where do old nurses go?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am 56 years old and have been a nurse for 34 years. My body is wearing out from all the wear and tear over the years of nursing. So my question what is there for us old nurses? How do we figure out something else to do where the money is decent? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.
I am 56 years old and have been a nurse for 34 years. My body is wearing out from all the wear and tear over the years of nursing. So my question what is there for us old nurses? How do we figure out something else to do where the money is decent? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Youre silly. Youre still a young person!Ive been in the medical field for 30 years myself.(almost)Anyways if youre feeling tired,maybe try homecare.I used to do that,and thought it was a little too slow,but thought it would be good for when i was a little older.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, midwifery, orthopedics, ob/gyn.

I'm 63 and still going strong !!!!!!!! I'm a school Nurse and have found this to be rewarding and not too hard on the bod. Be prepared though for some, not all, teachers to believe that you sit on your duff all day doing nothing. I'd love some of my colleagues to come spend a day in my office dealing with vomit and bloody noses, not to mention lice. I also have to deal with indignant parents who send their children to school sick to take a spelling test or a state mandated test and when I take them to task for infecting other students, they can be very rude. It happened just 2 days ago. However most of my days are great and I have off all of the school vacations. The pay isn't great but if you are not dependent on this money as your only source of income, then it's okay. Have you thought about becoming a legal nurse consultant or a medical transcriber?

Anyhow just some thoughts. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, midwifery, orthopedics, ob/gyn.

I just had another thought. Be a nit picker. Seriously, with lice becoming more and more prevalent there are people who have started a business going to peoples' houses, treating anybody who has lice/nits. Some people will even clean the house and cars etc. One of my parents just had a woman in to do this and it cost her $500. There is real money to be made in this job and have seriously thought of doing this when I retire. There would be an initial overhead for printing cards and doing mailings to schools and an ad. in local newspapers. You would have the parents buy whatever treatment would be necessary and then you would go in and literally finish up by nit picking. This may gross a few of you out but think of the money to be made !!!!!!!!:eek:

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A small hope from a medium aged nursing student:

I sure do hope I will see some of you as teachers. There aren't many instructors left and who better than you to teach the up and coming.

I think it is even more important because the kind of nurse that I want to be when I grow up (a little bit more) is the kind that you were and still are. I feel.....and this is my perception.....that yall laid the groundwork. Because you were there, I can be there now. Sure things may be a lot different from then....but really are they? The meds have changed, delivery systems, etc.......but the art and caring.....it was you guys who brought it all the way through. I know the pay isn't as great....but please consider teaching us! You are priceless!

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Specializes in Have done it all..

Many of the Nurses I know that have left nursing altogether went to Real Estate or other than nursing professions. Many state that the working conditions got so bad that they were tired of the abuse by Physicians and Management. The increased working hours that hospitals went to also made a difference. The 12 hour 7 day shift was too hard on the older nurses.

After years of working (42 years) my wife said her knees just wouldn't take this kind of abuse. The paperwork involved that nursing has evolved into was another reason for her leaving the hospital and going to work for the prison system here in Florida. My wife is an old three year diploma nurse that attended a hospital based Catholic program. I can remember when we were dating how she told me that her day would start a 6am, classes until 1pm and then they would work in floor care until 6pm, 6 days a week. This has made her a strong patient care advocate but she did manage to supervise many medical and surgical floors in her career. She also worked in a GI lab for some years after she left hospitals just before she went to the prison system. She put in her 20 with HCA and retired and now has only 5 years to retire with the State of Florida DOC.

I can remember two incidents that happened when I worked as a Respiratory Therapist in the same hospital. It was about lunch time and I went to the floor to see if she could go to lunch, she was at that time a supervisor of a surgical floor. She was in the med room and was crying. I asked her why as I have seen my wife cry about the same number of fingers I have in our years of marriage. She said that the new DON told her that her standards for a floor supervisor was they must have a BSN in nursing and that she would have to move to a floor position. She had been the supervisior of this floor for 5 years. The Chief of Surgery stuck his head in the door to ask her about a patient. He also saw her crying and asked why. She told him and his face turned beet red and he said he would handle this. He went to the phone. It wasn't long and the Administrator appeared on the floor. I got out of there but she told me later that the Chief had told the Administrator that if this happened he would pull his business to the other hospital because as far as he was concerned my wife ran the best surgical floor in the hospital and his patients did well when they were on her floor. Needless to say she transferred to the GI Lab shortly after as the DON was not happy about her power play!

