Older nurses...chasing that carrot

drsrn · Mar 1, 2019

Same boat...or almost! I'm 59 and been working in dialysis for 23 years and honestly don't even know if I could physically work in any other nursing arena. Last year I completed an RN-BSN online program just mainly for self-satisfaction and to make myself more marketable as a BSN in case I did have to seek employment elsewhere. It might be hard to believe, but I really enjoyed being back in college and I'm proud to say I made an A in every course. After that I felt like I wanted to keep on going so I applied for an MSN program at the same school and was accepted. My program choices were NP program or education. I chose education because I felt like I could certainly teach a few online classes well up into my 70's and I could not afford to take time off work for all the clinic hours involved in the NP program. I'm about 1/3 way through the MSN program and have done well so far. I only hope I can continue to succeed, because I'm sure there will be some classes involving advanced assessment and more hospital direct patient care, something I haven't done in 23 years. We become accustomed to the type of nursing we do. I will be working until lunch time the day of my funeral as I see no end in sight. I wish you well.

Oldmahubbard · Mar 1, 2019

The person in any field who can retire before they are eligible for Medicare is a rare bird. Even if you have a little money, your medical expenses would eat it all up.

Most of us will work to 65. Many of us will work longer than that.

woodsyny, MSN · Mar 2, 2019

I have been a nurse for 37 years and felt like you do. Same thing, different day. I am lucky that my hospital is union, and I have enough time in for a nice pension. I wanted more, and went back to school for my BSN after being out of school over 30 years. Eye-opener! Graduated with honors and went back for my MSN in education which I finished 2 years ago with high honors. I now teach online, and "yes" still work at the hospital part-time. Both of my degrees were totally paid for by my hospital. I am 62 and am happy to say I am in a good place in my life. Hang in there! You will eventually know what will make you happy and content!

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2019

On 2/27/2019 at 10:02 AM, morelostthanfound said:
I have been an RN for almost 27 years. My parents were also nurses and I pretty much grew up in and around hospitals. Having worked continuously since age seventeen though (I will be 53 this year), it feels like I've been 'plowing' this field since the dawn of time and I'm tired. I've worked in several nursing specialties (including travel) and nursing has been good to me overall. At this juncture of my life, I am blessed to have a high paying, relatively low stress, union job, but at minimum, must work, another thirteen years. Thirteen more years! I dream of retirement every single day and just don't know if I can make it. I don't dream of exotic vacations or playing 9 holes of golf everyday, I just want to get off the hamster wheel and have my life back. I'm sooooo tired of changing policies, difficult coworkers, workplace drama, heck, I'm really just tired of going to work (any work), period! Just wondering how other nurses at this stage of life do it? BTW, I'm not depressed (don't need a therapist), have many hobbies, can't cut back hours, don't want to precept or join nursing committees, and don't want to try another job.

Maybe you could turn to drink.

sorry, just kidding. but you kind of left no good alternatives, except maybe journaling.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2019

On 2/28/2019 at 12:03 PM, morelostthanfound said:
Good advice! I think when I get closer to age 60, I will start scaling back my hours. My worry is that I'll somehow lessen my Social Security benefit by doing so. Out of curiosity, do you or anyone know how this works?

Go to SS office or call them (expect long time on Hold). Find out what your current benefit is, what it would be if you work fewer hours (estimated).

This can also be done online. ssa.gov I think.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2019

On 2/28/2019 at 1:03 PM, morelostthanfound said:
Good advice! I think when I get closer to age 60, I will start scaling back my hours. My worry is that I'll somehow lessen my Social Security benefit by doing so. Out of curiosity, do you or anyone know how this works?

Less hours will equal less social security benefits. Consult a financial advisor, it is free and the advice is priceless.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 2, 2019

Darn. I can't transfer the quote here, but just Google "upper limits for social security payment" and go from there. You can use that as a stepping stone for further info and decide for yourself how much more work you are willing to invest in earning more SS dollars. I made it to 66 and 1/2 to collect full amount but the last 5 years or so were pure hell on my old back and feet:) but I did it and glad to have every dollar in my SS check. However, I never did the research to determine whether I tortured myself for an extra $5/month. Just figured I'd work as much as I could for as long as I could. Cut down to 4 days a week the last 2 years and I think it's the only reason I could persist.

jrbl77, RN · Mar 2, 2019

I understand how you feel. I’ve been there. I just retired after nursing since 1977. No real time off, but didn’t work full time most of the time.

Nursing is unlike lots of other careers, especially teaching. Often teachers can retire at 55 and work in another career. While our health insurance is work based,most will need to work until they qualify for Medicare. I feel fortunate, my husband covers benefits for me. I carried us for our younger years and now he covers us.

Good luck, nursing has changed in the past few years.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2019

I don't understand why you need to keep working for 13 years! Can't you save more in a Roth IRA and 403b and retire sooner than that? Pay off your mortgage before you retire if you can. You can use COBRA for 18 months if insurance is a deal breaker so 63 1/2, 65 you can get medicare. I wouldn't work till 66 or 67 just to reach full retirement. You can always choose to retire and not take retirement till then and use your savings to live off. From what I've read 63 to 64 is a good compromise to taking social security early if you have to.

I yearn for retirement not to travel or spend lots of money, but just to be safe, secure and feel peaceful and not be stressed out by work! My home will be paid off before I turn 62. I figure I have another 8 years to save and I plan to retire early, but I might retire even earlier and just be poorer. If I had to go without health insurance I would even do that! I know more than anyone how risky it is as I see so many chronically ill people even in their 40-50's, but life is a gamble. Truth be told if you get sick enough to need a nursing home you will probably lose your home and all your savings anyway. It feels like we're just on a treadmill spinning in circles!

