It is so hurtful to me as a nurse for over 26 years, that I found out after taking early retirement with the intention to continue working PRN, that the institution I devoted my life to no longer wanted my worthless ass because I was a meager ADN nurse. As it happens, they no longer want or will hire nurses with less than a BSN despite the fact that I taught most of the "young" nurses most of what they knew on our unit, I was in charge nearly every night I worked and maintained a level 4 ( the highest offered) through our clinical ladder as well as being credentialed within my area of practice, something I did completely on my own, not because it was a requirement. For all the classes, studies, precepting, and committees I worked on, the thanks I got was a slap in my face. When there was a nursing shortage and they were begging for ADN nurses, I was there. I took the same board exams as my BSN co workers, yet now I can't find work unless at the age of 56 I go back to school and receive an BSN so I can give their institution another bragging right. Where is the justice in any of this? I'm a good nurse but feel like a nothing failure. Hospitals seem to be more concerned with all their plaques on the wall than what's really going on at the bedside, and I can tell you it's scary & not good.
