Welcome Back
New programs encourage retired and former nurses to return to the workforce
By Linda Childers
September 20, 2004
It was an especially busy shift at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, Ore., when Nancy McGrath, RN, clocked in on the med/surg floor.
“We’re so glad you’re here!” several nurses told McGrath, who had been called in to work a four-hour shift during the high-volume period.
Although McGrath had retired three years ago, she was back at work through an innovative program that allows retired nurses to continue working in slightly different capacities. Given the nursing shortage, more hospitals are implementing programs that encourage both retired and former nurses to return to work.
“When nurses get in their Winnebagos and drive off into the sunset, it’s a huge loss to the profession,” McGrath says. “Our program offers nurses the opportunity to work untraditional shifts and to continue to share their knowledge and expertise.”
McGrath was one of several retired nurses who helped design the Rogue Valley Medical Center ReturN program.
“After working for 20 or 30 years, nursing becomes a part of who you are,” McGrath says. “Many of us don’t want to give up patient care completely, but we’re physically unable to work 12-hour shifts and mandatory overtime.”
The ReturN program offers retired or soon-to-be-retired nurses unprecedented flexibility, allowing them to choose their work schedules and departments.
The medical center launched the ReturN program in 2001, and now uses about 15 retired nurses who do everything from assisting with training sessions to working in the units during high-volume periods.
“This program really allows retired nurses to call the shots and decide when and where they work,” McGrath says.
Several years ago, Rogue Valley Medical Center conducted a study that showed that the facility could lose 30% of its workforce within the next 10 to 15 years as its nurses approached retirement age.
“Rather than losing these talented nurses, we decided to pilot a program where they could work flexible hours in their area of interest,” says Anne Ackles, RN, director of systems and support at the medical center.
The response was positive, with many retired and soon-to-be-retired nurses opting to work shorter two- or four-hour shifts. Among the participants are a former vascular access nurse who helps her team during high-volume periods and a critical care nurse who trains staff on new equipment.
McGrath, 63, returned to work at the hospital after undergoing open-heart surgery and appreciates the opportunity to work on her own terms.
“Given the grueling nature of the profession, many nurses burn out by the age of 45,” McGrath says. “It’s wonderful to continue working on an as-needed basis doing tasks that are less demanding.”
Nurses in the ReturN program work on an on-call basis and are paid an hourly wage. They don’t accrue benefits, but they do receive pharmacy discounts and the satisfaction of making a difference.
“I tried to retire three years ago, but I failed,” says McGrath, with a smile. “It’s nice to continue working and still have time to spend with my grandkids.”
Hello again
Many of the nurses at ValleyCare Health System in Livermore, Calif., were having a hard time saying goodbye after retirement.
“Our retired nurses told us they missed the camaraderie they enjoyed while working in the hospital,” says Jessica Jordan, RN, MS, director of education at ValleyCare. “And we missed them as well.”
In September 2003, Jordan and ValleyCare staff introduced the hospital’s first Nursing Alumni Guild, a group of retired nurses who come together monthly to socialize and also raise money to buy new medical equipment for the hospital.
Guild members also are being tapped as mentors for local nursing students. ValleyCare has partnered with a local community college, Chabot College in Hayward, to offer a cohort program at the hospital.
“We’re pairing our retired nurses with our student nurses to form a buddy system,” Jordan says. “We know how grueling nursing school can be and we hope our retired nurses can offer support and encouragement to the students.”
Alumni Guild members also receive the opportunity to keep abreast of new medical developments through a series of classes.
“We regularly hold classes on topics including infectious diseases and arthritis,” Jordan says. “We hope to keep our retired nurses current on nursing topics and also allow them to share this knowledge with the students they are mentoring.”
ValleyCare would like to expand its alumni program to offer nurses the opportunity to work in the hospital in a capacity similar to Rogue Valley’s ReturN program.
“We have 15 retired nurses participating in the program,” Jordan says. “As we continue to grow, we’re exploring different ideas in which our retired nurses can remain active and share their expertise.”
Reaching out
Chris Hlushak, RN, worked as a nurse for eight years before she got married, had children, and decided to be a stay-at-home mother.
Sixteen years later, as her children were preparing to leave home and attend college, Hlushak decided to return to nursing.
Fortunately, her plans coincided with the launch of a new program at Poudre Valley Health System in Fort Collins, Colo. REACH (Re-entering Acute Care Hospitals) was introduced to encourage former nurses to return to the profession.
“I was very thankful to have found the REACH program,” Hlushak says. “Without their assistance, I would have had to take numerous classes at a community college to get up to speed.”
REACH is a four-month program that offers former nurses the chance to attend classes at the hospital, learn new skills, and become adept at new technology.
“The program is open to anyone who has been out of nursing for a significant period of time,” says Candace Pruett, RN, BSN, nurse recruiter for Poudre Valley Health Systems. “Rather than send former nurses to a new employee orientation that isn’t exactly what they need, or putting them in classes with new graduates, which can be humiliating, we decided to start a program that would specifically address their unique needs.”
For Hlushak, REACH provided her with the skills she needed.
“I had kept abreast of new technology, but the assessment process had become much more detailed,” she says. “It was a hard learning curve, but REACH gave me the skills and confidence I needed to return to nursing.”
Pruett notes the program has been so successful that the health system plans to use it to recruit nurses to their new hospital, slated to open in 2007.
“REACH attracts stay-at-home moms, retirees, even nurses who have worked as consultants and want to get back into hospitals,” Pruett says. “It’s a great way to welcome nurses back into the profession.”
For more information on refresher courses in your area, contact your local community college, school of nursing, or board of nursing.