59 and No Longer Safe

I am so sorry to hear your story. I don't have any advice beyond Nurse Beth's excellent advice but thought I would let you know I can certainly empathize. Age discrimination is alive and well. I'm a few years older than you but like you, years and years of varied experience. Several weeks back after interviewing for a job I knew would never be a good fit, I sent the Executive Director a very nice e-mail thanking him for his time but stating I felt he would be able to find someone better qualified for the position. In the meantime, I have a friend working in that facility but he did not know we were friends. He was overheard saying, "I would never hire anyone as old as her". Demoralizing.

After you get your health checked out, do consider telephonic nursing. I did that several years back and thoroughly enjoyed it. I really think you can sometimes make a greater impact on a person's life and health over the phone than you can in the hurried hospital environment.

Best of luck!!

See if there are any nurse surveyor positions open with your state. You can work for the state performing accreditation surveys. Does not pay a lot, but quite comfortable with state retirement benefits if your state has them.

School nursing, maybe??? That seems like a slower paced position

Politely submitted: School Nursing would not be a good option. You would be the sole medical professional for hundreds of kids, some with very complicated medical conditions. I was a School Nurse and initially assumed it would be a fairly easy job that matched the pay. I soon discovered that it was the most responsibility that I had ever had as an RN. In four and a half years, I faced about three life-and-death situations, without any assistance. These are people's children - it's simply not the job for someone who may be struggling with competency. Again - this is meant with respect to the OP ("No Longer Safe"), as well as JenMH88RN.