Ever try to "retire early" from nursing?

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  1. Have you ever tried to "retire early" from nursing?

    • 2
      Yes, and I succeeded.
    • 5
      Yes, but I went back to nursing.
    • 13
      No, but I've thought of it often.
    • 3
      No, and I would never do that.

23 members have participated

I have about 3 times decided NEVER EVER to work as a nurse again. Usually because of my intermittent depression, but more often because nursing is just SO difficult sometimes, what with low staffing, morale, difficult patients, even more difficult doctors. But "something" always calls me back.

I've posted a poll just for my own information. Would LOVE to hear your comments!

I have described my saga over the last 5 years in great detail on these boards. A little over three years ago I felt so ill in my mind and my body that I quit working. I just could not take another step. I had the option of quiting because my children are grown, their educations complete, my home is paid off and my husband makes a respectable living. Even so I felt as if I had been driven out by bad conditions as opposed to leaving because I was ready to retired. I did not know if I was retired or what. After a year or so I started calling myself retired. Being off gave me a chance to take care of my mental and physical health in a way that I never had the time to do when I worked. Finally I am feeling good and I am back working for about 4 months now. For health and safety sake I am keeping myself very casual, some weeks as many as three days, others as few as one.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Originally posted by oramar

For health and safety sake I am keeping myself very casual, some weeks as many as three days, others as few as one.

I wish we could all listen to ourselves as well as you seem to have. I have cut down to 2-12's one week, 3 the next, and it is sooooo good to have time to take care of myself. There isn't a huge difference in the $ or benefits. But a huge difference in my own psyche.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

I will never retire. I figure one day another nurse will just round the corner and find me already dead in the ER.

Doo wah ditty and Do Not Resuscitate

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Originally posted by teeituptom

Doo wah ditty and Do Not Resuscitate

Ha ha ha! What's that adage, how do you become an old nurse?

Don't quit and don't die.

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For a long time I though I was getting ahead. In reality I was digging myself a big load of debt. I have had a change of focus and I am turning things around. Owning my own business has been a big part of that.

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thanks to Zoe for reinforcement, I always try to remember to first save my own life, needless to say I clicked on the "I retired but I came back box" suprises me how many clicked same box

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