Fired After 50, Part I: What It's Like To Be A Statistic
First in a series about a nurse (me) who finds herself suddenly unemployed at age 51 and learns she is part of an alarming trend of American workers who are losing their jobs at midlife and beyond. This is a story about the new "midlife crisis", the lessons learned during the transition process, and ultimately, starting all over again at a time of life when I'd once hoped I'd get to throttle back and cruise into retirement.
Hello. My name is Marla and I'm an unemployed nurse.
There, I said it. Now's the time when everyone's supposed to shout "HI, MARLA!" and applaud. Oh, wait---that was AA, circa 1992. Oops. *blushes*
I've talked about this revolting development here on my blog before, but I had never actually felt embarrassed about it until two days ago, when I received my first unemployment benefits check. What a humbling experience that was! Even though I haven't worked since mid-June and needed the money desperately, it hurt my pride to walk into the bank and deposit a government check into my account. I swore that once I left welfare (now sixteen years ago) that I would never again darken the door of any government office until it was time to apply for Social Security. And until I lost my nursing-home job thanks to a deadly combination of a lousy economy, chronic low census, and degenerative joint problems, I had never needed to.
I've been in between jobs before, but there was always another job just around the corner......I wasn't "out of work", and I certainly didn't need to rely on public largesse to keep a roof over my family's heads during the brief interludes between the end of one job and the beginning of another. But the plain truth is---even if it's not really my fault---I AM unemployed, and the prospects for finding even a temporary position till I land my next 'real' job are few and far between.
Ironically, a temporary position was all I was looking for when I found this last job as a 3-11 charge nurse on a long-term care unit. I'd just come from a bruising experience working with an administrator whose passive-aggressive approach to work nearly separated me from my sanity; all I wanted was a job where I could hide out for awhile and nurse my wounds while still being able to eat and pay bills in the same month. In the process, I found redemption for previous career mistakes, right there in that old LTC........and even after almost two years, the old yearnings for money and power hadn't returned.
Well, fate is indeed a fickle creature, and thanks to the aforementioned trifecta of misfortune, I now find myself part of a growing---and alarming---trend in which many older Americans are being "Fired After Fifty", as AARP recently called it in a piece they did on the subject. No, we're not necessarily being hauled into the boss's office and told "don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya"; but whether it's described as getting fired, losing one's job, or being laid off/let go/shown the door/downsized/outsourced/cut back/restructured/fill in the politically correct blank, the result is the same: we are out of a job. And Lord help us in finding another one.........few companies want to hire in uncertain times, and fewer still are willing to take on, ahem, experienced workers who tend to cost more in terms of salary and benefits than their younger counterparts.
I have become something I never thought I'd be in a million years: just another statistic.
That said, I am oddly optimistic about my future, even though I'm what you might call damaged goods. I may have a case of advancing age, but I still have the education and knowledge that no one can ever take away from me. My body may be in a state of dilapidation that precludes any job requiring physical stamina, but I'm comfortable in my own skin, I can still do what I need to do to get through the day, and frankly, I think I've lifted as many 300-pounders and run as many halls as I should ever have to. (Nor is my overweight state solely to blame for it; I hear complaints all the time from fellow midlifers who are thin and fit, and yet have knee and hip problems and backaches that are as bad, if not worse than my own.) I'm also fairly intelligent, I learn things quickly, I get along with just about everyone, and I'm willing to try new things......what else could an employer possibly want, right?
We shall see, in any event. I've gotten some nibbles from the twenty or so applications and resumes I've sent out, and the interviews have now begun. Today's was interesting, especially in light of the fact that I am directionally dyslexic........and the job involves extensive in-state travel........and I got lost trying to find headquarters. Stay tuned!
I enjoy your writing. This is a topic that I find scary since I am about to turn 61. I work in home care and work is certainly not as plentiful as it once was. I am hoping that I can make it to my full retirement age so that I can collect my full Social Security. I will be following your blog and I wish you the best. As they used to say, Keep the Faith!
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Thanks, Cherryames, and indeed all who have posted.
It's getting pretty scary out here........the only job I've even come close to being offered is a five shifts/week charge nurse position at the nursing home where my son now works as an aide, and that doesn't start till September. I also seem to remember having trouble dealing with four shifts per week at my last workplace, which is why I wound up needing knee surgery.
I don't know.......I'm getting desperate enough that I may have to chance it. The place is pleasant enough, it's clean and smells great, and they want experience on the long-term care hall, which I happen to enjoy most. They think the world of my son, which doesn't hurt my case at all, and what's more, they seem willing to take a chance on this beat-up old nag. It's a 4-on-2-off schedule, which will be brutal at first, but at least it's regular.......and with shift differentials I'd make $27-28/hr., which is a considerable improvement over my former wages. Additionally, I'd probably wind up being an RCM in the not-too-terribly distant future, and that's probably where I need to go anyway since I KNOW I won't be able to run the floors for very long.
