Given a difficult choice
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
October 16, 2010 9:46pm CST
I was overhearing some ladies at the girl scout meeting a few days ago. I do not know the women very well so I did not comment on their discussion. But I did find one of them yesterday and inquired on their conversation. A local hospital here is putting 200+ jobs on the chopping block, in particular nurses. They just did this the other year when the economy took a dive and now again. I guess the nurses who've been on the job for many years say around their 50's are being given a choice of early retirement with medical insurance for a few years thereafter or taking a $5/hr pay cut. If you were give such a choice what would you do????
And I ask this of my fellow myLotters as many are facing tough choices these days. Including the fact my Aunt who was a nurse for 30 years was asked a similar proposition by the hospital she worked at in the 1990's when they were taken over by a managment company rather than being owned by the city. Anyone with good benefits, pension, retirement funds, alot of vacation time, and accrued sick time were put on the chopping block. But yet you see everywhere tons of women sitting on waiting lists to go to school for nursing. It seems futile to wait for a job that you know they will force you out of once you get to a certain pay rate as well as age group.
What do you think of this?
3 people like this
11 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
17 Oct 10
I would take the pay cut as well. Perhaps, hope that things would settle down and they'd be able to regain some of that lost pay in time as things tip toe very slowly tward some sort of recovery.
I dunno that I'd want to catch a Dr, most are married and have hardly any time for their families as they are usually married to their job and patients well being.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
31 Oct 10
Everyone likes to feel like they are invincable when they are young. I thought my Mom was BS'n me when she said it was hard to find a job when she was in her 40's-50's because you can't always get a job @ the wage you'd like because the younger fresh from school folks will take less money, less benefits that you've worked all those years to accumulate.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160721)
• United States
17 Oct 10
It has always been a common practice to do just what you are describing. It happens in industry and to nurses and to teachers. It is accelerating, though with the bad economy. Going into health care still seems to be a good bet, with the aging of the baby boomers. It is one industry that is growing. If I were young, and as observant as you are, and wanted to be a nurse, I would do a few things to look our for myself. I would go for specialties in my continuing education as that would keep me more in demand. I would also save money, and go for RN, with a BSN right away. I would put money aside so that retirement at 50 or a pay cut will not totally wipe me out. I would make sure that I could retire young. Of course everything I am saying is from the perspective of hindsight.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
17 Oct 10
I hear you hindsight is truly 20/20! I know I wish I would of chosen something more practical when I went to school, I was hoping to go on but could not afford to and was not told there were few opportunities in the area. And I still ask what to go to school for and my husband never can tell me nor can anyone else. :0(
I suppose I see your point if you have prepared for this day well it would be no big deal to take a pay cut. As young as I am!?!? thanks! HA! I think I've quite a young soul, but a body that's screaming I"m falling appart but I'm too young to feel this way.
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
18 Oct 10
It isn't just the nursing area. It is all businesses. I love how business want faithful employees but they forget to be faithful employers! Also I think the bigger the business is the less employee faithful they are. The field is growing because they cut the "old faithful" and hire 'new younger models' and pay less in everything! But those 'new younger models' need to be aware that someday they will be 'worn out ' like the rest of us.
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
19 Oct 10
I am taking Business Management classes right now and our discussion last week was so close to this topic I had a very hard time not letting personal feelings interfer! You have it 100%..the business make a huge profit. That means they could back up and cup their prices and give their employees a pay raise and still make a profit! Actully one I just read and I really wished I knew where it was I think it is a site called WakeUp WalMart but if I REMEMBER my information right, so don't quote me on it, but their CEO last year made 12 MILLION $$$$ but the employees were barely paid minimium wage! Since I worked at Sam's Club I know about what we are paid. I have heard they are targeting anyone with 5 years or more to fire them. My friend had 13 years in and I had 41/2. We were both fired and as far as I am concerned we were both sat up to fail so they could fire us.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
31 Oct 10
I was set up to fail at my last job. I think also in part because I made a better wage, but in part that I was an employee that was still there from a previous merger and a customer had told me to watch my back as the boss would be trying to get rid of me & sure enough he was right! I met my replacement when I came back from maternity leave and I outlasted her. But from that point on it was nit picking constantly at everything I did and when they closed my office they took duties away from me (right before I went on maternity leave) saying they needed to be done elsewhere. It was a good job but TOOO MUCH DRAMA! I like my job now, except I have my worries.... I pray they are unfounded.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
19 Oct 10
That is sooooo true!
I was pointing that out to a friend on FB from HS who was going back for nursing not to apply @ the hospital here. I should of warned her about the one my Aunt was at most of her career.
