First post

[JanF]

I've been a dedicated lurker for several months,but have been invited to make myself known by the forum administrator. I'm an RN,age 54,still working in ICU(officially the oldest one in my unit),and wondering how long I'll be able to do it. Great thing about my job is it's 3 days a week, bad things are physical demands and the health care field in general. I've always been a big saver and have been interested in finances for a long time. I've learned a lot from this site, and have been quite entertained at times! Thanks for letting me hang around, JanF

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanF I'm an RN,age 54,still working in ICU(officially the oldest one in my unit),and wondering how long I'll be able to do it. Great thing about my job is it's 3 days a week, bad things are physical demands and the health care field in general.

Jan, welcome. I'm also hospital-based and agree with you that as rewarding as it is, the demands take their toll. I'm hoping to semi-retire in the near future and do only those parts of health care I find most satisfying.

Enjoy the forums and when you are comfortable doing so, share with us your retirement plans. We learn a lot from one another around here.

[USK Coastie]

Jan welcome, I to am in health care sort of. Current position as Facility Manager at a CAH. Before that for 10 years I was Plant Supervisor at a 2.5 million sq ft 623 bed Medical Center. I salute you for your work and dedication. Whenever something went wrong in the infrastructure at the Medical Center we'd call Surgery and the ICU's, Peds, Cardiac, Adult, and NICU to keep them in the loop.
I certanly can understand the stress.

[Meadbh]

Welcome JanF! I'm an intensivst (NICU) and many of my nursing colleagues are in your situation. In fact, one is retiring next week. She's in the RE zone and I almost had to drag her to rounds this morning. The average age of RNs is increasing and who will be there to look after us when we need care? Health care can wring the life out of you, can't it?

[Moemg]

Welcome,
I'm a recently (7 months ) retired R.N..I mostly worked in O.R. and Radiology .

[Cattusbabe]

Welcome to the Board. I am also a "FIRED" RN. Just celebrated my first year of freedom. Don't miss it either. I bailed at fifty and have spent the last year decompressing. I am still getting solicitations from head hunters attempting to get me to return. Are they out of their minds. I am going to put my license on inactive status and move on.

Nurses are expected to die in the saddle. Or think the profession cannot survive with out them. I say let the young people do this work, they will find some one. Decent pay, decent benies and the job cannot be out sourced.

I was in the hospital recently and had no problems getting care. The place was also full of nursing students so not to worry you can safely move off the stage. You did your bit.

[JanF]

Thanks for the welcome! Nice to hear from other health care people that have been able to get out early. I'm hoping to hang on another 2 years until my only child is out of college, but we'll see. Having 4 days off a week makes the transition pretty easy-you know how to fill your time. I have a lot of things going on that most people can't start until they retire like A.M. Yoga classes and volunteer work. Nurses can just work less and less hours and just sort of ease on out.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanF . Nurses can just work less and less hours and just sort of ease on out.

And the good thing about nursing is if you want to work at all in retirement you can always find a decent paying job.After I retired I was talked into one day a week by fellow nurses.They were convinced I'd be bored .I'm not bored at all and I'm going to quit the one day a week real soon .Nursing is for the under 55 crowd .

[Cattusbabe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg Nursing is for the under 55 crowd .

Amen. Don't get me wrong. Nursing is a great profession and has more advantages that disadvantages but it is hard physical work and the demands takes its toll on you over the years.

That said I really feel that I made a difference over the years and helped a lot of people who needed it and I feel good about that and I carry that with me. How many of us have been with a patient who said they wished they had taken the time to do this or that and now they cannot.
Now it is time for this care giver to care for herself and enjoy the next chapter of her life.

JanF sounds like you have a plan, good for you. My last job was doing two 12's every Sat and Sun. It was great but ya know having them all off it better.

[bookworm]

Hi,JanF

I too am an RN, 59 y.o. who retired this past Tuesday. The profession does take a toll on you, but I enjoyed making a difference all those years. I've held nursing licenses in 5 states and got to meet some wonderful people.

Now I don't regret retiring at all. I'm going to have more time for my grown children and grandchildren. I too feel it is a new chapter in my life.