BUT......again, the job doesn't start till mid- or late September, and I've been dropped on my fanny so many times lately that I'm afraid someone else is going to walk in there and take it away from me before I have it firmly in hand. YAAAAARGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
Try home nursing...wonderful, caring nurses show up...do something for the patient...fill out some paperwork...off you go to your new appointment. The best home health nurses I met were in their 50's and full of plenty of sass.
VivaLasViejas, I have been reading your post and I wish you nothing but good will upon your quest to find a job. I feel very fortunate,in the fact that I am a 57 year old LPN with 38 years experience and have never been in the position that you or some of the other posters, now find yourselves in. Even though we are getting older and maybe our health isn't what it used to be, there is stilll something to be said for our years of knowledge and expertiese and our work ethics, I enjoy the younger nurses, Do they have their little digs about my age and the way I do things, Oh heck ya, but more often than not I find them coming to me for some guidence and direction.I am just hanging in there until age 62, then I plan to retire early.So much to do and work sometimes gets in the way.
Have you tried maybe working with the state to be a LTC facility inspector.After my sister-in-law had some health issues and couldn't get around so well anymore, she inspected ECF's and loved it. She looked at the charting aspect of the ECF, so would sit in a office to review charts, not much walking involved. Or utilization review. Just a couple of thoughts. I wish you well
I am in a similar position as Viva. I was a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator and my department was "re-engineered". I am now searching for something to do for my career as well. I am open to all "doors" for an RN. I have 25 years of nursing experience and I too was an LPN (started out actually as a candystriper back in the day!). I am a dedicated nurse but have been away from direct patient bedside nursing for appx. 15 years?? WOW!. Can you get me information on LTC Inspection jobs? I would be interested.
Each state must employ nurses to monitor many facilities. In CA, San Jose has been advertising positions for nurses. You have to complete an online test first, which may require some knowledge about the laws involving those facilities, so get a copy of them from the Law library at your local courthouse in your community. The librarian there will help you, and by contacting a Labor Law firm you may find out how to gain access to a website with them, and print them out for yourself. That would be less expensive than copying the book at the Law Library.
there are also workshops regarding EC nursing to which those state agencies send their new hires. I went to one given at UCLA a decade ago, when I was hoping to open a care center for disabled children, and established many contacts. However when I applied to every place I knew for a grant, there was no money for "start-ups".
I too am an over 50 RN (18 years experience) and am suddenly unemployed after working for the same company for 4 1/2 years. I made the mistake of reporting myself to the state's nurse "assistance program" and now am no longer employed. Although I never drank while on the job, and have absolutely no history of narcotics abuse, due to the "assistance" programs stipulations, (no access to narcotics) my company could no longer use me as the Nurse Manager I'd been prior to requesting help. The catch 22 is that the narcotics restriction is for 6 months from the time I start working as a nurse. I haven't been able to get a job because of that narcotics restriction so it doesn't even begin until I do get a job. I have been an excellent IV infusion nurse and truly love what I did, loved my patients and they loved me. If I fight back, I risk losing my license, or at least have to fight the board. I looking into if there is any legal right I have.
I wonder why you went to the nurses assistance program, instead of the anonymous one, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It's sad that a hand offered as relief from a disease, hit you in the face. It is a lesson in the need to have full information about any program, before choosing it.
Alcoholism has a stigma that never goes away, possibly due to characterization in movies, books, etc. of incidents demonstrating terrible behavior of those afflicted with it. Since the percentage of people with it has been estimated to be 10%, many of those with unfavorable opinions about the reliability of persons who have alcoholism, are tainted by recall of their treatment/abuse and/or embaressment as children by a family member (especially parents).
Unfortunately you revealed your situation and have to put up with the consequences. I've not heard of a successful defense in court due to selection of a treatment that exposes an illness, as a proper reason for termination of employment. However, you should contact the Department of Labor regarding this, for any law against being discharged for admitting that you have a disease. I wonder about Hippa, but believe that since the Board of Nursing isn't your care provider, that won't hold water. Do that before spending money on hiring a lawyer!
As a vintage nurse of 35yrs, and finding a job was not at all as I intended I have 3 national nursing certs. I was thinking with my years of working and all my hard studying this would give an employment edge. Well I settled with much less money, worse insurance but never the less the less health insurance and a paycheck. Hospital are too busy and investing way to much money and time trying to convince the public that their hospital services are better than the others. I dread to think how much money is spent on the TV , magazines even their own printing dept for their propaganda. They insist and drill the public that they are giving"EXCELLENT care. Where in fact they are giving the Appearance of Excellent care.at the expense of proving almost good care. It's not nursing fault. The hospital bean counters see a 1-1 go with the cheapest warm body when it comes to staffing. they then promote the propaganda with little pens and badges and try to convince the new greenies that this is the way it is and that they are giving excellent care. hey I don't eat the stuff but it has always be said that if eat hamburger all the time your think its steak if someone told you that.I have never seen nor give what I would consider excellent care. to me that would be the top of pinnacle and not needing any improvement. that not realistic.So us vintage older nurse who know damn well what's going on we either shut up go with the flow or voice your ideas and opinions and be looking for another job. As a note my sister went to have a test at the hospital and then had a little note that said, we consider an A or a B as excellant care. This was R/T the critique given to the patients. I am almost a shame to say I am a nurse and anyway afiliated with healthcare these days. Sure we make better money than the old days. but then again we nursed 1st and counted beans last.... sorry just an opinion....
