When do you plan to retire?

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Specializes in LTC and MED-SURG.

When do you plan to retire?

This question is mainly directed to nurses my age - 50's and up, but I would enjoy hearing from all ages. My reason for asking is because I am just starting my nursing career and I'm trying to realistically gauge how long my career will be. I have personally heard of a nurse 75 years old who still works in LTC full-time, and a 70 year-old who work per diem rather often. Also, I've met a 76 year-old nurse who retired from clinical teaching approximately two years ago.

Aside from health issues, what is reasonable to expect? Thanks in advance

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think most nurses get out of nursing in their 50s and 60s, especially if they started young.

I probably am going to work up to age 65 or 70 myself because I don't have a good retirement savings and would like to retire comfortable with as little financial worries as possible.

I can't imagine working until I'm 76 unless I have a lower stress position that I'm passionate about.

Good luck!

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello DrySoLong!

Well, First I believe that Nursing is a calling, not a profession per se. I am also 50, but attended nursing school right after high school at 18 y.o.

I hope never to retire! Smile, sigh but practically speaking I am sure there will come a day when I won't physically be able to do what I do now (critical care), or even mentally.

However, when I was at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany there was a 72 y.o. Army Nurse Corps - Reserves who was called to duty, and she responded! Cool, huh?

Be well,

athena

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
When do you plan to retire?

This question is mainly directed to nurses my age - 50's and up, but I would enjoy hearing from all ages. My reason for asking is because I am just starting my nursing career and I'm trying to realistically gauge how long my career will be. I have personally heard of a nurse 75 years old who still works in LTC full-time, and a 70 year-old who work per diem rather often. Also, I've met a 76 year-old nurse who retired from clinical teaching approximately two years ago.

Aside from health issues, what is reasonable to expect? Thanks in advance

Hi there,

I turn 40 next month but, I have not intention of retiring. Most likely I would just try to find a more sutiable position for myself. I am still not an RN yet.

After having worked with a couple of octogenarians in my life I realize that if its possible we can do it.

Also, due to the fact of the way of the world, people of my generation and younger will not be able to retire anyways from all the studies I have read, (of which I can site none.) :)

Gen

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I am 47 and have been a nurse for 14 years (second career). I know realistically that I will be working for at least another 20 years. By furthering my education, I have given myself options to do jobs other than bedside nursing. For now, this is okay, but there will come a day when it may not be possible. I really endorse the "get more education" route so that you have options as you age.

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Also, due to the fact of the way of the world, people of my generation and younger will not be able to retire anyways from all the studies I have read, (of which I can site none.) :)

Gen

This isn't quite true. If we are dependant on SSA we will never retire. If you live well below your means, and save and invest for retirement, it is easy to retire. You just cannot rely on the Government for help. Learn a bit about safe investments. My plan is to mainly invest in rental real estate, hire a property management company to deal with all the cruddy stuff. About 10 units and you start making very good money, plenty for me too retire off of.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
This isn't quite true. If we are dependant on SSA we will never retire. If you live well below your means, and save and invest for retirement, it is easy to retire. You just cannot rely on the Government for help. Learn a bit about safe investments. My plan is to mainly invest in rental real estate, hire a property management company to deal with all the cruddy stuff. About 10 units and you start making very good money, plenty for me too retire off of.

I agree, the reason some of us won't be able to retire is because we haven't taken responsibility for our retirement ourselves.

I'm guilty myself of wasting a lot of my younger years living above my menas.

Good luck to you in your plan.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I am 47 and have been a nurse for 14 years (second career). I know realistically that I will be working for at least another 20 years. By furthering my education, I have given myself options to do jobs other than bedside nursing. For now, this is okay, but there will come a day when it may not be possible. I really endorse the "get more education" route so that you have options as you age.

That's precisely why I'm in school now: for options as I age. I wonder if when I'm 65 I can still run up and down these hallways pulling and tugging on beligerent drunks jumping out of bed on their broken legs. (j/k).

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

LOL - Tweety. Had a rough night in the ole ER last night with all my drunks lined up in a row! Can't do this when I'm 65, unsure if I'll be doing it when I'm 55.

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I did retire for a short while from my business career. I was a saver. Saved a ton and lived frugally. After I "retired" my DH lost his job and suffered a massive heart attack at 40. It cost me over 100k to pay off Sarasota Memorial Hospital. If I had not been a saver I would have been in the streets. However, that was my retirement money that was spent. We never know what is around the corner. Even if you think you have enough saved, you probably don't. Do you know what the price of gas, groceries, meds will be in 5 to 10 years or longer. How about 20? Neither do I. We will all be working.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I did retire for a short while from my business career. I was a saver. Saved a ton and lived frugally. After I "retired" my DH lost his job and suffered a massive heart attack at 40. It cost me over 100k to pay off Sarasota Memorial Hospital. If I had not been a saver I would have been in the streets. However, that was my retirement money that was spent. We never know what is around the corner. Even if you think you have enough saved, you probably don't. Do you know what the price of gas, groceries, meds will be in 5 to 10 years or longer. How about 20? Neither do I. We will all be working.

You're right there. Inflation will eat up what takes us years to save and cancel out some of it for sure.

I'm sorry to hear about your husband.

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I don't know if I'll ever go back. Only really worked ER for five years before "retiring" to stay home with my babies.

I did want to give you a little bit of a "whooppeeee" though. My mom didn't start saving for her retirement until the age of 48. She was close to being widowed and my dad had no income. He left her with nothing (well, the house was paid for) and she has never earned more than $32,000 per year. She has no kind of pension plan at all. And she will have to pay her own health insurance (over $500/month). She really has been an incredible saver though. She does not deny herself (she flies to my brother's house every 2 months to spend a weekend wiht her grandkids and such). She lives a "normal" and nice life.

She is retiring next month with enough money to pay her own healthy insurance and finance her own retirement. Her financial advisor told her that she'll have more than enough money to live the kind of life she would like to live!!!!

It can be done and it can be done well!!!

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