Just curious, how long you expect your nursing career to last?
When I became a nurse almost 7 years ago, I did so with the intent that I would be a nurse for rest of my working career. Lately, I've been questioning whether or not that will still be the case. I'm at the age where I still have 30+ more years of working, so obviously a retirement is not an option at this point. With that said, I've been stressed lately and am unsure whether or not I can actually make it through another 30 years of nursing, or even want to. I'm not ready to make any fast career changes simply because I've had a few stressful moments recently, but I'm wondering whether I will keep my goal of remaining a nurse for my entire working career.
How about the rest of you? How long do you expect your nursing careers to last?
I'm going to hit my full SS retirement age this Spring (66) and feel like I have another decade of productive work left in me. I left bedside for academia 5 years ago, but have serious thoughts of returning. But hospital work is not appealing to me. The area I'm moving to in a few months has several local, state and federal correctional facilities, and I've been exploring that.
Who knows? But one thing I DO know is I cannot sit home all day while my (already retired) husband sits home all day and pesters me!
Silver bells, it’s the crazy job you have. Change is hard, but once you do it, you will be glad you did. Go back to school, volunteer. Nursing isn’t what is exhausting you, it’s the position in nursing in which you have taken. Shake things up a bit.
Forever I guess....but its ONLY been 31 years so far... so yeah no changing now I really don't have the energy or desire. Plus no idea what I want to do...except retire, which won't happen for a long time.
I plan to stay in nursing with it being a second career for me and a fairly dependable job. However, saying that, I wouldn’t mind to have a change to maybe nurse education down the road or some kind of research. At this point, I am not sure, but the good thing about nursing is that you can use is for many different areas and there are many different options.
I think I will be a nurse until I retire, also 30+ years to go. I plan to move away from the bedside ( more so, from the hospital management) in the next 5 years, though. So, more education is in store for me! Finishing up BSN in 3 months, and going to the MSN in informatics.
I don't expect to be in nursing very long at all. I became a nurse eight years ago, and it's been bumpy to say the least (I could write a book). Did my time at the bedside in SNF and med-surg, and now I'm doing telehealth for a nonprofit I used to volunteer at during my off days back when I was working the night shift in a hospital. Despite its dysfunction, nursing has helped pay the bills (except for the 9 months when I was working at a company that screwed up everyone's pay), but my volunteer roles have helped me discover my true passion for social work. I'm going for my MSW. Just finished my first internship (program requires two) and am set to graduate in May 2022. I can always pick up a PRN job at the local hospital if I want to, and I've been volunteering when I can to help give Covid vaccines, but I can't handle hospital management or unit politics full time anymore. Like you, I am nowhere near old enough to retire. Social work is no cakewalk, but I'm so glad to be leaving nursing.
I plan on gradually winding down my nursing career over the next 5 years.
I'm very weary of covid, mask-wearing, hypocritical mandates by unrealistic regulators who are very remote and inexperienced in the very real dynamics of bedside nursing.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I have been crafting an exit plan for the five years or so. Flipped a couple of houses and threw that money into investments. I just turned 58 and my husband will be 60 in June. I'd like to have some property that is remote enough to hear the corn grow but close enough to certain amenities. We are sort of stuck as to where at this point. My huband loves California and does,t want to leave. I tend to be pretty disgusted with the whole California experience. I need acres and don't have the millions I would have to if I were to buy in So Cal.
I'd like to go another 5 years or so. I could retire now if I wanted, but I enjoy the work and we're socking away a little more now-a-days. We have no debt, and live a fairly quiet life in a place where the cost of living is low.
I see people around me who are doing OK . . . as long as they don't get laid off or have to quarantine. I am grateful that I don't have that kind of stress.
EDNURSE20, BSN
451 Posts
Only 4 years of experience, 38 years to go. Never thought about it before, but sound depressing. 38. YEARS.