I have just reached my 25 year anniversary of working in healthcare. This is a snapshot view of what has happened in my life and career over the past 25 years. We all have stories to tell, we all have lives which have changed and developed. Each of us has a story to tell, so let me share mine.
In 1989, I was a young fresh-faced nurse ready to start the first steps to becoming a nurse. I was so excited to begin the rest of my life.
We were all young in my group 18-27years old-2 male nurses and 18 female nurses. We wore dresses in blue check, not the men of course, and we wore hats with one single strip, this indicated we were first year student nurses.
Roll on to 2014, 25 years after that day and I am older, wiser and fatter! What happened to the fresh-faced young nurse?
Well I became the old timer; the crusty old bat of nursing-I became the nurse who is supposed to know everything (and I do know a lot). I can't believe how fast this ride has gone? I begin to wonder if I will be put to pasture because I am expensive? I have never had a gap in service apart from a few weeks off for one baby, small surgeries here and there.
One long life of being a nurse, with so many stories to tell some funny, some sad and some unpleasant. I often wish I had kept a diary to record all my experiences along the way. The ones that made a difference in my life remain with me, always and they are like precious jewels you pick up out of a box to revisit occasionally!
I had never planned out my career and where I would end up, although if I told you my career pathway you would think it had been carefully planned out. I have never stayed in a job more than 3 years-I think you could call it my three-year itch! I have never left a job without having a replacement job-I have always been the major wage earner so no such luxury of being unemployed.
Instead of planning my career I gave myself 5-year goals, which corresponded with significant ages. Normally I achieved my goals within the time frame-some of those goals were enjoyable and some were huge mistakes.
My current goal is to stay with my current employee until I retire-now that is a long-term goal. I have never planned a long-term goal (this is a 10-15 year goal) this goal that means old age and retirement. Plus I love my current job more than any job I have ever had, which makes me vulnerable, not a good feeling in todays job market.
During my career I added to my family, I lost two daughters because I divorced, I lost my mother, father, sister and 3 beautiful friends to cancer. I remarried, had a beautiful daughter. I moved countries from the UK to the USA. I changed my citizenship and I climbed the ladder and fell down it a few times. Oh yeah and I moved home 11 times. It makes me breathless to think of all I have been through and how I am relatively normal.
The only thing that has remained constant throughout my life is my love of nursing, my dedication to my patients, my commitment to quality of patient care, my enjoyment of teaching and training. Plus the belief I have made a difference.
So to the fresh faced students and my fellow crusty old bats, I hope you have enjoyed your journey? Because for me life was certainly a roller coaster
So when did that fresh faced student become a crusty old bat? Who knows but when I stare in the mirror I see both staring back at me and I smile. I smile for those I loved, those I lost and those who I have yet to meet!
I feel much like you do. I've been continuously practicing for 40 years this spring. How did this happen? i can't picture any other path and I'd do it all again . There are a lot of things I'd dp differently though
I just hit my 10 year anniversary in healthcare this month, though I've been an RN for less than 2 years. I started in private home care, then private care, got my care aide certificate and worked in LTC of various types before gettng my BScN and now am in medicine. My record is less than 4 years in one place, and only because I was in school at the time :) If I ever get a job in palliative I think I'll stay there.
I so agree with you. One day I looked in the mirror and realized I have been an RN for over 30 years. I couldn't believe it. Time has flown past. Yes, I have aged and, unfortunately, look older. My kids are grown and on their own now. But, I have been a nurse for 30 years??? There is much I do know but there seems so much I do not know and want to learn. I have worked in many different facilities from LTC to a 30 bed military hospital to a Level-1 trauma hospital. I have taken away much from these facilities and also many good and bad memories. When I look back now, I cannot image doing anything else in my life. There is nothing I would rather do than be a nurse. but 30 years????
