Saturday 13 September 2008

That's It - I'm Officially Retired!

So, finally, I've worked my last day as a Community Psychiatric Nurse. It was very emotional saying goodbye to my workmates. They are special, caring people who all do their best for their clients. They have huge caseloads and limited resources available, yet they do a brilliant job. It was especially hard to say goodbye to my dear friend Margo. We've worked together for ten years now and shared good and bad times. Of course I'll still see Margo as a friend, but I'll miss working with her as well.

I'll miss being a nurse, I've dedicated 31 years to doing that job in various places and areas of speciality. I've enjoyed most of those years, only recently it has become less enjoyable because of staff cuts and the resulting larger caseloads and increase of stress. I feel i've done something useful with my working life, it's more than just a job, I've assisted people through difficult times and helped them get their lives back to normal.

I know this is the right tiem for me to leave psychiatric nursing, though rewarding, it is also very stressful at times and I'm ready to leave that behind now. So now I've closed the door on one part of my life and from today am opening the door on next part, it's all quite exciting!

3 comments:

  1. Chris and myself wish you all the best for the new path that is now lying before you. (And which hopefully will lead you to our home sometime in the near future. Perhaps next year?) :-)

    I wish I could retire too. But I have at least 19 more working years before me, *sigh!* I could use the time for so many better things ... but it seems I have to wait 'til I'm old and grey.

    Love,
    Andre

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  2. Thanks u2! What age can you retire in Germany? Here it's 65. But in my job (and some others police, firefighters etc)people can retire from 55. I'm very lucky to be able to go early and intend to make the most of it and I will be visiting you next year

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  3. Normally, you can retire from 65 in Germany, but that is now pushed up to 67. I'm not sure, but I think I've heard that policemen can retire from an earlier age.

    Looking forward to meeting you!

    Andy (quite blissfully retired today ...) ;-)

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