For Anyone Retired or No Longer Working

[Lucycat]

@Lucycat, working with little ones all those years. Do you miss it?

To be honest no. I sometimes think back to the early days and grieve for the loss of nursing the way it used to be - with care, compassion, time and resources to do a good job. We were all proud of our work and went the extra mile for the children and their families.

By the time I retired it was very different. Number crunching. No time allowed to chat with families about how they are coping with illness, disability etc. Not permitted to liaise with the children's hospices. I was challenged by my 'boss' that I was not qualified to offer 'support' ffs. She was not a children's nurse. She does not even have a nursing degree, and I do - specifically in Community Children's Nursing with an emphasis of supporting life limiting conditions in the home.

I'll cease ranting now.

If nursing was the same as it used to be, I would still be working. It is interesting that since I retired my health board has been investigated for its culture of bullying. Only this week the person they employed to facilitate change at board level, has quit as nobody is prepared to make changes despite a damning review.

 

[TruthSeeker]

To be honest no. I sometimes think back to the early days and grieve for the loss of nursing the way it used to be - with care, compassion, time and resources to do a good job. We were all proud of our work and went the extra mile for the children and their families.

By the time I retired it was very different. Number crunching. No time allowed to chat with families about how they are coping with illness, disability etc. Not permitted to liaise with the children's hospices. I was challenged by my 'boss' that I was not qualified to offer 'support' ffs. She was not a children's nurse. She does not even have a nursing degree, and I do - specifically in Community Children's Nursing with an emphasis of supporting life limiting conditions in the home.

I'll cease ranting now.

If nursing was the same as it used to be, I would still be working. It is interesting that since I retired my health board has been investigated for its culture of bullying. Only this week the person they employed to facilitate change at board level, has quit as nobody is prepared to make changes despite a damning review.

I quit teaching because of much of the same. I had 30 years experience, connected with the most difficult children, was highly qualified in not only my job area, but in several other areas of education, and had a boss for a bully. He bullied a number of people to quit. I finally left because of him, as did some of the older, more experienced teachers. IN my field, number crunching was prolific and I had to do it with student scores on state tests. Progress for more disabled kiddos wasn't even recognized at the time. Any boss who runs his crew through control, threats, and fear will only make them sick emotionally or physically, make them addicts of some description, and make them want to leave. I was fortunate....I could...and retirement....I love it. Never knew what stress was....not really, but I know now what it isn't! Having PTSD and working in one of the many highly stressful helping professions is really so very hard to do.

 

[DharmaGirl]

Yes, I was appalled at how nursing was changing. When my back went bad and I became a RN case manager, they would have monthly meetings and announce how much MONEY they had saved the hospital. I asked about the lives saved, and was bullied by my bosses to leave. Instead I had a breakdown at work. I'm so glad I'm retired. I loved taking care of people, making sure they felt safe and knew we were taking good care of them. So many I remember that made a huge difference for the good in my life. It's not the same anymore, even for nonprofit hospitals. Many doctors and nurses left after I did.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Yes, I was appalled at how nursing was changing. When my back went bad and I became a RN case manager, they would have monthly meetings and announce how much MONEY they had saved the hospital. I asked about the lives saved, and was bullied by my bosses to leave. Instead I had a breakdown at work. I'm so glad I'm retired. I loved taking care of people, making sure they felt safe and knew we were taking good care of them. So many I remember that made a huge difference for the good in my life. It's not the same anymore, even for nonprofit hospitals. Many doctors and nurses left after I did.

Same in teaching....and the closer to retirement, teachers are seeing the light....and leaving early. Kudos to you....the reduced stress is amazing and quality of life so much better!