I also graduated in 1999. Initial degree in another field but I have been a nurse for approximately 14 years. Med-surg then psychiatric nursing for the past ten years. I often had to work two jobs.Will be retiring from work in the next two years. The young nurses need the jobs due raising their families.I am looking forward to having less stress in my live
Very good read and I agree where did all those years go! I have been a nurse for almost 37 years. I worked at the same place and on the same floor for the first 29 years of my career. What wonderful years those were. I worked with great folks, we were all close in age and raised our families together. My how things have changed today. I don't work in acute care any longer and don't miss it. I work from home and from an office now. I never thought 37 years ago that I would be nursing in a different way. I have learned more and done more that I could have imagined 37 years ago. I have met wonderful people and a few not so wonderful, but that is what life is about. I can tell from various aches and pains that 37 years have passed. Where did all those years go?
What a wonderful post. I reached 36 years in Jan of this year and I like you was continuous, major bread winner. I did not grow up thinking nursing was going to be my career, it sort of fell in my lap. I did wear a cap and dress and hose. I used and learned more technology than many use today. We were the beginners of technology. When we started the doctors were expected to do much of what nurses took over. One day the Doctor could only take care of swans and the next day we were doing everything including telling the residents how to insert them. Many things we started with have become EBP today, some has gone to the wayside. Some names have changed, to circle new ideas around. Many things have come full circle. I am saddened by the decrease in vaccinations after we worked so hard to eradicate many diseases across the world. I am saddened that after all these years eating our young, now called lateral violence still continues. I am saddened that there are still some nurses that think themselves better than others because they have worked for awhile, or have a higher degree or what ever their reasons, instead of taking the hand of the new grad and showing them the ropes, letting them know we do not want them to have to go through some of the things we went through to make nursing a profession. an aide, LPN, RN, ADN, BSN, MSN, housekeeper, maintenance are all a very important part of the daily care of other human beings, try working without each others support, you won't like it. I have kept some stories in a book of special situations that had reminded me of why I became a nurse and better yet why I remained one. I have now transitioned to education where I hope to be able to graduate new nurses that I would want to care for me. Thank you all for what you do every day.
What a wonderful post. I reached 36 years in Jan of this year and I like you was continuous, major bread winner. I did not grow up thinking nursing was going to be my career, it sort of fell in my lap. I did wear a cap and dress and hose. I used and learned more technology than many use today. We were the beginners of technology. When we started the doctors were expected to do much of what nurses took over. One day the Doctor could only take care of swans and the next day we were doing everything including telling the residents how to insert them. Many things we started with have become EBP today, some has gone to the wayside. Some names have changed, to circle new ideas around. Many things have come full circle. I am saddened by the decrease in vaccinations after we worked so hard to eradicate many diseases across the world. I am saddened that after all these years eating our young, now called lateral violence still continues. I am saddened that there are still some nurses that think themselves better than others because they have worked for awhile, or have a higher degree or what ever their reasons, instead of taking the hand of the new grad and showing them the ropes, letting them know we do not want them to have to go through some of the things we went through to make nursing a profession. an aide, LPN, RN, ADN, BSN, MSN, housekeeper, maintenance are all a very important part of the daily care of other human beings, try working without each others support, you won't like it. I have kept some stories in a book of special situations that had reminded me of why I became a nurse and better yet why I remained one. I have now transitioned to education where I hope to be able to graduate new nurses that I would want to care for me. Thank you all for what you do every day.
It warms my heart to read your story, and your students are lucky to have you!
Whew! 31 years here and the last 20 in the same job I love as well. What is hard to believe is that the bulk of my career is behind me, as I start to look with a critical eye toward..... eek! retirement!
I listen and observe others who want to retire early and I am not so sure that I want to do that (today anyways- LOL!). I have seen friends retire and then end up not being realy productive and, I suspect, not terribly happy. Insurance will be a big question for me, as many. I have VERY affordable insurance where I work and I bet it will not be that cheaper in the fair market place.
My job is not physicaly taxing (most times) so I won't suffer the wear and tear that others do.
Yes it seems like yesterday when I arrived on the floor with my cap on my head and degree in my hand! To admit folks the day BEFORE surgery, and treat them on the night shift post op, and for several days after!
I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly but I am glad to be where I am today, a little wiser, more self accepting, less judgmental and overall pretty darn happy!
Now if anyone has insight to picking MegaMillions or Powerball jackpot numbers, I am all ears!!
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Maacanto
58 Posts
I loved your post. I hope you achieve your long term goal. Best of luck!