57 and need to start over YET AGAIN!

Nurses Career Support

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I need some help. I just joined the site. I am working as a radiology nurse in small imaging facility. Its been a great job. Unfortunately we are shutting our doors 12/2013. I am worried sick. I live in a small area. I'd rather not go back into hospital. I just feel nursing is over as I knew it in a hospital setting. I can't even get a call for a nursing home. I truly think my age is working against me.

What can I do? The thought of starting over again makes me physically ill!

I appreciate any help and all advice! Thank you everyone.

I've been trying to check into insurance nursing but dead ends everywhere.

Specializes in Home Health.

I so agree. I do not want to be hired because I am a sharp dresser but rather on my skills and intelligence . I do agree that some health care professionals do not have a professional appearance and leave a lot to be desired. I would start with the ones I see outside the hospital buildings puffing away on their cancer sticks and reek of stale tobacco. And while we are discussing nurses, let us not forget some of the sloppy,overweight MD's out there.

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wound care is tough. I could only do it for three months. You are wrapping a leg in a profore dressing that weighs 20lbs by itself.

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Specializes in LTC (LPN-RN).

//Overweight, frumpy, bad hair, yellow teeth....you name it. I am amazed at the number of overweight, sloppy nurses I see. I make jokes sometimes that you cant tell the nurse from the patients//

Girl I never thought about that one at all. Possibly appearance makes a difference. There is one I work with who has 10 cats at home and comes to work smelling of them. Takes her shoes of at the nurses station and you can smell it.

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Specializes in Home Health.

All I can say is :arghh:ugh!

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I am 73, and recently went back to work, and you are correct, ageism is alive and well. Many places prefer younger, less experienced RNs because they cost less, and can be trained in the manner that facility wants them to be.

Correctional nursing is not for everyone, it can be a very toxic environment, but it can also be a good fit.

From what I have experienced, it is usually one or more of the nursing staff which causes problems, usually not the prisoners.

Not to say it doesn't happen, and sometimes prisoners can be a challenge.

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Wellbeing,

I tend to be claustrophobic. Do you think being 'locked in' at the prison would bring on these same feelings? I was worried about it so have not applied to the prisons here in town.

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So what if they want to know that? They can find out your age just my looking up your license online anyway.

Or, asking what year you graduated high school on an application!! There are ways to get the info!

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I'm sorry to say that I have been having the same problem. I live in a small town and usually work 30-40 miles away in the city. After I was let go from a trainee DON position, (the DON wanted to retire, changed her mind after a few weeks then kept me there another few weeks until days before my 90 days was up). I was an LVN for 20 yrs and finally became an RN. The only job I could get was in LTC on the night shift. I continued to apply for acute care positions for over a year. Then, my old boss from the same facility(now in another) called me to take the DON position. He knew I had no experience. Once I realized the retiring DON wanted her job back, I asked him point blank if he was unhappy with my performance. He assured me I was doing a great job and had nothing to worry about. But, a few weeks later her attitude towards me changed. She started getting rude, yelling at me in front of our staff, made me cry a few times in front of them. Then she told him she wants her job back, so he let me go. He said I did nothing wrong. I've been applying to all positions I feel I am qualified for. I worked in acute care for thirteen years, and long term care for ten years. I haven't had any luck. I feel it is due to age. I just turned 51 this month... the scarry thing is, I remember my first year as an LVN, I worked in step-down Telemetry and floated to CCU all the time. I didn't know what I know now. I feel I am a very good nurse with a variety of experiences over the years and I would make a great nurse at any hospital. If only I could catch a break like I did as a new grad LVN. You are not alone. Good Luck to you in your Job Search. I read the other comments and will try some of the advice they left you.

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carolLee Ann

Good Luck with your search! I feel your pain....

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
What a waste of all your knowledge. They ought to put you to work orienting new nurses or something. What about telephonic triage from home?

I was an educator, mentor, preceptor and night supervisor/resource person/IV team for a critical access facility when my position was "downsized" and YES....It is a waste of all my knowledge. Obviously, being 52 makes me unintelligent and undesirable....one to be avoided at all costs. I have applied for so many positions it is almost comical. After 32 years at the bedside and 35 years in this profession to be told I didn't have "experience" in triage (I'm an ED nurse and CEN) and they were pursing more suitable/qualified candidates.....I was shocked and heartbroken.

Ageism is alive and well as is discrimination towards the disabled nurse. I have an auto-immune disorder that attacks my muscles...so that makes me old and sick. So I am an outcast, infectious, and need to be isolated and avoided.

They call me Typhoid Mary. ;)

So, I spend my time here at AN teaching and educating. If someone would have told me this before I turned 50 I would have NEVER believed them. Boy was I wrong.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
I was an educator, mentor, preceptor and night supervisor/resource person/IV team for a critical access facility when my position was "downsized" and YES....It is a waste of all my knowledge. Obviously, being 52 makes me unintelligent and undesirable....one to be avoided at all costs. I have applied for so many positions it is almost comical. After 32 years at the bedside and 35 years in this profession to be told I didn't have "experience" in triage (I'm an ED nurse and CEN) and they were pursing more suitable/qualified candidates.....I was shocked and heartbroken. Ageism is alive and well as is discrimination towards the disabled nurse. I have an auto-immune disorder that attacks my muscles...so that makes me old and sick. So I am an outcast, infectious, and need to be isolated and avoided. They call me Typhoid Mary. ;) So, I spend my time here at AN teaching and educating. If someone would have told me this before I turned 50 I would have NEVER believed them. Boy was I wrong.
"Like" as in "acknowledge" and "empathize..." besides you investing your time here, there's not much to like-like in your post.

I wish I could make things right and just in the world.

"I would have NEVER believed them..." Here's perhaps a place where I've had an advantage over you... I saw it first hand happening to other people... and learned to fear it early.

This transcends nursing... our society is cold-blooded.

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Esme,

My heart goes out to you! So sorry for the disrespect that you are experiencing. How about online instructor? Gee, just from reading your posts here, I'd go to you in the blink of an eye with anything! You have inspired and helped many here - please keep up the good work!

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