Old nurse won't retire

[Emergent]

I have a work friend, we'll call her Barbara, at my side job. She's over 70 and works part time in the ER of a tiny hospital. Since I've worked there she's given several deadlines of when she's going to retire, the latest of which was this October. She made a beaded necklace with the amount of beads of days left, taking one bead off at a time, sharing with everyone, even the DNS, who took her off on the Oct schedule.

I talked to her yesterday and she let me know that she's changed her mind again. She says that with the cold days approaching, this isn't the right season to retire, she'll just be sitting in her house. She said that she only has to give 3 weeks notice, and hasn't done that yet, and was upset that she was off the October schedule.

Barbara is a very likable woman, but frankly, she needs to retire. She is not very fit, and limps with a bad leg. She calls in frequently, which has a bigger impact on a small hospital. She never had kids and her husband died years ago. She doesn't seem to have hobbies.

I'm afraid that management will start writing her up for her attendance to get rid of her. Even though I love her, she doesn't pull her weight anymore. I don't want to sign up for shifts with her and have to do 3/4 of the work. It'd be a shame to see her be forced out.

One time she told me to let her know when she is starting to slip. Well, that's been going on for a while, but people are being patient since she's been sharing with all about her impending retirement. She needs to retire with dignity as planned .

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

As to the issue of her not having a spouse or kids, and being alone as she ages, the vast majority of the time that's a choice. I have sympathy for people who are alone because they suffered tragedies along the way. However I have none for people who chose to remain alone throughout life and now have the consequences of that choice staring them in the face.

Sometimes it's not so easy to meet people or find a way to click with them.

Let's pray for Barbara, not blame her for being alone, apparently, and for not having developed hobbies, apparently, or other interests outside of work - apparently.

What does Management say about her, OP? If you are privy to that?

Stop doing her work. She will either have to speed up or Managers will get complaints and will be forced to talk to her.

I hope she can become a ward clerk or something like that, maybe part-time.

[Aunt Slappy]

Many older nurses are just as healthyand physically capable of handling the work load as their younger counterparts...

sad that there is such a lack of empathy and compassion with younger nurses.

That's not the case here. I doubt anyone has a problem with a coworker who carries their load and doesn't pawn work off on their compatriots.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

It's not about older nurses in general. It's about older nurses who can't physically perform. That's not really hard to understand. An 86 year old took care of my daughter in NICU and she was awesome. I wouldn't expect anyone to try to push her out. But if she was shaky, slow to respond, etc, then yes, she should have retired. As should any 26 year old who is slow to respond, or physically unable to keep up.

WOW!!!!