Nurses over 50 &/or with health issues affecting work

Nurses General Nursing

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vicki444

23 Posts

If you haven't seen the movie First Wives Club,do so-I'm sure anyone can relate to one of the profiles. Next,look for continuing ed that has the topic 'Resiliency for Women"-it was a big help. Then,revise a verse a little,to read 'do for Yourself,what you have done for others',most of your life as a nurse,mom,wife and now grandma--give yourself some love,respect,rewards,time for travel,reading,music,shopping wherever you want,shows(even by yourself) &on/on-plus prayers.It's takes time and thought to realize how important it is to shift the enabling to yourself,but the reward is worth it. I'm 56-been OR-RR for 28yrs-and currently most senior nurse in our union.RR has given me special interests in the terrible effects of addictions on the human being-so i've gone after further ed in forensics/criminal justice.In May,I flew 99each way to Orlando and earned a cert in legal nursing. Divorce was 14yrs ago after he tried to tell me his affairs were in my head! The world's still out there-go for it!! vjg

RyanRN

124 Posts

Someone said they would get $2700 a month if they retired right now! I would think I died and went to heaven for that money, all I get when I finally walk out the door is the door hitting this old dimply, plump orifice! (that and the $2.27 left in my 401K

jananurse

7 Posts

I an one of those "older" nurses, 50 years old and have been in nursing 18 years (I was also one of those "older" students). I work with mostly early/mid 20's nurses and the one thing I find funny is that because I work Level II nursery in our OB unit and am "isolated" somewhat from the L&D, PP unit (by a closed door), they seem to forget I'm there when they are looking for advice. As a former nurse manager, I am used to "managing" situations and almost invaribly when they come to me for guidance I am able to provide a new perspective to help them decide how to handle the problem and they tell me I've been helpful. I try not to let it bother me but sometimes it does, especially when their solutions cause all of us more trouble. But I do think most of these young women I work with are well trained and hard workers and I like them. We joke about my "advanced" age and hormone instability but I feel like they like me and respect my experience. I am fortunate to work in an area that doesn't require heavy lifting so body wise I'm holding out pretty good. I can certainly tell I can't work as many hours as I used to, and when I do, I don't bounce back as quickly, but that's ok. I still love what I'm doing and love the respect I get in my community for what I do. Best wishes to all of you!

I'm one of the older nurses, too. I was on neuro for too long, and now I'm not exactly crippled, but I'm certainly gimpy. I'm much too young to walk this way. But that's all water under the bridge.

The post about being too old/heavy, etc. to stand the long hours really hit a note with me. When I was doing floor work, I was precepting a new nurse. (Wow - a SUPER nurse, I have to say - she was 22, straight out of school, very very bright, very capable and FUN to be with, a runner, in super shape, very healthy eater. BTW, she was hired for nights. When I introduced her to the night preceptor I turned her over with the following instructions to the preceptor: "Introduce yourself and stay out of her way." She was THAT good.)....

ANYway, I worked 12 hour shifts, and twice a month I worked three of them in a row! At the end of the third day of one of those weeks when I was precepting that nurse, I was very tired. But it was the best thing in the world to see that young, thin, healthy woman turn to me with fatigue written all over her face and tell me "Oh God.... bedtime."

So, I asked some of the others... It's not just us older, "seasoned citizens." The work IS exhausting, and it even wears out the new guys starting out!

Love

Dennie

RNKitty

280 Posts

What an eye opener! I love these intergenerational discussions because I always learn so much. Have any of you with your years of experience thought of teaching at the nursing schools to pass on your knowledge?

RNKitty -

I don't know about the rest of us old-timers (heh heh). I've thought about it, but not really for very long.

It seemed almost unrelentingly stressful. It would be less wear and tear physically, but I don't have the personality for it.

I loved precepting new nurses, and I loved 99% of the students that I had in their clinicals. But that's just an entirely different type of responsibility, and I'm just not interested in that.

Love

Dennie

live4today, RN

5,099 Posts

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

vicki444, you're a riot! ;) God, I loved your post! Brought smiles to my face. Thanks for the inspirational comments you made.

