How old is too old to safely practice?

[traumaRUs]

Okay - I just read one of a comment on another thread and was floored when the comment was about a person getting a DNP at 62 and a poster wondering how long they would be able to safely practice at that age...

So....my question is: how old is too old to safely practice as an APRN?

I will preface my remarks with the fact that I am in mid-late 50's, have been an APRN for 10 years, currently precept two new NPs, and my practice considers me at the top of my game.

So...at 62 I'll be washed up??? Ugh - I'm planning to work till I'm 70 as long as I remain physically able to do the work.

Is there a magic age when one should just hang up the lab coat?

[Jules A, MSN]

I am 55; developed problems with memory and decision making while in my late 40 's forcing me to retire on disability after 32 years as an RN. Sadly, didn't plan ahead for that possibility- none of my 401k's or retirement pensions kick in until 65 so I'm having to subsist on SS disability until then.

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm so sorry this happened to you. There are no guarantees in life and those who act as if exercise and mental stimulation is enough to ensure a long, healthy life are rather smug and naive.

[PANYNP]

All of the 60 is the new 40 rhetoric has been propagated to encourage people to work up until the day they die. I work with a nurse in her 70's and I feel sad for her and her patients. She cannot afford to retire but needs to.

Ageism, ageism, ageism.

"Sixty is the new 40" is not rhetoric.

Get back to us when you turn 60.

Geeze. Have some respect.

[ms.shellie]

Excellent points but I still think the extra old providers or nurses are outliers. I wonder just how accurate the anecdotal stories are about so-and-so who practiced into their 80s when it is coming from someone who wasn't in that specialty with direct access to their prescribing habits? People can appear sharp for a long time with cognitive decline. I think students tend to take on the prescribing habits of their mentors which isn't always a good thing so again perhaps not the best source with regard to who is competent. That might make an interesting thread.

...I've observed much of the older generation of MD (and patients) to be sharper, less sickly, more compassionate, and able to use better clinical diagnostics . . . Can think outside the box.

[ms.shellie]

...tell it like it is sister!

[ms.shellie]

Thumbs up to you!!! I'm same age and a psych nurse . . .am also considering MHNP. I've seen some of the younger nurses get brutal with older nurses based only on age, NOT PERFORMANCE. Keep on!

[Skip219, BSN, RN]

Hospitals will allow older MDs to practice, but they will find reasons to let older nurses go-too expensive.

[PharmGuy]

There is NO age that is "too old" to be a great nurse! You will know yourself when you're ready to hang up your stethoscope.

Go go for it and show the kids how it's done!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

We all agree that it should be up to US to decide when WE quit working. However, should there be some kind of competency test for providers to prove that we are mentally able to care for our patients?

[AmethyStat]

"Age ain't nothin' but a number..."

In my opinion, a person's chronological age should not indicate whether or not they are "too old to practice." To claim as such may be considered discriminatory.

I personally know of a nurse in her 90's who still practices as a staff RN in the acute care hospital where I completed my hospital-based RN edu. It was truly awe-inspiring to watch her work.

For what it is worth, we each age at a different rate, regardless of how many birthdays we've celebrated. A person can be chronologically in their 60's and still possess the physical endurance to out-run a 30 y/o and/or the mental agility to out-smart a 35 y/o.

It all boils down to how well we take care of ourselves both mentally & physically, lifestyle choices we make, diet, even how we manage stress...factor in a few good genetics and you wind up with a similar situation. They say "if you truly love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life"

So, if a healthcare professional had the mental and physical endurance to continue safely practicing, more power to them! And kudo's to the nurse who earned their advanced practice degree in their 60's.

Physicians have been known to practice well into their golden years and no one seems to question it.

[Allgood2016, LPN, LVN]

As long as you have you faculties; and health practice as long as you can; and want to.

Back in "the olden days" - 1970s/early 80s - when the NPS & PAS were few; one of my favorite preceptor WA an RN who was in her mid 70s. I learned a lot of things that I still use today. She retired at age 75. She went to "Nurse Heaven" at age 90.

[Neats, BSN]

I really have to chime in on this thread too!

As a health provider who works with geriatrics since I was the tender age of 14 I can tell you age is just a number. I am getting my NP at age 54. I have worked with young licensed health providers ages 21 through 87. I have no problem with any of these licensed professionals as long as they are competent. Each have their contributions to give to patients and their co-workers. I am inspired by them all. I think we need to impart a belief that in the work place environment with licensed health providers what matters is that your work is evidenced based, timely, current, and filled with quality. If we meet this we will have more than enough work with patients who will continue see us, will refer their family/friends to us, and we will have our peers refer patients to us. When this happens I know I am doing a great job and will continue with my practice (I have always worked and I think if I retired I would be one of those people who work all my life just to pass away a month later ).

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think we all agree that some people are able to practice safely even when they are very old. That's not the issue. We can all think of examples "til the cows come home." But that doesn't solve anything.

The real issue is: how do we know when it is time to quit? How do we know when our abilities have declined to the point of not being safe anymore? How do we know when the care we are providing is no longer the "best" care available today? How should society handle the possibility that some people will not recognize that they are not giving the best care anymore and that they should retire?

All the positive examples in the world don't answer those questions.