Sadly many of them say they cannot afford the amenities that come with many years of service... you know paid vacations, paid sick time, health insurance, pensions (wich are almost unheard of), 401k, and a good wage. But yet many of these places that pull such things make a profit but can't afford their help.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
19 Oct 10
Hi Snugglebunnie,
Not sure just what I would do. A 5.00 cut in pay is quite steep. Since there is always a need for good nurses, I think I'd probably take the cut in pay and start looking elsewhere for work. I might even consider working independently. There are a number of elderly people that would gladly pay for a nurse to come in and help them out during the day and check in on them as opposed to living in a nursing home.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
31 Oct 10
That is what my Aunt ended up doing was becoming a private nurse to the elderly in their homes. And she still does this today for 1-2 people. And you are right it's a cheaper alternative than living in a nursing home and you have more dignity in your own home as well.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
27 Oct 10
I'd take the pay cut. I can't afford to retire just yet.
I think that happens in a lot of jobs, not just nursing. It's a darn shame...
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
31 Oct 10
The whole thing is a dirty shame. No one can afford to save it seems at any age to prepare for such things. Most people use my current employer as their second job to help keep things paid.
@Strovek (868)
• Malaysia
17 Oct 10
I'm a bit surprised! I thought there is a huge shortage of nurses worldwide. In many countries nurses can work way past their retirement age. Also, there are many who work part time whether for commercial firms or hospitals.
Even in the middle east, many Asian nurses go there for annual contract work and are paid handsomely (of course with the cost of restricted freedom).
Nursing is a very demanding profession - maybe this is only happening is certain areas.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
31 Oct 10
My Aunt is 67 & is a private in home nurse. But it seems here once you get to be a certain age and too many benefits and vacation time accumulated they find reasons to get rid of you since these companies took over the formerly city ran hospitals. This happened to her and it's happening to other nurses... I'm sure partly between the fact people are not working, they can't afford to be sick or procedures so they can't afford to keep the staff that has spent decades on the job when someone fresh out of school will take a lower wage, less vacation, less sick time, & cheaper health costs on younger employees as well. IT's all just sick!
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Oct 10
3SnuggleBunnies I w as a nurses aide for many years and I sure did not want to snag any of the doctors I met there but I did snag one nice young orderly who loved me and I loved him. we were married for 33 years. I hink it stinks what they are doing to nurses now days
and I have told younger women do not go into nursing go on ahead into nurse practioners or into be coming a doctor which is your best bet.
I would hope the situation for older nurses would turn around.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
19 Oct 10
I don't know that the nursing thing would turn around as it happened to my Aunt 15 yrs or so ago as well. They know there are alot of young people who have the credentials (book/degree smart but not much experience)so why pay someone who's been there for decades a well deserved wage when they can pay someone fresh out of school a fraction. Though I think you are right becoming a nurse practitioner would be for better job security.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
3 Jul 11
Well this is just a sad thing to hear about. We need the nurses that we have and I believe a lot of people trust the nurses who have been doing it for years and years. Hearing about people being cut from their job in the medical field, and to think the medical field is one of the best fields to work in!
I think that many people will rethink their decisions to go into nursing and may go into a lower bracket of work such as a medical transcriber or something like that instead.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
17 Oct 10
I think the reason so many people get into nursing is because it's easy. We have a nursing school here that I've looked into once or twice. Your tuition is paid for if you sign on to work at their hospital for like 2 years after you graduate... though I'm sure you don't have an option as to where they put you and what hours you work. Plus it's quick, going part time you could be a nurse in 1 to 2 years. Their are also colleges like Bryant and Stratton that you could go part time and get financial aid for.. but they only offer like business or accountant type degrees... many people are overwhelmed by the idea of doing something in those fields because they're difficult and challenging where as being a nurse isn't really brain work.
As far as which choice I'd take.. it would depend on my lifestyle and if there were other jobs I could take. If I needed the money I'd have to keep the job or find one that paid better. If I didn't need the money I could decide to retire.. or keep the job if I really liked it.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
17 Oct 10
What you are talking about here is what is being called the new normal. no longer can an employee expect a 30 year job. This means a change in your planning for your monitary future. I would still train for nursing because I know it's going to be an on going need. But I also know that robots are not far from taking over most of these duties. So I would continue my education into new fields available,
we can no longer rely on the present being comparable to the future.
@sexymeela (14)
•
17 Oct 10
I think that everything happens for a reason. For those who want to go into that career field, go for it! For those who have been in that career for years, great! But sooner or later all things will come to an end. No need to stress. When one door closes another one opens. For those who are faced with the choice of early retirement or a pay cut, weigh your options. You have to make the decision that is best for you and that will benefit you and your family in the end. That's what really matters here. If you can stand to retire early and not have to struggle for the remainder of your life then I say go for it! If your life situation right now is not stable enough for retirement then considering the pay cut may be your route. Sometimes choices are thrown our way for us to make life altering changes. Maybe by closing this chapter in your book will open up a new chapter that is full of so much more fulfillment, enjoyment, excitement and pleasure. I don't think that it would be that difficult to really take the time to decide what is best for your life right now and do what's necessary to achieve and maintain those things. I mean that is what we do everyday anyway, right?