I was recently terminated from my job of 34 years due to my health. I am 57 years old. I acknowledge my health issues. Arthritis and Meniere's disease; I've had 3 major orthopedic surgeries, and I use a cane. I've had these issues for over 15 years.
After working in this hospital for 34 years, I guess I expected a better outcome. I had a fall in the unit I worked in last May---I was in a hurry, wasn't looking were I was going, and tripped over monitor wires that were on the ground. I was not the first nurse to trip over them and fall; nor was I the last. I was cleared by Worker's Comp. to return to work after 4 days; however the hospital decided I was too much of a risk in a busy unit because of my balance. I agreed. They initially gave me 10 weeks to look for a sedentary job while they paid me on Adm.Leave; at the end of that time I was to be terminated if I did not find a suitable job.
This stunned me. I wrote to our CEO and DON, asking why I was being terminated after 34 years, when there were nurses working who were not professional, and their jobs were not in jeopardy, and I'd had exceptional evaluations for the pat 10 years. I enclosed letters of thanks I'd received from parents throughout the years. Within 6 hours of writing them, I received a call from Nurse Recruitment stating that they were "creating" a sedentary position for me in our telephone triage center. It was part-time, with a cut in pay of over $3.00/hr. I took it, and trained for 10 weeks. On evenings (1800-2300) I worked with 3 other nurses and we had an Intake Coordinator to answer the phones and put all calls in our computers. However, they wanted me to work night shift. I would be the only RN on duty; responsible for taking calls by fax, pager, or voice mail; entering them into the computer, and calling the family back with instructions based on our protocol book. They wanted me to take no more than 8 minutes on a call. I would also not be able to take a break on nights, since I was the only RN on, and had to be available if we had an emergency call come in.
After 10 weeks I met with the Director of the dept. and the Head of Human Resources. I was told that I could not work fast enough, and they were worried that I would hurt myself. I told them that if I were assigned evenings, I wouldn't have to get up to get faxes, etc. and could answer calls faster. I also have a wheelchair for when I travel, and could have come to work in that. I never even thought of mentioning my chair to them.
However they wanted me to work night shifts only. I was given a Disability packet and told to apply through the hospital's company. So I did. What I didn't understand was that as soon as disability was approved, I would be terminated by the hospital. I had tried to log in to my hospital email one day and was told that my account was restricted. That's how I found out I'd been fired. I was not given any formal written written notification of my termination until after I had called HR twice. Then, I received a letter from the Director of HR stating that we discussed all this in my meeting with her, and I knew I was to be terminated. This was a verbal discussion only, and with my mind spinning in circles over the emotional toll of the lat 6 months, I do not remember being told that I'd be terminated as soon as I had disability.
My disability pay is based on the job and hours I had for 10 weeks. I asked the hospital if they could base it on the pay and hours I had for over 30 years, and they said no. If I'd known I was to be terminated, I would have asked the hospital to transfer me back to my old dept., salary, and hours. I had enough vacation saved that I would not have had to actually work, and I only needed to be in that position for 4 weeks for my disability to be based on my old salary and hours. As it is, I am taking home less than 50% of what I used to make. I've applied for SSD. I also applied for COBRA (health insurance), which took effect on Jan. 1, and costs me $417/month. I was always told that if I qualified for SSD I would be eligible for Medicare. I did not realize that there was a 22 month waiting period before you actually received Medicare. I have an attorney, and he is confident that based on my disabilities I will be approved for SSD. But I can't work at a job that would pay me more than$250/week, if approved.
I have over 30 years of experience and knowledge in my specialty, and don't know what to do with it. I asked an Asst. Manager of my old unit if I could teach part-time, and she said no, because being a Clin. Instructor meant going to different committee meetings all over the hospital, and it would be too physically strenuous for me. In Oct. last year, we lost a nurse to cancer. She'd worked in our unit for 29 years, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of Nursing. With her loss, and mine, they have lost the 2 most senior staff members who did the majority of teaching in our unit classes, and informally. I would love to take over and teach the classes this nurse taught. But I was told that would not be necessary. It really saddens me.
Preemielove80, your post made me sick to my stomach. I am ashamed of my profession for exactly this kind of behavior. We treat our nurses shabbily to say the least. As long as money is involved there will be NO mercy! With little effort the nursing dept, along with HR, could have helped you get maximum benefits. I am sorry for your troubles and wish you well. I know that this is heart breaking for you. Shame on your hospital and your colleagues.:crying2:
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cherryames1949
347 Posts
I enjoy your writing. This is a topic that I find scary since I am about to turn 61. I work in home care and work is certainly not as plentiful as it once was. I am hoping that I can make it to my full retirement age so that I can collect my full Social Security. I will be following your blog and I wish you the best. As they used to say, Keep the Faith!