Concern: Age Discrimination for a New 58 RN

Nurses Relations

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Hello,

I am done with my first career. I really would like to become an RN. I would be 58 when I would graduate with an A.S. Degree.

  • I am very worried though about age discrimination in hiring.

  • Also, they say there is and will be a nursing shortage, but I don't quite buy that. Please, please respond.


Thank you so much

:D

I worked for the same facility 3 different times. Always considered an asset until I quit this last time after having surgery which has giving me a weight lifting limit for life. I furthered my education to a MSN in hopes that I could secure a job as a resource nurse or nurse educator. I have interviewed more than once for different positionwith this company and they chose others over me. One I am 60. The policy in this facility is if you work a cummulative of 25 years you are eligible for life-time insurance, and eligible for their retirement programs including long term disability. I think they can only except me as a floor charge nurse. I find this very disheartening. I have student loans out of the wasoo and have gone on several interviews with local companies, but have not heard back from them. I currently work at a critical care access facility 12 hour shift on a prn bais. This shifts are killing me. The whole purpose of obtaining a MSN was to continue to work at a less physical stressful position.

My thoughts are as long as you want to work the floor as an older nurse there are jobs out there, but I am not sure transition is so easy.

There most certainly is Age discrimination in Nursing. There is alot of prejudice against older nurses.

We are ASSumed to have chronic health problems and will drive the precious employers insurance rates up. The employers should start taking that up with the insurance companies and stop taking it out on the nursing staff.

We are inept, feebel and incompetent so therefore we feel we have to "work rings" around the younger nurses- that in itself is discriminatory. Why should we work any differently than another person because of our age?

As older nurses - we were raised in a different generation which gave us different work ethics, we don't all take pharam every day to keep the "old ticker" going. In fact some of us don't take any meds at all. But this new found discrimatory attitude in our employablity just might give us cause to need medication for a chronic health problem- HTN, MI's, CVA's, Depression,brought on by unemployment and discrimination.

One thing I want to bring to the attention of nurses who are looking at taking jobs which pay less. Social Security is set up where your monthly social security benefit is based on the last five years of employment. What I am saying you may have made 70,000 a year for 30 years, but if you drop down to a low paying job say making 15,000 a year for the last 5 years you work, the government bases your social security benefits on the 15,000 a year. They only consider your last 5 years of employment when doling out those checks.

Back to discrimination: I find it ironic that places are not wanting to hire older nurses who are generally a fountain of information, but the federal government requires us to work till we are 66 to get benefits and 70 to receive full benefits. I guess it is a way to save money by killing us by forcing us to stay in the job market doing strenous physical work. (Thats meant to be a joke folks, or is it)

One thing I want to bring to the attention of nurses who are looking at taking jobs which pay less. Social Security is set up where your monthly social security benefit is based on the last five years of employment. What I am saying you may have made 70,000 a year for 30 years, but if you drop down to a low paying job say making 15,000 a year for the last 5 years you work, the government bases your social security benefits on the 15,000 a year. They only consider your last 5 years of employment when doling out those checks.

Back to discrimination: I find it ironic that places are not wanting to hire older nurses who are generally a fountain of information, but the federal government requires us to work till we are 66 to get benefits and 70 to receive full benefits. I guess it is a way to save money by killing us by forcing us to stay in the job market doing strenous physical work. (Thats meant to be a joke folks, or is it)

Actually, the social security benefit is based on an average of your 35 highest paid working years, not the last five.

Social Security Publications

"Many people wonder how their benefit is figured. Social Security benefits are based on your lifetime earnings. Your actual earnings are adjusted or “indexed” to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then Social Security calculates your average indexed monthly earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a formula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit, or “primary insurance amount” (PIA). This is how much you would receive at your full retirement age — 65 or older, depending on your date of birth."

Specializes in ICU.

Age discrimination is alive and well. I don't see it as much for people still in their 40's, but I have noticed it in people in the mid-50's and up. We had a doctor tell one of our nurses that she was "too old" to be a nurse~ she was in her 60's and completely competent. I have heard younger nurses and younger CNA's refer to older nurses as "the old nurse." I have even heard a patient refer to a nurse as "that old one!"

