Hello Nurse Stella. Welcome to Nursing Voices. I'm glad you are here. As a member of the Old Broad's Network, I believe that older nurses need to stick together

MJ

Hello everyone,

I fit into the geezer category. I'm 53 and have been a nurse for 33 years. When I met my boyfriend 8 years ago he had been a nurse only for about 3 years (Not to worry, he is 55! I'm not robbing the cradle! Sigh!) He said to me, "Are you one of those old warhorse nurses who has been around forever and seen it all?"
Somedays it feels like that.

What do you other geezers remember about nursing that the youngsters have no experience with now? Glass bottles for IV's? Sharpening your own needles? Red rubber catheters? Keeping a cap on your head? White hose?

It's nice meeting you all.

POPT

Hi everyone! I'm a fellow geezer at 56, and I've been a nurse for 30+ years. I now work part time teaching nursing assistants, which is a whole lot less stressful than being a director of nursing. I thought when I left that full time plus job, I'd never want to do nursing again. But I'm recovered now.

I remember doing dressings without disposables, white caps with a black stripe, doing things like emptying bedpans (metal) without gloves...yikes!

I remember wearing white hose, giving up my seat at the nurses station when a doctor walked in the room, and glass IV bottles. I also remember doing all kinds of procedures WITHOUT the use of gloves. No fear of HIV back then.

Here's to all the old war horse nurses out there who are still in the game. Cheers!

MJ

When I first entered nursing I could double shifts, back to back without breaking a sweat, but now I can barely get through an 8 hours shift. The demands of the job keep growing during a time of my life when I'm starting to slow down. I'm looking for advice. How are you coping with growing older while working as a nurse?

MJ

I moved into an outpatient clinic position working 8-4:30, M-F, weekends and holidays off, with lower patient acuity. The pay is less than what I would make in a hospital but the lower stress is worth it. No more rotating shifts, bedpans, or lifting.

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POPT

www.pixelonepurltwo.blogspot.com

Hi!
I'm over 50 and have been in nursing 36 years! I've worked just about everything but have stayed in pysch the longest at 26 years. (I can't spell it but I can work it!)
Maybe it's a good thing I'm doing QM now.
I'm amazed at the changes in nursing since I started and expect to remain working til I see how much I make when I retire (about 9 years). At that point I want to be able to work in the library. I know that I will need to supplement my income to support my medication needs, but would like to something besides nursing. So many of the folks I know who have retired from our facility are working again usually part-time, but in nursing because it brings in the best pay. Since my prince makes less than I (in it for love)I anticipate having to continue to work after retirement.
How many of you are in the same boat? And if you're not, what is your secret?

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JudyP

I am an old nurse who is tired of racing around on the small unit , giving meds, and running, working every other week-end. Help, I need a change! Any ideas?

Ambulatory surgery. No weekends, no holidays, NPO. The only meds given are antibiotics and pain meds.

Hmm... that sounds pretty sweet, actually.

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