Are you a dedicated employee (>30yrs) who is feeling the boot coming soon?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Home Health, Med-Surg.

I have worked for an institution 30 plus years, since I was a nurse tech. Been there thru thick and thin,staffing shortages, always filling in, putting patients and the reputation of the institution first. Recently in the last 6months, I , as others who have stuck around which by now are only a handfull ,are feeling the pinch, as we see fellow workers retiring early ( voluntarily? or asked ) who we know love their work. I really fear being asked to leave ( or they will find something to fire me for- I have a flawless record ) prior to my, at least 10-15 years , retirement date.Of course, I feel most of this is due to my wage status after being there so long. I recently took a requested cut or I don't know what would have been next. Unfortunately I accepted the terms and stayed because I loved my work and co-workers. I used to advise the younger nurses to quit job hopping and to try to find their niche and stick with it and build up a relationship with their company and build a future. I don't anymore.

My advice now is to not stay longer than 10yrs, get vested in a pension plan and move on.

Any one feelin the same way? Or being treated the same.:(

Downsizing and forcing out long term employees prior to their retirement is not a rare thing. I've posted in the past about an acute care hospital that downsized, then shortly thereafter advertising for the same personnel that they had gotten rid of (but with no seniority!). You are correct to advise people not to get stuck on one employer. Good sense. Nobody has job security anymore.

Specializes in ICU.

been there done that! except i wasn't smart enough to see the writing on the wall. i was fired for some trumped up charge that was laughable. after the tears and shock resolved, i found the silver lining. it wasn't about me, it was about the business. i was costing the institution too much, in wages, vacation time, sick time, required contributions to my 401k etc. i moved on to a hospital that appreciates my experience and me! i should have left the other place years earlier rather than putting up with their nonsense. i couldn't be happier now. the place is great, the people are wonderful! i landed in OZ...and what a place it is! being fired was the BEST thing that happened to me! don't fret, life goes on and has a way of getting better.....you just may not know it now. :chuckle:balloons::w00t:

Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

Moved to General nursing discussion as not a poll.

Specializes in Psych.

OP - I'm afraid you're going to end up having to change that already modified bit of advice. Pension plans are pretty much a thing of the past. If there are any companies that still have them, they're probably in the process of phasing them out. I doubt any programs are taking in new hires.

And if I'm wrong, and someone knows a place with a pension plan, please speak up because I want to go work there!!!!

Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
OP - I'm afraid you're going to end up having to change that already modified bit of advice. Pension plans are pretty much a thing of the past. If there are any companies that still have them, they're probably in the process of phasing them out. I doubt any programs are taking in new hires.

And if I'm wrong, and someone knows a place with a pension plan, please speak up because I want to go work there!!!!

Last I knew government employees (school nurses, jail nurses, etc) had pensions.

Specializes in Psych.
Last I knew government employees (school nurses, jail nurses, etc) had pensions.

Really? You mean state governments, right? Hmmm...I didn't think there were any holdouts. Well...anybody with one of those jobs...hang on to it!

I thought the federal government had gone over to whatever their equivalent of a 401K is some time ago...

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