according to "evidence based practice" however if you have never "practiced" at the bedside what's your evidence? I know...all the written academic articles by the same individuals who have never practiced at the bedside crunching the statistics.

It is very easy to say.....go back to school. Well it isn't that easy. My prerequisites are 35 years old. My Math, English, and other gen ed's are 35 years old. I will have 2 children in college in September. Do I, or can I, take on my own college debt? NO! Why on earth would I spend a minimum of $12,000.00 excluding any prerequisites at my age?

When did all my knowledge and experience become worthless?

Sad state of affairs.

OP I feel your pain. Some have suggested Telephone triage....well every one I applied for sought a "better candidate as your qualifications surpassed the position".

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Specializes in hospice.
I faced age discrimination in my early 40's and have lived with it ever since, noticing that it just gets worse every year. Employers would rather hire a ditz right out of school so they can pay them as close to minimum wage as they dare.

Jeez, since I won't even become a nurse until 40 I guess I'm screwed. Good thing using my employer's tuition assistance obligates me to work for them for a year after I graduate.

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Specializes in Psych, Substance Abuse.
Jeez, since I won't even become a nurse until 40 I guess I'm screwed. Good thing using my employer's tuition assistance obligates me to work for them for a year after I graduate.

I became a nurse after 40. Fortunately, all employers don't discriminate.

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Is this REALLY ok? Ask for less money? To just accept that after of humping your behind for YEARS (in my case 35) and say it is ok to be paid as a new grad?

If that is the case what sort of precedent are we setting?

The whole thing makes me sick and angry....:madface:

The precedent being set? The one that says it is not desirable to be unemployed. Each and every employer that bothered to talk about available work recently, offered me CNA wages and told me to my face that they weren't going to pay me for my qualifications. In one instance, the person told me they would be interviewing a new grad half an hour after my appointment. She was smiling as she said this. This is not handwriting on the wall, it is the unemployment compensation ending for many. Nobody likes to be unemployed.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I became a nurse after 40. Fortunately, all employers don't discriminate.

I think it is more experience/age driven.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
The precedent being set? The one that says it is not desirable to be unemployed. Each and every employer that bothered to talk about available work recently, offered me CNA wages and told me to my face that they weren't going to pay me for my qualifications. In one instance, the person told me they would be interviewing a new grad half an hour after my appointment. She was smiling as she said this. This is not handwriting on the wall, it is the unemployment compensation ending for many. Nobody likes to be unemployed.
I don't even have a response. It makes me sick in my heart. If I was told to my face they would only pay CNA wage....I would end the interview no sense wasting my time with a company with such blatant disrespect. How did you keep your cool....just reading this make me want to slap that person and I am a very patient person.

You know what....I'd probably go back to bar tending. At least there you can get tips.

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I have never tended bar, or I would be there, or at a restaurant as a hostess, if not waiting table. I can assure you, it was not easy to keep my cool. The employers "conveniently" have never called back. One can not flat out refuse if they are still drawing unemployment benefits, so that makes it very difficult to really tell someone what one thinks in these instances. The disgusting aspect is that ALL of the employers in the area are lowering their wages. So, if you want to work as a nurse......

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Even younger nurses with and without experience are sitting on the side lines waiting for interviews or responses to interviews they have had...applying for 20+ jobs, waiting to hear, never hearing or checking a few days later to see your resume never made it past the date you applied to HR is also a large part of the equation..jobs are tough to get in healthcare now. Age certainly plays a part, as does experience or lack thereof but healthcare, over all, is just not nurse friendly anymore - or at least it seems that way.

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@greenmile If your background is in psychiatric nursing, one possible career path to explore is to become a mental health first aid instructor. The basic courses and instructor courses are available through mental health firstaid org. The instructor course is five days and the cost would be far less than returning to school to advance your nursing education.

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