Retiring From Nursing

You’ve likely heard the saying, “All good things come to an end.” This certainly applies to your career, nurses — retirement will likely be in your future. For those of you who were born before 1960, your full retirement comes at age 66; if you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement comes a year later, at age 67. That said, the nursing retirement age differs from person to person and depends on many variables. The articles in this section will address some of the particulars involved in retiring from nursing.

The process of retiring is fairly straightforward, but there are some concrete steps you’ll want to check off your list. One of those is formally announcing your retirement via a letter to your employer and coworkers. This is slightly different from announcing a resignation. Check out the template we have for a retirement letter to help you make your intentions known to your professional network.

Speaking of those in your circle, if you know of someone retiring from nursing, we can help you salute their years on the job by suggesting a few gift ideas. The simplest gesture of acknowledgement can go a long way, especially in a profession like nursing that tends to be underappreciated.

One of the main concerns many people have regarding their retirement is how they will fill their time. No doubt you’re used to being in a fast-paced environment, caring for patients, documenting their health, and lending a hand to your coworkers. We’ll give you some practical ideas for staying engaged and (pleasantly) busy after retiring from nursing.

Some healthcare professionals may not want to stop working completely. If you figure you’ll be among the nurses working beyond retirement age, we have a list of jobs for which you’d be exceptionally well suited. There are plenty of occupations that could put your skills and experience to good use.

We know retiring from nursing can be a time full of conflicting emotions. Hopefully, the information we provide can help you transition to the next phase of your life.