Jana nurse, at 50, you are NOT old! :rolleyes: I am 50 also, and FAR from being OLD!:eek: I just finished reading an online article taken from George E. Vaillant, M.D.'s new book: "Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development" that states (and I quote):

"At every age, we live our life story in a different way.... The past often predicts, but never determines our old age.... If we look hard enough, we can find hidden clues that help explain how a person ends up differently from what we might expect.... " He also quoted Socrates in Platos "The Republic" by saying "I enjoy talking with very old people. They have gone before us on a road by which we too may have to travel, and I think we do well to learn from them what it is like."

In reading excerpts from his book, at 50, it makes me feel like a youth again. Nurses 50 and over are the babies of the dreams that are yet to be brought forth in the making. We have much to teach those younger than us, yet we have much to learn still from those so much older than us. I guess you can say, we are smack dab in the middle of life at 50! ;) Don't let those 'young ones' tell you how 'aged' you are...share with them how learning from you will 'possibly' spare them of a dimmer tomorrow as nurses.

RNKitty is so right when she says that intergenerational chats are where it's at (written in my own interpretation of what she said).

'Free education' stares us in the face every day. All we have to do is 'choose' to take advantage of it. Learning from one another is an education in and of itself that cannot be learned behind walls of a classroom. We don't even have to take out a loan or obtain a grant to gain this education. We just need to be more openminded, and learn from one another's perspective on life and nursing. ;)

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"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends to which, if persevered in, they must lead. But if the course be departed from, the ends will change." -- Words of Scrooge in Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol"

mario_ragucci

1,041 Posts

Nurse Dennie talked about working 3, 12 hour shifts in a row. Of course she had a 12 hour break between shifts, right? No one works 36 hours without rest and food. (?):confused:

Media images have burned us into thinking we are done at 50, unless we take drugs for sale. It's hard to ponder for me because i am "thirty something." We have a life span, that spans like wings. We are not machines; We're physical. Age is a number, not a definition! Everyone is different. I enjoy reading the responses very much

Yes, Mario -

I meant three days in a row. Total three 12-hour shifts out of a possible six. Although I suppose it could happen, I can't imagine someone purposely scheduling more than one shift without at least one shift "off" between them.

And I agree with you about age being a number, not a definition. On the other hand, some things are better suited to people who are young. Nursing in many different areas is very physically difficult at the same time that it's intellectually challenging. That makes it a lot of fun and very interesting, but it makes the physical challenge more difficult for some reason. And, often being life-or-death, sometimes you expend yourself more than you realize at the time, or perhaps more than you "should." Who's to say?

Yes, I agree, we're not "done" at 50. But it's a bit different. You don't see ballet dancers on the stage much at the age of 40, do you?

You do see some people make it to retirement age in floor nursing, but it's usually not pretty. Have you ever seen "old nurse's gait?" Look around, especially at women who have done floor nursing for a long time, you'll see it, too.

You're young and you're starting out - you'll be part of the solution to this. (If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate!)

Love

Dennie

Karen4HIM1951

35 Posts

It's been thoroughly enjoyable reading all the posts here!!!

You're right - we definately learn from each other!!! And I'm very

glad that younger folk are reading and participating in this discussion!

As I told someone in a private message - I should have started looking for alternative nursing awhile back before things caught up with me! I guess I thought that I could go on forever!!!

Thanks for all your suggestions - Teaching is out though - not in my personality AND you need a degree and I'm a diploma grad!

I really like the idea of Parish Nursing so I need to spend this time I now have (on medical leave) and research it thoroughly!

Just a suggestion - start looking around for alternative ways of using all your nursing knowledge now - that way you will not be under the financial gun!!!!

mattsmom81

4,516 Posts

I'm new here and so glad I found you! I am a member of the 'oldie but goodie' nurse corps too and look forward to reading and posting with ya'll! :D

I think there are legions of us out there and we need to talk!. ;)

live4today, RN

5,099 Posts

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Welcome mattsmom81! Glad to have you on board with us. This has been an excellent post so far, and I'm looking forward to reading many more comments about nursing over 50! Hope you'll share with us some of your own insights about nursing, etc.

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"THE PAST OFTEN PREDICTS, BUT NEVER DETERMINES OUR OLD AGE."-- George E. Vaillant, M.D.
:)
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