I totally understand how you feel, but my job is stressful because of the corporate takeover, understaffing and constantly getting ICU patients on a tele floor so it's not all fun and games. I don't enjoy it and would retire today if I could afford it. Honestly, I'd be willing to go on food stamps and be poor to make it work! Tired of the disrespect and horrible corporate leadership, makes me regret becoming a nurse.

I'm so cynical and jaded and sick of the corporate takeover of healthcare it has seriously ruined nursing and left patients unsafe all out of greed!

There has to be a way that you can retire sooner than another 13 years! Get serious about cutting costs, saving to the max that you can so you don't have to wait that long! Heck we don't even know we'll live that long and won't end up crippled or in poor health by that time! A retired coworker tried to slug it out till 66 and was so broken down, walking with a cane, it was torture to see her suffer while she insisted she couldn't afford to retire. She finally did and realized she could have done so sooner. But she doesn't enjoy retirement because of her aches and pains some from the wear and tear on her back. I'm doing everything I can to not end up like that God willing! I wish you luck as well!

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2019

On 2/28/2019 at 12:03 PM, morelostthanfound said:
Good advice! I think when I get closer to age 60, I will start scaling back my hours. My worry is that I'll somehow lessen my Social Security benefit by doing so. Out of curiosity, do you or anyone know how this works?

They average your 35 highest paid years of work, they account for inflation, but obviously, if you work less than 35 years you get a zero for those years which lowers your final amount. I've read you only get about 40% of what you make to live on and that's at the full retirement age of 66 or 67. If you retire at 62 and take social security you are cut 25 to 30%. Every year you delay adds 8% to the total till you reach 70. That is the reason they say people are better off working another year or two because of the increase of social security. Check out ssa.gov to see what your current social security is worth. It will give you all the numbers from disability (which is basically your full retirement age amount), 62, full retirement, and age 70 if you delayed claiming.

Married people can claim 1/2 their spouse's social security if it's more, but can no longer switch and get their own at 70 at a higher amount. If you are widowed you can get 100% of your spouses if it is more and can claim as early as age 60 but for a reduced amount. If you are divorced after being married for 10 years and don't remarry you can also get 1/2 your ex's social security if it is more.

silverbat · Mar 3, 2019

On 2/28/2019 at 4:56 PM, hawaiicarl said:

Wow OP I was starting to wonder if we are soul twins, I am in the EXACT same spot. One of my buddies retires in April and I am SOOOOOOOOO jelly. Like you I have another 13 years of wiping *** to look forward to. yayyyyyy…. I need to find one of those work from home for insurance company jobs someone mentioned. Hmmm wonder what they pay?
Cheers

Mine pays very good!!

guest974915 · Mar 3, 2019

15 hours ago, brandy1017 said:
I don't understand why you need to keep working for 13 years! Can't you save more in a Roth IRA and 403b and retire sooner than that? Pay off your mortgage before you retire if you can. You can use COBRA for 18 months if insurance is a deal breaker so 63 1/2, 65 you can get medicare. I wouldn't work till 66 or 67 just to reach full retirement. You can always choose to retire and not take retirement till then and use your savings to live off. From what I've read 63 to 64 is a good compromise to taking social security early if you have to.
I yearn for retirement not to travel or spend lots of money, but just to be safe, secure and feel peaceful and not be stressed out by work! My home will be paid off before I turn 62. I figure I have another 8 years to save and I plan to retire early, but I might retire even earlier and just be poorer. If I had to go without health insurance I would even do that! I know more than anyone how risky it is as I see so many chronically ill people even in their 40-50's, but life is a gamble. Truth be told if you get sick enough to need a nursing home you will probably lose your home and all your savings anyway. It feels like we're just on a treadmill spinning in circles!
I totally understand how you feel, but my job is stressful because of the corporate takeover, understaffing and constantly getting ICU patients on a tele floor so it's not all fun and games. I don't enjoy it and would retire today if I could afford it. Honestly, I'd be willing to go on food stamps and be poor to make it work! Tired of the disrespect and horrible corporate leadership, makes me regret becoming a nurse.
I'm so cynical and jaded and sick of the corporate takeover of healthcare it has seriously ruined nursing and left patients unsafe all out of greed!
There has to be a way that you can retire sooner than another 13 years! Get serious about cutting costs, saving to the max that you can so you don't have to wait that long! Heck we don't even know we'll live that long and won't end up crippled or in poor health by that time! A retired coworker tried to slug it out till 66 and was so broken down, walking with a cane, it was torture to see her suffer while she insisted she couldn't afford to retire. She finally did and realized she could have done so sooner. But she doesn't enjoy retirement because of her aches and pains some from the wear and tear on her back. I'm doing everything I can to not end up like that God willing! I wish you luck as well!

Thank you for your response and support-hugs! Regarding retirement, I've racked my brain trying to figure some way to retire before age 65 a(at the soonest). Unfortunately, due to some financial setbacks in my 40s, I'm now left trying to double down to catch up. The best case scenario for me would be that I could maybe cut back somewhat before then, but like you, would retire today if I could figure out a way. I just don't want to be one of those poor souls that is just too broken mentally and physically after my nursing career to really enjoy the 'Golden Years'-LOL