lulu220

Thanks for the ideas and encouragement. It will give me some things to think about. I just never expected to have to look for work at this age. My kids are finally through college and things were supposed to get easier. Maybe I'll have my mid life crisis now.

I have been a nurse for 31 years doing various types of bedside and office nursing. I was in my last position for 10 yrs and was laid off due to cost cutting at the hospital where I was working. I only have a diploma in Nursing( I always wanted to go back for my BSN, but life seemed to always get in the way) I am 55 and do not think I can handle the stress and physical demands of bedside nursing, but in my area it seem like all non bedside jobs require a BSN. And even those are few and far between. I am too young to retire but don't know what my next step should be. I nevered dreamed when I started out all those years ago I would be unemployed with no prospects on the horizon. I don't have the money to go back to school and don't know if it's worth getting in debt at this point in my life to get a BSN. I still have alot of knowledge and care to give, but it seems no one wants an old diploma nurse. I'd love any ideas or words of encouragement as this is a very depressing place to be at this time in my live. Anyone else out there in the same boat? Thanks for listening.

You ask if I love nursing, it depend on the day! But I think all jobs are like that. I have moved alot in the last 25 yrs due to hubby's job and I can't think of any other profession where you can find a job anywhere, at almost anytime and make a good salary. I now work in the hospital setting but have worked in long term care, in a Dr's office and for an HMO. Where else could you get that much diversity and not have to go back to school. I started out in ICU for 4 years and got a good base to work from and try to keep up with continuing ed. It thinks it's definately more stressful now, the pts are sicker and nurses carry a heavier load. But every once in awhile someone will thank you or you'll do something that makes a difference and remember why you became a nurse. So yes I love my job today, but if that changes there are tons of other options to explore.

I'm so glad that this story is being heard. All the nurses who worked through this disaster are heros in my book. thank you auryn24 for sharing, I'm glad you didn't mind that I posted your site. let us know how you're doing, I just found this board a few months back and the people here are wonderful and supportive Let us know what we can do for you and the other displaced nurses

I dont' know if anyone has posted this but it is a very interesting journal of a nurse stranded at Methodist Hospital in new Orleans http://www.livejournal.com/users/auryn24/298313.html click "next" at the top to read all her entries. It's scary and sad how things went downhill so fast. It really shows the best and worst of people. I hope to never have to go through something like this

A quick update about the dr who slapped me. This week he verbally abused and threatened a female administrator in our hospital. It looks like he will be told to leave and practice elsewhere. Lucky for her she had 3 witnesses and it doesn't hurt that she's in administration. It makes me kind of mad that nothing is done until a non-nursing person is involved, but I'm just happy to not have to deal with him anymore. Plus I really found out who my friends are!

By the way, thanks for the welcome, I so glad I found this site, My non-nursing friends and family can not relate to my experiences, I'm enjoying alot of the old threads, you all are awesome:)

Thanks for all the good ideas and support. The surgeon in question received a letter of basically telling him" to be nicer to the nurses etc". I doubt it will change much, but so far he has been on his best behavior. Legal dept at the hospital has advised I drop it since I don't have a witness and he denies it. The good news is the hospital is adopting a Zero tolerance policy for employee abuse and making it easier for nurses to report abuse without backlash (their names will be confidential???) and the reports will be reviewed monthly, by a "commttee" so we'll see what happens. The fallout for me has been mixed, 2 of the docs have been supportive, one even sorry for behavior like that from someone in his profession. Some have been nasty and alot just ignored it completely. I was really shocked by the reaction of some of my co workers, most were supportive, but some were angry thinking I'm making things worse for everyone. One long time OR nurse had the nerve to defend the surgeons saying "they're under alot of stress that's why they need to blow off steam" well they're not going to use me as a sounding board. Anyway, although it's been stressful, I'm personally glad I did it, at least I made my stand and they know " I " won't tolerate abuse. I think if nurses would stick together we would have so much more power to change how we are treated, but I learned the hard way it won't happen here. But that's another thread

Thanks for the ideas, They will help. I also did a search, This is more common than I thought. It's hard to believe in 2005 we can still be treated like this. I guess the dollar still speaks pretty loud in healthcare

This is my first post, I came across your site while searching the net for inspiration. I feel somewhat better just reading the archives, But i could use some ideas on how to handle this situation. I have been a nurse for 25 years the last 4 in PACU, I have endured verbal abuse through the years, most of which I ignore occasionally firing back if they push me far enough. Yesterday was the final straw, we have a very verbally abusive(some say crazy ortho guy) Most of the time if you ignore him he will go away, yesterday he crossed the line and slapped me on the shoulder, in anger, and then screamed at me for 10 min because a family had gone out to smoke and he wanted to talk to them. Here's my "mistake", I reported him to my supervisor and the legal dept. Unfortunately I do not have a witness to the slap, but when he started screaming 2 other nurses did walk to the station and heard everything. First he outright denied it, now he's saying he may have bumped me in passing(like I don't know the difference). Of course administration is leaning toward his version, he brings in big bucks for the hosp. Now I'm being hung out to dry and he's threating me with a slander suit that I certainly can't afford. He has been physically abusive to other nurses but most are too afraid of losing their jobs to say anything. Do I quit and walk away or try to fight (he has a team of laywers he's been in trouble so often) when I know I can't win. The one thing I do refuse to do is withdraw the complaint I can find a new job, but I won't compromise my reputation I've earned over these long years. Thanks for listening, I feel better getting it off my chest, But I have been a wreck since it happened.HELP