Newish nurse (55) needs career advice.

[pedsnurseIJAG]

I am a 55 yo newish nurse who doesn't know what my next career step should be. I graduated in 2012 with a European BSN. I worked in an acute care neurology unit in that country for 1 year. Then I moved back to the US (I have dual citizenship) After taking one class here in CA, I received my RN license in 2014. My oversees experience didn't help me find a job over here. I accepted a Home Health job after looking for a hospital job for a long time. I liked HH and did this for 15 months, but kept thinking about working as a pediatric nurse, which had always been my goal. In 2017 I was accepted as a transition RN in a well known pediatric hospital. I was so happy! But it was my first ever experience working in an American hospital. I hadn't worked with a preceptor before or done any clinical rotations. The acuity level at the unit I worked at was also very high. After 5 mos of working really hard and learning so much, my supervisor decided to let me go. She applauded my effort and dedication, but there had been too much for me to learn and she thought that this unit was not a good start for my career as an RN. It was very hard for me to loose my dream job. Luckily I found a job I liked a few months later at a busy pediatric doctor's office. I was the first RN they ever hired. My main job was to do phone triaging 1 day a week and do other RN tasks on the other 4 days. I loved the job although there was a lot to learn! Working in peds acute care does not prepare you for all the questions parents have about kids with a fever or a cough or a rash etc etc..I learned fast and was getting better and better. But again after 5 mos my employer let me go. They decided that I had not enough experience to provide the parents with the adequate answers some of the time. Of course, they decided that I was ready for phone calls after 5 weeks of training. There also wasn't enough work for me. Every task I did was done by a medical assistant who didn't want me to take away her job. In my opinion, that was the reason I was let go. But now here I am, I lost two jobs in the last year. I would love to keep working with children. What should my next career move be? I don't have enough experience to get a job in acute care and I am not a new grad anymore. Any ideas?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Pediatric home care (private duty)! 1:1 care with a single client.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I was going to suggest something like that but meanmaryjean beat me to it. It's a good one.

I hate to say this, but ageism is alive and well in nursing in the 21st Century. Finding a job after 50 is challenging at best, and almost impossible at worst. I practically had to beat off the recruiters with a stick in my 30s and 40s, but once I hit 50 the jobs all but disappeared. I lost two of them because I was seen as slow and unable to learn things quickly enough. It didn't help that I was having a lot of mental health problems at the time, but I still think ageism played a prominent part in my inability to find and maintain employment. I'd like to work as a nurse again (even though I know I can't for a number of reasons), but I'm going to be 60 in a few months and that window is closing rapidly. I hope you can find a place where you're happy and productive. Good luck.

[caliotter3]

The path of least resistance is extended care home health with pediatric patients. Any hh agency would scarf you up, even with your limited experience. You get to work with the ped population and can request cases of increasing acuity to improve your resume. You will have to watch out, though, for the agencies that insist on paying you less than an RN rate of pay due to acuity level of their patients. You can always look around for the agencies that have your choice of cases and pay appropriately.

[pedsnurseIJAG]

Thanks for the advice! I have been looking into Home Health agencies, but there's not that many that are specialized in pediatrics here in LA. I was hired by one last month, but they keep wanting to give me adult patients. They hired me for pediatric patients but haven't been getting any referrals for pediatric patients they state. I will keep looking. And yes, VivaslasViejas, my age might be a problem. I do realize I am not as fast in learning as other, younger nurses. I had not expected this. I don't feel 55! But I keep hoping that I will find the perfect job for me.