While a higher percentage of hospital OR staff nurses are delaying
retirement, many surgical leaders say that they've seen their nurses
retiring early or on time because of the physical demands of the job
— whether or not they're financially prepared.
"Nurses have retired as planned due to the physical demands in the
surgical arena," says Christel Grazier, MS, BSN, RN, CNOR, director of
perioperative services at the Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pa.
"They say they will not delay as they cannot take call any longer as
they get older," says one hospital clinical director from New York.
Planning for the future
It's not all bad news, though. While many say that children, finances,
healthcare coverage or the recession affected their retirement plans, sev-
eral leaders say they plan to keep working simply because they want to.
"As long as I can contribute, I plan to continue to work. Working
keeps a person active, young and thinking," says one administrator.
"I guess some would say that 65 to 70 is delayed retirement. I just
don't know what I would do without my work," adds Betsy Hume,
RN, director of the Berkshire Eye Surgery Center in Wyomissing, Pa.
The 71% that are planning to retire as planned say they're looking
forward to relaxing, traveling and spending time with family — as
well as getting out from an ever-changing, often-chaotic field.
"I've seen the better days of health care during my tenure, when it
was fun to come to work," says one nurse manager at a hospital in
North Carolina. "Now we are so restricted, and the fun and job enjoy-
ment have dwindled. They say you know when it's time, and I can see
that happening."
"I am tired of the changes in health care and am ready to get out,"
says one respondent. "Health care is changing so much that I see a lot
of administration leaving early," adds another.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | January 2015
