You be the Architect... (long)

My mother-in-law recently retired from her nursing administration position at a local hospital where she had climbed the ladder and then decided to teach for a few years before retiring completely. It seemed like a good way to use her vast skills/knowledge/ experience before it disappeared (into retirement) and it was a nice way to step down into retirement. I think that she felt it was a great way to give back to nursing for all that she had received from her vocation.

Where I work now, the pace has increased quite a bit and some of the senior techs can't keep up or they are completely wiped at the end of the day. The younger techs are faster, but have a lot of questions/ less experience.

Reflecting on these two events, I have been thinking about how in the beginning of a career, one's skills are just starting and there's so much to learn. Also, when you start, you are younger (than when one retires, anyway), maybe greater physical strength/stamina too. As we progress in our careers, we develop greater skills and knowledge, but maybe decline in stamina/physical abilities (eventually). How would I balance these changes to maximize all the advantages and minimize all the disadvantages? Maybe those that are younger work certain shifts or certain units. (Obviously, new techs/nurses need to have experienced/ senior techs/nurses around to guide them, but that would be part of the plan too.)

If you were to the Architect to build a life-career in nursing model, what would your blueprint be? Going for the BIG picture, here, people! More that the ol' "med/surg 1st year or ICU" sort of thing. (Although if that's part of your Grande Scheme, that's fine.) From graduation to full-time employee to retirement.

Would your model change department every four years or change hospitals/faculities every six years? Make the "youngin's" work third shift? Require a Bachelors degree?

I just figured that with all the personal experience of the nurses here in this forum, plus what everyone has seen/witnessed at their places of employment that has or has not worked that we could create the "Uber Nursing Career Blueprint"(or perhaps you prefer "ultimate nursing model"?)

I know that everybody is an individual and no one thing works for everybody, personal circumstances influence decisions, but... It's a theoretical exercise. This isn't so much what you did/ would do as what you think, based on experience (life, nursing, management, ect), what would be the best path for "Jane" or "Joe" nurse to follow and develop all facets of their nursing selves?

Thought that this would be a thought-provoking, creative brain-teaser to kick around the forum. It's good to stretch those mental muscles! Let me know!