Boomer Nurse no longer able to do bedside nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm a 59 year old RN with 39 years of nursing experience in ICU, ER, Case Management, Occupational Health, Home Health, and Pediatric nursing. Over the last year, I have lost 3 jobs. In all 3, my supervisors have said I'm no longer safe to work at the bedside. I didn't believe them. Over the last few years, I've begun taking meds for bipolar disorder and have had 2 TIAs. I'm told I had no residual effects. To be honest, I'm physically slower than I used to be and I don't think as quickly. I'm looking for a lower stress job that doesn't involve bedside care. Are there other nurses like me? What did you do? I can't afford to retire yet.

Wuzzie said:
And a STAT visit to your PCP for a thorough evaluation.

Can't like this enough, and a visit with their mental health practitioner as well.

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Specializes in ICU.

This is why we have social security disability payments. Consider applying for disability, and you can still make around 15k per year in addition to your monthly ss payments. You can also eventually get medicare, so you will have some type of medical insurance. If you have lost 3 jobs because of your health, then surely you would qualify. (I have a friend who gets paid $15-17 per hour to "sit" with someone in their home. That might not sound like a lot of money, but "some" is better than "none." Maybe try to find someone to sit with while you also get disability.) Good luck.

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Thank you for your response. Actually, I'm interviewing for an insurance position tomorrow. It looks very promising. I'm excited about it because it involves a care planning and patient education, which are 2 of my passions.

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I just feel tired. The last time i worked, I knew I didn't even want to deal with direct patient care anymore.

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Thank you for your concern. I've seen my PCP and mental health specialists in the last month. We have had in depth conversations about this. I passed my MMSE with flying colors. I and am scheduled for CT, MRI, etc. Labs look ok, but sodium is a little low, probably from a med we will change. They tell me it's time to seek a different position, ICU and ER are too stressful. It's too soon to consider SS or disability.

I saw my father go through this at the same age. He started doing consulting work instead of running a company. The pace was slower and he actually made more money and was able to work for many more years. I'm thinking along the same lines. My providers assure me i just need to shift gears from the ICU/ER setting. I'm heartbroken that I can't do the jobs I used to be so good at. It's depressing. I'm coming to terms with my own mortality. Nobody likes to hear that they aren't up to their previous level of work.

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Hi Cwiema,

Praying everything WILL work out for your favor!! Please don't be sad and remember that your dad and many others have been successful with a role change. You'll still get to help others and be of great service in your next position.

Many hugs!!

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.
Oldmahubbard said:
Yes, a stat visit to your PCP for a full work-up, and definitely start the paperwork rolling for Social Security Disability. You are getting very close, and it takes a while, sometimes a very long while, to get approved.

It sounds like you are at the point where one more incident, or diagnosis of any kind, will make you completely unemployable.

A large adjustment of your financial expectations may sadly be in order.

Oldmahubbard is so wise here on the SS issue.

DO NOT WAIT TO FILE FOR YOUR (SSDI) DISABILITY. NO PRIDE HERE. REALLY. THIS IS YOUR FUTURE MONEY AND MEDICAL CARE.

I think it is figured on relevant quarters on a 10/5 year look back, with some 1 year exclusion. Do it today. Find a qualified advocate/disability attorney. The longer you wait to file, it can hurt you several hundred dollars a month.

I'd recommend using an attorney - the most qualified one I could find. Their fees are modest, set and capped by the SSA.

I'm really sorry this is happening. The TIA's are frightening. I wish you all the best.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I do not think it's your age but your physical condition that is the problem. TIAs are a problem for memory and other abilities a bedside nurse must possess.

Get your health checked really well, figure out your true limitations and deal with those.

You have some good advice here so I won't repeat. There ARE other options.

But your health state is the primary condition to address. Not your age.

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meanmaryjean said:
I am concerned that three different different supervisors at three different jobs have told you that you are not safe to practice. You seem to gloss over this and claim it is because of your age, but is it? What caused three people to come to the same conclusion about your ability to practice - and why you don't believe them?

Some serious self-reflection is needed here.

She seems to believe the former supervisors and now she is asking for our help, as she still needs to earn a living. Otherwise, she will have to learn the new skill of how to live under a bridge.

It is hard to accept our aging troubles. Very scary.

OP - do you have short-term disability insurance? (not disability via Social Security) Long-term disability insurance? (again, not via SS. SSDI = Social Security Disability Insurance and that can come to you more easily after you have been on short term and/or long term disability via private insurance, either insurance that you pay for or that for which your employer pays.

Can you find a doctor to find that you are disabled and need to go on disability? I haven't read all the remarks on this thread, so I am sorry if others have already suggested that.

Besides Nursing, you might want to consider related fields that utilize your Nursing background - Medical Coding and Billing, Ward Clerk, Medical Records (is it now called Health Information Management?).

Best wishes.

Evaluate your whole financial picture. Expenses, Income, how your money is invested.

Consider taking in a renter if you have the space.

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applewhitern said:
This is why we have social security disability payments. Consider applying for disability, and you can still make around 15k per year in addition to your monthly ss payments. You can also eventually get medicare, so you will have some type of medical insurance. If you have lost 3 jobs because of your health, then surely you would qualify. (I have a friend who gets paid $15-17 per hour to "sit" with someone in their home. That might not sound like a lot of money, but "some" is better than "none." Maybe try to find someone to sit with while you also get disability.) Good luck.

I believe that people on SS can earn as much as they like, it's just that they will be taxed on the amount they earn over a certain amount.

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Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

Well what you have said is you are slower than you use to be and you work in a high volume rapid area. I recommend you look into case management. There are a number of companies out there and the 4 big ones are Blue Cross, United, Cigna and Aetna. Each one has their own "in house" case management in which you can work form home and office. Although I feel I can keep up with the best of them I want a job that I do not have to manage others anymore. I found case management is the best for me. Utilization review is great too. Other options are any "desk" nursing job like occupational nurse, infection control nurse. You can google the state where you live and see if they have any nursing positions open, best to look at what is available and what your interest is.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Kooky Korky said:
I believe that people on SS can earn as much as they like, it's just that they will be taxed on the amount they earn over a certain amount.

Soc security, you can earn as you stated. Disability, no. If you can earn above the threshold, its assumed you don't need disability payments

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