When our older nurses die :(

[Emergent, RN]

The new, young ones are coming up. Just got the news today about a neat old nurse who died suddenly. We always kept in touch, our paths crossed in life on a medical unit years ago.

She went to nursing school when it was run by the nuns. I always liked looking for her picture in the old building. Now a for profit owns the hospital, healthcare isn't what it used to be.

She was a strong, vital, kind, hard-working woman, wholesome and dependable.

The world is changing. Some changes are okay, but a lot has been lost to us, never to be regained. A bit of valiant, strong goodness died this week.

It's up to the younger men and women to keep these values alive now.

[Hygiene Queen]

I remember a nurse I liked so much. She passed away several years ago and I was sorry I did not hear of it at the time. Totally would have went to her funeral. She was also trained by nuns and still wore a uniform dress and cap. She was hilarious, but also skittish. I remember her catch phrase was "Jesus! Mary! Joseph!" when she was startled, like the time she shattered a glass suction jar full of thick nasty crap all over the floor. She was so nervous that it was a common sight to see her clutching her chest in fear over something or another.

She had such a great sense of humor and was a funny lady. She had amusing stories about caring for a few celebrities in days past. She would puff away on her Virginia Slims and cackle. Interestingly, when she passed it was as a resident in the nursing home she had worked in and was cared for by her (and my) former coworkers. I'm sure she was treated like gold.

Loved that woman and I regret not to have kept in touch.

[Libby1987]

Yep. They are a breed of their own with so many enviable virtues.

I knew of sisters who never married, retired and in their late 80's still running a tight ship in their shared home and taking pride in all that they did. I loved hearing their stories.

I would marry their generation and our modern technologies anyday and be priviledged to work with them.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I've heard of a wonderful tradition some of our local hospitals have. When one of these older nurses pass, they have a 'nursing honor guard' come to the funeral or viewing wearing caps, white dresses and the like. They do a little ceremony that includes the Nightingale Pledge.

I want that when it's my time.....

[AAC.271]

I'm sorry for your loss but times indeed changed and nurses are no longer the folks who does everyone's b work. We are highly trained, well educated advanced professionals many of whom in hospital leadership positions or running independent practices. Yes it's unfortunate that we don't have a tradition of wearing the uniform and cap but you better believe it that I'm glad we've progressed passed that point. Granted I'm a dude so that's another benefit.

[Wuzzie]

I'm sorry for your loss but times indeed changed and nurses are no longer the folks who does everyone's b work. We are highly trained, well educated advanced professionals many of whom in hospital leadership positions or running independent practices. Yes it's unfortunate that we don't have a tradition of wearing the uniform and cap but you better believe it that I'm glad we've progressed passed that point. Granted I'm a dude so that's another benefit.

What an incredibly insensitive comment. Shame on you.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

What an incredibly insensitive comment. Shame on you.

What she said.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I do appreciate the fact that when I became a nurse at age 40, I was working with a generation of nurses who were at retirement age or older and had been trained in what I consider a more efficient way. Same with my nursing instructors while in college.

I work in a small rural hospital and "back in the day" the nurses pretty much ran the hospital.

These nurses have been dying off and I keep saying I wish they'd written down the stories they told me. Some are hilarious and some are simply amazing.

I do miss the "older guard". I learned a lot from them.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Sorry for your loss. She is not really lost.. if you still remember her.

When this COB crosses over .. I will still be rattling chains on AN.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I'm sorry for your loss but times indeed changed and nurses are no longer the folks who does everyone's b work. We are highly trained, well educated advanced professionals many of whom in hospital leadership positions or running independent practices. Yes it's unfortunate that we don't have a tradition of wearing the uniform and cap but you better believe it that I'm glad we've progressed passed that point. Granted I'm a dude so that's another benefit.

Dude.. look up the definition of respect. Someday, you may earn it.

[sevensonnets]

Dude, since that's how you refer to yourself, it would have been better for you not to have posted at all than to be so disrespectful. You knew when you posted that that it was so. The finest nurse I have ever worked with did not retire till she was 80. She was an army nurse, worked with crippled children during the polio era, was a fantastic orthopedic nurse, and when she finally slowed down a bit she worked a couple of shifts a week with us in ICU. She even learned how to take the vents.After retirement she was a parish nurse for her church. She died at 82. The younger nurses including myself idolized her. You've got BSN behind your name? So do I, and 36 good solid years of critical care experience to go with it. I am grateful to the older nurses who came before me who helped me learn and grow as a nurse and would never dream of being so disrespectful.

[Wuzzie]

Dude.. look up the definition of respect. Someday, you may earn it.

I doubt it.