Retired 3 months and Happy!

by Anonymous

I retired 3 months ago from my 23 year nursing job. I loved nursing for the most part and gave it all I had every single day. i have problems with auto immune diseases and stress only makes it worse.

One of my coworkers became my unit manager several years ago and life as I knew it went to hell in a hand basket. She hired only nurses who graduated from a local christian university and those who attended her church as she staffed the unit with her friends, she started to push out the experienced nurses. She lied to the senior nurses and told many of us how much we were hated by the staff and we were singled out and reported to upper management and accused of of things that we did not do and upper management was told how we brought the unit down and were hated by coworkers.

My performance evaluations went from Exceptional to meets standard when my work performance had not changed, she based her evaluation on her personal feelings. My health started to decline significantly.

I was so depressed that it greatly affected not only my work performance but my personal life. I have always lived a sensible life and saved money so we decided we would be fine if I retired at 62. My plan was to retire in January as soon as I turned 62.

When the Christmas schedule was completed I had been scheduled to work 12 hours shifts on DEC 23, 24 and 26. While people with less than 1 year of service were not scheduled to work any of Christmas either With that, I went home wrote my letter of resignation and handed it inexactly 28 days before my exit date which I decided would be Dec 11.

Keeping in mind 5 years ago, I was told I was hated and that maybe I should find another place to work and was threatened to be fired if I discussed any of the conversation with my coworker. Later I was told by 4 other coworkers they and been told the same things.

When I turned in my resignation my unit manager almost had a stroke and asked me to please stay and work through Christmas to which I simply replied "No".

Since I retired, I feel great, my friends and family say I look so much better, I don't let anything worry me. I have learned to shop smarter, I keep up with every receipt from my purchase and add up my savings from purchases and put that amount in my savings account each month.
I do receive my pension and I took social security early.

Am I happy? YES, Will I live longer? Probably.

My lab work has significantly improved, I enjoy having lunch with a select few from my previous job, and my friends outside of my nursing job. My house is always clean, my laundry is caught up, I go and do as I please and I love my life.

Am I depressed? Not anymore!

Comments for Retired 3 months and Happy!

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Nurse to Nurse
by: Anonymous

I would like to thank you for all the care you provided to many over the years!!! I too stopped working as a nurse after 20 years of service.

I enjoyed nursing, however, you just know when its time to stop working full time in healthcare.

I am sorry you had to endure the "politics" of
your workplace. But it sounds like like you are a much wiser and stronger person.

As nurses we learned many nursing and people skills over the years!! I have not worked for approx 1 year. At 59, I am still recreating myself, joined a gym, walking etc. Finding friends not working is a little more difficult.
Like alot a employees, work was also my social outlet. I am optimistic about the future.

Good luck my fellow nurse!!!!!

Happy Retirement
by: Goldie

I am so happy for you!

Hurray for you
by: Penny Helton

Hurray for you for saying no to the request to work "one more Christmas".

My friend had the same thing happen to her. We were always scheduled to work either Christmas or Christmas eve. She was told the other workers were mad because she wouldn't stay until Christmas. Like she cared since she wouldn't be there any way.

I loved nursing, especially hospice nursing but why do they think the older ones don't want to celebrate Christmas?

When my children were small I still had to take my turn. No one ever said "I'll work for you since your children are small" Yet I was expected to when I was older. I work part time doing quality at a hospice now and I am prn which means I can say no anytime for any reason.

Love it Love it.

Kudos to You
by: Sharyn~~~CANADA

I applaud you... ya ya ya!

I too, had a career in nursing, which I enjoyed very much. l HAD friends (who l thought were friends) on shift who were helpful in situations where l needed assistance & we would break together as well. After many years of working 8 - 12 hour shifts & long weekends & switching shifts to let them have certain days off, l had had enough.

I realized when 1 works at a career in Nursing, u can do 1000 assignments right, however if 1 makes 1 tiny small error, that is what everyone on your unit remembers. Friends? where r they when u need them.

ln any case, 2012 for me was the year l resigned from that career which l loved soo much.

POLITICS- that is another story ~ l won't go there! l was then only 55 yrs old. After taking a yr off, l got a job working at community health care agency, travelling around to clients homes & enjoyed that, it was alright. l like to be needed and this helped fill that void.

l've been on my own most of my life, the last 25 yrs anyhow, live on pension now, it is tough but somehow l manage each month.

If l had to do it over again. l would choose NURSING again, however, it would be teaching IT...


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