How Long Do You Expect To Be a Nurse?

[SilverBells]

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? 

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

I’ve been a nurse almost 10 years and I plan on doing this for another 30, unless I win the lottery or marry a rich man that will pay all my bills. ?

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

18 minutes ago, Crystal-Wings said:

I’ve been a nurse almost 10 years and I plan on doing this for another 30, unless I win the lottery or marry a rich man that will pay all my bills. ?

Since marrying well a becoming a comfortably kept woman didn’t exactly work out I’ve  fallen back on plan b and invest in games of chance such as the lottery 

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

22 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

Since marrying well a becoming a comfortably kept woman didn’t exactly work out I’ve  fallen back on plan b and invest in games of chance such as the lottery 

I’m just tired of having to support myself financially 100%. It sucks. 

[ccharlonne, ADN, BSN, RN]

Been a bedside nurse going on 14 years, I thought I would do this till I retired. Now I am almost done with my MSN and have been applying for jobs away from the bedside, I am so burned out after years of working short staffed, having no CNAs assigned to our unit for our 12 hour shift, dealing with time wasters like trying to find necessary equipment and supplies, the redundancy of documenting the same information in several places and getting woken up many times after working a 12 hour night shift by the question "can you pick up tonight?" I want to stay in the nursing field, I love nursing, but I can't do bedside nursing anymore. If I don't find another nursing job away from the bedside, I may leave nursing and start a new career until I retire.

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

15 minutes ago, ccharlonne said:

Been a bedside nurse going on 14 years, I thought I would do this till I retired. Now I am almost done with my MSN and have been applying for jobs away from the bedside, I am so burned out after years of working short staffed, having no CNAs assigned to our unit for our 12 hour shift, dealing with time wasters like trying to find necessary equipment and supplies, the redundancy of documenting the same information in several places and getting woken up many times after working a 12 hour night shift by the question "can you pick up tonight?" I want to stay in the nursing field, I love nursing, but I can't do bedside nursing anymore. If I don't find another nursing job away from the bedside, I may leave nursing and start a new career until I retire.

This is so accurate. I love taking care of patients and would do this forever if I could - but without the support we need to do it right, it's draining and exhausting and not sustainable until retirement.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I retired at age 55 due to health issues. I was sick AND burned out, but I kept my license active for several years “just in case” something came along that I could handle. I never wanted to be anything other than a nurse or a writer, and it hurt so much to quit nursing that I mourned my career for years. But I got past it eventually, and now I’m content with what is, rather than sad for what will never be again. I still use my nursing knowledge. After all, once a nurse, always a nurse! 

[CalicoKitty, BSN, RN]

Been nursing 9 years. I'm 46 years old. Just swapped from bedside to inpatient wound care and really liking it. Debating if I want to become an NP (still wound care focus). But it is soooo expensive and the time.. and is it worth the RoI?  Regardless, I figure 20+ more years till retirement. My husband wants to retire sooner, though. Will see.. Still figure could end up living like Mad Max*.. ?

 

*the Original (or Fury Road... )

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I retired once; lived on a sailboat and cruised the inland waterways of the easter United States.  That was my dream, and I had a fabulous time.  Mostly.  Except for the part about where I had to leave my husband because he was  abusive.  

Now I live in the midwest, near my best friend who took me in when I took the dog and ran.  I am working once again, in a very small, very specialized ICU and I love it.  I'll probably stay here until I  retire again .  .  . which won't be for a few more years.  I  do plan to work  per  diem -- just enough to finance the trips I  want to take  when COVID dies down and we're allowed to travel again!

 

[PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP]

On 2/9/2021 at 5:24 PM, mmc51264 said:

Late in life nursing career. I have 8 1/2 years left of PSLF which will take me to 66. I am hoping to make it that far and retire. ?

@mmc51264 What is PSLF?

[PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP]

4 more years. Started as 19 y.o. LPN in L&D, RN at 21. Did about 22 years Med surg, 7 years telemetry, couple years ER, 3 years Navy Nurse & deployed Gulf War on hospital ship Comfort. FNP age 44, taught nursing for 10 years both at community college & local university where I earned LPN & ADN, yup taught in the same basement skills lab where I was once a student! Urgent care, asthma & allergy, etcetc and now at FQHC that’s very busy. Overall I have enjoyed nursing but there were plenty of jobs with bosses that sucked, so found another job.

 

 

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

It's been almost 30 years for me and honestly I didn't think I would last this long that I would find something else.  It's been stressful since day one and it still is.

My retirement advisors says I need to wait until 70 to collection Social Security as to get the maximum I can.  I do hope to work until then.  I have some goals to do some home remodeling (kitchen and bathroom), have a six months cash emergency fund (this one took me years to achieve) and to travel while I'm young and healthy.  

So if my health and sanity holds up my career in nursing will have been close to 40 years when I retire.

[MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN]

I plan on seeing nursing through to my retirement.  I have to be honest though, not sure if my body will be able to tolerate all my remaining years at bedside.  We'll see!