So, welcome and look forward to fulfilling your future plan.

[Moemg]

Congratulations bookworm and happy retirement !

[Cattusbabe]

Congrats and welcome bookworm. More time to read...whoo hooo!!!!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattusbabe My last job was doing two 12's every Sat and Sun. It was great but ya know having them all off it better.

Good grief, what kind of RHIP is that? If you kept your nose clean and did a good job would they let you sign up for double-shift holidays, too?!?

One of the biggest problems of the submarine force is that the junior officers keep looking around them and using their brains. They see the department heads working at least as many hours and standing the same amount of inport duty & underway watches but with lots more responsibility & accountability for not enough more pay. Admittedly DHs don't stand Christmas duty or midwatches (unless they want to) but the pay raise isn't that good.

Meanwhile the DHs are hearing the XOs talk about not having to stand any duty or watches ("Sign up for another five years and run your own ship-- you'll love it!"), and then watching the XOs stay up all night as CDO (so the CO can catch up on sleep) and having to bull through another six-eight hours to make sure the day's drills & training get carried out by the DHs. Hopefully XOs get a good nap before stationing the CDO again.

The XOs, if they're still awake to see the COs nod off during every meeting, are thinking to themselves "Geez, I could run this show better than that. One bad move, skipper, and I'm right here behind you!!"

Meanwhile the COs are telling everyone they know "Yeah, command is the last good job in the Navy!" and dreading being sent to the Pentagon next career-enhancing opportunity with less than 20 years in the service and perhaps an obligation from a bonus contract.

Meanwhile everyone looks forward to shore duty to get that graduate degree, get that joint learning out of the way, get that prestigious joint staff job, and get that pre-command staff experience. If you're lucky you don't have to stand duty, either! No wonder JO retention is under 40%...

You guys served your time-- you've more than earned an early release. There are plenty of other suckers eager career aspirants to fill in behind you.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Welcome aboard Jan...my wifes an RT/RCP and my mother in law is a charge nurse.

Nords - DW does 12's every saturday and sunday. Works most of the holidays too. Weekends are a little meaningless to us... Given the oddball family careers, very few holidays can ever actually be scheduled on the date of the actual holiday. I've seen turkey day slip into december and christmas happen after the new year on occasion...

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny Nords - DW does 12's every saturday and sunday. Works most of the holidays too. Weekends are a little meaningless to us... Given the oddball family careers, very few holidays can ever actually be scheduled on the date of the actual holiday. I've seen turkey day slip into december and christmas happen after the new year on occasion...

Sheesh. At least I got sub pay & sea pay... and a liberty port once in a while...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hey, she gets overtime bonuses for working the holidays and I think some of the weekends.

I was going to make a joke about the sub pay, but I think i'll just take a dive on it.

[spncity]

Nords

A lot of hospitals pay 40 hours to the people workingj just two 12-hr shifts on the weekends. Others may pay weekend shift differential or bonus. (Evening and night shift differentials are common).

Some just like to knock off the two weekend shifts because the spouse can provide childcare (no daycare cost) and then the weekender can be home with the kids all week.

FWIW

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Ding Ding...and of course Ding!

[Cattusbabe]

Nords, Don't cry for me Argentina. I was laughing all the way to the bank. I got paid 40 hours for these 24 hour weekends. 7pm until 7am. each day Sat and Sunday. Those are the hardest shits to cover. I also got shift differential and because I was an supervisor I got a bonus for that. I would routinely work a side job, usually pool or agency nursing because they paid more per hour, during the week and could make more than my boss who was salaried. I used to want to work holidays because of the bonuses and premium pay. I was single at the time and have no children so it worked for me.

You can make good money in nursing if you know how to play the system and don't marry the job. You have the skills they need. Keep them sharp and make them pay top dollar for them and be willing to move on if you are not happy.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Good grief, what kind of RHIP is that? If you kept your nose clean and did a good job would they let you sign up for double-shift holidays, too?!?

Yeah, and then there's mandatory overtime. Really conducive to workplace wellness......