The other situation was in the same hospital. I was charting my treatments for the shift and a LPN came into the nursing station and said, "The patient in 627 needs some pain meds." My wife turned to her and told her that she understood that she was a new graduate but if she intended to work on her floor the next time she better say, "Mrs. XXXXX in 627 would like to have some medication for her pain." Her policy was that her Nurses should and would know every patients name at the beginning of the shift. My wife made rounds every day to every patients room and would tell them who she was and to let her know if they had any problems. She often said. "Screw the paperwork I need to put a face with every name on my floor."

I can remember many times when I would call the hospital to find out if she had left for home yet and she would tell me they were short of staff that day and she helped on the floor. She was catching up on her paperwork.

My wife is now 60 years old and when she goes to work I can still see the little girl that said she wanted to be like her Aunt who was a Nurse.

Amazing people Nurses! They do a job that is thankless and underpaid but still take care of the sick and injured with a committment that most people will never understand.

Just Me!

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Here is a question for anyone reading this topic - What is the age of the oldest working nurse that you know? I'll be 39 and starting nursing school and I'm wondering how old is too old to work. Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU, PACU.

Suni should reevaluate the PACU as well. High patient volume, fast paced, on-call requirements, transporting heavy patients in heavy beds...the list goes one. PACU isn't a pre-retirement unit....

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Specializes in ICU, CRU, ER, Med/Surg.

Personally, I'm looking for a career as a "Rock Star". Me and the guys I played in "da Band" with some 35 years ago, got back together. If this cubital tunnel syndrome that plagues my left hand doesn't do me in, I think I'll be able to play guitar for at least another 20 years. I'm almost 54 now.

But seriously, I now work in a very busy ED as Charge on night shift and to tell you the truth, I'm in worse shape than a lot of my patients. I've done it for the past 10 years and I have my doubts if I will be able to make it to retirement age doing what I do. Maybe some type of managerial position will come open that I could fall into. I've made some connections along the way and may need to call in a favor. But as far as continuing to do bedside care for another 10 years, I think I have a better chance at the "Rock Star" thing.

Come to think of it, I don't know any 65 year old nurses...do you?!?

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Specializes in med-surg, ER, rehab, neuro, OB.

I am planning to eventually move into a teaching position or health education of some type. Floor work is exhausting, and I can see how the wear and tear can really get to you over time.

That being said, I do work with several nurses who are in their 50s and 60s who have worked med surg their entire life. One lady retired and still works contingent. I think it is a very individual thing, as we all age differently.

I would think some kind of management position would be perfect for you since you have so many years of knowledge under your belt.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Alzheimer's.

My husband and I moved to Tennessee last month and I got a great job as a LPN Charge nurse at a facility that has lots of growth opportunities for the LPN. I can work as a Unit Manager, in Staff Development, QA, as an Assistant Director of Nurses, etc. I just have to be the best I can be as a LPN charge nurse- which is always my goal and I have an chance to go far. Plus of course there has to be openings in these spots before I can ever aply. But they do happen. The younger LPN's go back to school and leave for the hospital, etc.

I love my new job, I work 3-12's each week, with four days off, although not always together. And I'm finally working the day shift, instead of nights. Nights wore me out. I believe I could retire here and be happy. Geriatrics is a great place for the older nurse. I'm 55 and happier than I have ever been!

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Specializes in MS/Med/OB/Peds/Psych/HH/Hospice/ER/ICU.

I am 63.Been an RN since 1962.My body said to me, "do something different cuz the back is wearing out!!". I did some legal nurse consulting, but missed working in a hospital.Joined an information systems dept in hospital & because of my loooong history of working in every area + legal experience,I am loving my position. People actually ask what I think & listen to my thoughts.Plus,I am loved cuz when I program/create/teach something to clinical people, they know I have 'been there'. I am making life easier for my fellow clinical folks. I am not a nerdie geeky computer guy...once a nurse...always a nurse.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
Gosh,,,just turned 51, and have been thinking the same thing. One of my younger co workers told me that I was just a hip fracture away from her wiping my butt........not a pretty picture

What a horrible thing for her to say to you! Someday she will be older too.

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