Some older generations of nurses do not understand that “”all works and no play make Jack a dull boy. As for them they believe that vacation should be done later in life.And that too much vacation is a sign of weakness. Vacation is your entitlement as an employee.Some will take vacation to do another job such as babysitting grandchildren, working in another facility . Vacations are not for the birds,vacation is for us. They bought rental properties,houses and apartments complexes.If you are sick,call in sick. They come in sick often send back home if they cannot survive the shift.Do not come to work only to be sent back home. COVID19 PANDEMIC has become any eye opener to all of us.Build your immune system, eat balanced meal three times a day, get seven hours of sleep and follow up with your doctor orders.
The younger generation will live with their parents until they save up money to buy their own house (smart)Are they really smart or milking from their hardworking parents?. You can call it whatever you want, they don’t want to know. Older nurses never agreed that they work too much.In fact they will pretend that they don’t work at all.
But they are working. The compensation for some of them are cigarettes and coffees. I could recall that in those days we can brew coffee four or five times in twelve hours shift.It was nonstop, but it kept us happy, working and don’t know when the time flew by.
Most nurses never thought about this question when I asked it few years ago. Are you living or existing?.Some looked at me and looked the other way.Some smiled and went away.I remembered one person called me,””crazy Philomena”””.I asked that question because so many nurses postpone their living and enjoying life until later and are just existing,including myself. They go to work come back ,eat and sleep ,bought big house but no time to enjoy the house.There are no vacation it will be after they retire.Seek the Lord,and his strength, seek his face evermore. Psalm 105 verse 4.I recalled a husband brought in his sick wife that just retired one month ago into the hospital. She went into cardiac arrest and died.The husband kept saying “we were supposed to go on vacation next week to Cancun in Mexico. It was unfortunate he kept crying. I wanted us to go but she kept postponing it. I asked what did she do for a living. She was a Registered nurse.
They just work to take care of everyone. The younger generation of nurses came and showed the older nurses how to do it better.They are focused on themselves and not their employers.They are for themselves, their husband and their children. The older nurses criticized them but they know how to do it right. They take their vacation,maternity leave, mother and baby bonding time ,husband and wife bond,all the bonding. You name them,they take them.These allow them to refresh and recuperate. Whereas the older nurses keep on keeping on until they are fully exhausted. They worked to raise their children and put them through college. They finished doing that ,they moved to their grandchildren. When you ask some of them when they will retire. Their response will be so unfriendly. Miss Davidson when are you planning to retire?. When I died she rattled like a thunder. 😀What do you mean when you are dead?.I said when I am dead.You know to shut up and get lost immediately. Most of the time it is not that they don’t want to retire rather it is due to family issues. For example children not responsible enough to step up to their new roles allowing parents to step aside.
Nurse Bennett was very hardworking woman, she never took a vacation. She came to work as scheduled and when she was needed to help .She worked as a supervisor night shift. She was very nice,happy but very strict. Mrs Bennett when are you going to take your vacation?.She responded “when I retire” with a beautiful smile.Why wait until you retire to take a vacation?.She giggled and replied because I want to .So she kept on working very single day .She worked eight hours shift.
In June2001,it was announced that mrs Bennett was retiring.A huge send off party was arranged for her.She came in fully dressed looked gorgeous. Her name was called and she stood up to make a statement, she fell down on the floor and was quickly rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. She did not draw her retirement for one day,neither did she draw from her Social Security. Every day I pray to God that I don’t want to be like any of them. I need to have time for me.Mrs Bennett left three houses , two gown up children and five grandchildren. She was sixty five years old.
Nurses You Move Me 
Thank you.
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