How long have you been a nurse

[Rocknurse]

I was thinking and realized that I'm coming up on my 30th year of nursing. When I started we still wore dresses, hats and stockings and carried a pinned fob watch. Everything was done on paper and patients still smoked in their rooms. A lot of years have gone by but I'm still here. How long have you been a nurse?

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

41 and counting

Damn you're old!!!

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

11 years as a nurse, 14 years as a medic, 20 years in EMS.

Annie

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

32 years and counting

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

20...and the years have flown by. I'm the 2nd oldest in my clinic, but have been a nurse the longest. It's been a wild ride for sure, but I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

36 years and dreaming of retirement!!!

[verene, MSN]

Almost a year as a RN... it's flown by really fast.

[AnnieNP, MSN, NP]

30 Years!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

36 years and dreaming of retirement!!!

So much for 20 and out. We got into the wrong field. I pulled off retirement after 34 years. Be careful what you wish for :)

[DextersDisciple, BSN, RN]

5 years and still sooo much to learn and experience

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Yea, retirement is boring.... I'm hot in the garment of returning to work, till I cognitively, and physically can't....

[kaporo22]

Two years it has been great experience

[Kitiger, RN]

I'm at 39 years and counting, and I intend to go another 8 years, as long as my health holds out.

The fact is, so many who retire early do so because they must, often either for health reasons or because they were laid off & can't get another job.

I'm fortunate in that my specialty allows one to cut back hours gradually. I do private duty home care, pediatrics. If necessary, I could decline cases that were too strenuous.