Reasons Hospitals Will Not Have Traveler Back?

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I just turned 60 years old and am in good health. I am a neonatal ICU nurse with 35 years of experience. I have a BSN plus a number of years of graduate school. I have been traveling for 5 years. I have never had any complaints about my nursing care. A few places that I have worked the gossip, (especially about older travel nurses), has been excessive and not hidden! There is a hospital whose census has been through the roof and I worked there within the last year, (less). Several of the nurses who worked with me said they hoped I would return and some private messaged me to come help them. I submitted my profile when there were plenty of openings with no reply, (only a pending). Now the positions have all been filled that were posted with various companies. The first time I worked there I was called back within 24 hours.

Has anyone else experienced this? I know that they are not obligated to tell you why and do not. I wonder if it is my age? I have white hair and quit coloring it a few years back. I started to have gray hairs when I was 25 years old. It runs in my family. I do not look ancient either. I do not participate in gossip, but sometimes overhear it. I am professional and have good communication skills. I love my recruiter. There are no positions open in my hometown that I am immediately qualified for. I will have been a nurse 39 years in June. My adult experience is dated.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I did not get fired or anything and there were no complaints or anything about the care I gave. I just wondered why. I, too, have extended multiple times other places. As far as the hair. It is so thick and course, (though well cut), that it does not keep permanent color in for more than two weeks. That is why I stopped. My hair color is even, not yellowish, and looks good with my skin tone. Even if I did color it, one cannot hide their age. I am not planning to have plastic surgery any time soon, especially to fulfill someone's idea of what other nurses think I should look like. There are quite a few nurses in the units I have worked that are around my age and do not look as good as I do, anyway. I was surprised because a number of staff emailed me and ask if I would return to help them...Oh well, thanks for your input. In fact, I received compliments and notes about my care.???

Ageism Is alive and well in nursing. It has everything to do with your age.It has nothing to do whatsoever to do with How you look, but how much experience you have. You probably make top dollar even for agency and whether you know it or not agencies will charge more for experienced nurses. The staff has absolutely NO input these days in the hiring back of certain contracted personel.....it has everything to do with MONEY.......and at our age, the odds of us becomming ill and costing the facility money is greater.

Another nurse that got "laid off" when I did has been under employed and unemployed for 4 years. It has NOTHING to do with your skill.

:hug: I too have been shocked and hurt by the profession I love so much and have spent a lifetime studying and excelling in when I became ill and it dumped me to the cirb so fast.....I remain in litigation forthe benefits I paid for........Congrats P_RN for winning your lawsuit.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
So did you quit working over an injury or illness and than they tried to deny you your pension? But once you got a lawyer you were able to get it reinstated. I've heard of older workers being let go on pretexts and always wondered if you lose your pension?

It depends on the contract and how crappy the facility wants to be and how hard you are willing to or can afford to fight.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Nursing jut sucks these days not other way to say it

Can I have an AMEN!!!!

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I had negative incidents concerning age when I was in my early 40's, so I would have to say it is quite possible that you are being treated this way because of your age, but I would chalk it up to other factors first. Unless you find out the reason, you will have to assume they found someone else that they preferred.

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Thanks to all of you for your input. I cannot reply to the very helpful private message someone left for me. I live in beautiful Lexington, Ky and am retired from the major teaching hospital here. I saw an opportunity for one of those positions that the private messager mentioned. It was already filled. I am going to keep in touch with them as I can work a lot from home using my extensive NICU/peds background.

I did get a call back for an assignment in Va. I am buzzed. I have not been active on this board for quite a while so I must post more to be able to send a private message back.

To that person who sent the message...you have no idea how much I appreciate your comments. Bless you BIG.

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Hey adoula, only five more posts and you will be able to reply to PMs!

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Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

This Sickness leads to working on a floor with 6 nurses with a combined 3 years experience! I have seen it toooooooo often, Nurses should be valued for their awesome experience, they can pay for experience, or Malpractice suits- again- this is sooooooooo sad!

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Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Thank-you for bringing this to our attention, the more who realize this is a growing problem, the more awareness that can be drawn to the issue.

Honestly, I had overlooked this happening with racism, sexism, discrimination r/t religion/creed, but didn't realize this was happening. We will all be where you are now, and it's work like your post that will kindle a flame! Thanks again for making this known. I hope you find a position soon where all your skills and experience can be appreciated!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

No i never quit. I went on long term disablility, Federal law says 6 weeks, but the hospital adds another 6 weeks to the long term. My doctor told me after about 3 weeks I could not return and then I waited the rest of the 12 weeks to see if another position was open. After maybe 5 weeks it had become obvious if I couldn't walk 5 minutes, pick up anything over a sheet of paper or sit longer than 10 minutes I applied for State Disability (hospital workers in this state have the option to choose this retirement plan). When I called state retirement they told me I had been fired!!!!!! 1. I was still on long term disability. 2. I was still getting sick leave checks, the hospital news letter and the credit union statements. That's when my spouse said we were getting a lawyer.

I didn't have an injury that had little "bright lights and sticky stars around it" I worked a usual night and then only thing I did was help move a bed from a semi to a private room. I'd done it maybe 200-300 times over the years. I went home, went to be, next morning I couldn't move my legs and my left foot was numb. When if finally reached Worker's Compensation hearing, the judge heard several witnesses either lie or say things it was obvious they had no knowledge of how things went. She asked me and all the witnesses to wait in another room and my lawyer said she told them (he and other lawyer) to get this straighend that they had no case and were wasting her time. Then I got social security easily-no lawyer it just takes a long time. And I got disability about 3 months later is a huge check and then a weekly check-it pays some of the bills. I'm happy my husband still had a check coming in.

I was making about 65k a year and now make about 23 k. But hey gas is a lot lower when you don't travel 100 mi a day 4 days a week :)

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