Age-ist comments should be reported to the government entities- EEOC, just like a racist comment would be.

I say reporting those comments to a government entity because the workforce/employer management of today doesn't seem to do anything about age-ist comments only encourage them in the form their hiring practices and the way older employees are treated on the job. these employers now a days seem to perpetuate a climate of discrimination. If the comments were of a racist nature and reported to the employer or managment that person making the comment would be severly dealt with- terminated.

Age-ist comments seem to be very acceptable in the employment world.

I am speaking only from the nursing employment world, I have not tried to seek employment outside of nursing.

And oddly enought I have only seen this discriminatory treatment of older nurses come from the civilian sector( civilian hospitals and LTC facitlites) I did have the opportunity to work in a federal- military healthcare facility- an "DID NOT" find this age discriminatory climate at all. I have attended many orientations in my 32 years in the civilian hospital and LTC world and one orientation in a federal/military medical facility- The federal facility specifically, explicitily and graphically defines and gives 'in your face' examples of age discrimination. The federal HR dept gives a fabulous orientation on the EEOC policies. it is mandatory and part of the orientation check off sheet that you attend this orientation session. Your supervisor makes the appointment for you to attend this session and it is called "EEOC training"- the session is all day in length and covers all the types of discrimination so every employee from the bottom up to the top is on the same page. Their orientation process far exceeds the civilian employment sector. This makes for a far more superior workplace environment. No federally employed doctor or nursing management would ever tell a nurse'Your too old". And judging from the orientation session- I wouldn't want to push the envelope.

What is wrong with the civilian HR dept's? Talk about poor job performance. This lack of knowledge and awareness goes all the way up to the top levels of civilan employment

I too am interested in whether I will face age discrimination. I have taken all my core classes with A's in all classes except one(I made a B in that one). I applied to a program and did not get in. I inquired why I did not get in and I was told by an advisor in the nursing department that at 52 I was no Spring chicken. I am in good physical shape and have no health problems.

I am going to pursue my dream and become a nurse, you should too.

I would like to relate that though I was sweating it I have found a nice job as a stroke coordinator. Though a masters degree was not a requirement it didn't hurt to be 60 with an MSN to secure a job I wanted. There is still nirsing after 60. .

What is your source of information concerning social security wages being garnished for student loans? I would like to review it. Thanks.

Actually, the social security benefit is based on an average of your 35 highest paid working years, not the last five.

Social Security Publications

"Many people wonder how their benefit is figured. Social Security benefits are based on your lifetime earnings. Your actual earnings are adjusted or "indexed" to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then Social Security calculates your average indexed monthly earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a formula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit, or "primary insurance amount" (PIA). This is how much you would receive at your full retirement age-65 or older, depending on your date of birth."

Just remember any of those thirty-five years without any earnings are averaged in with zeros. This can and often does bring down benefit payments and is probably the number one reasons women have lower SS payments than men.

Because females tend to move in and out of the workforce due to marriage and or child bearing/raising those gap years can have an impact on her SS bennies. The attempt to correct this is the spousal/survivor portion of SS which alllows the lower income spouse (usually the wife) in a long term marriage to claim the higher of two benefit records; her's or her husband's.

What is your source of information concerning social security wages being garnished for student loans? I would like to review it. Thanks.

""The government can take some federal benefit payments (including Social Security retirement benefits and Social Security disability benefits, but not Supplemental Security Income) as reimbursement for student loans.

The government cannot take any amount that would leave you with benefits less than $9,000 per year or $750 per month. And, it cannot take more than 15% of your total benefit.

For example, if Doug receives monthly federal benefits in the amount of $900, the government may take either $150 (the amount of Doug's $900 benefit that is over $750) or $135 (15% of Doug's total benefit of $900), whichever is less. So, in this case, the government can take only $135 each month."

What Happens If You Default on Your Student Loans | Nolo.com

See also: Garnishing Social Security benefits

Age discrimination certainly exists, but it is by no means universal. I graduated from nursing school at 59 and was hired at a major university-affiliated hospital only a month after passing the NCLEX. After being hired, I learned that my "maturity" was considered a strong positive factor by the hiring panel.

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