One of the most cited reasons for the temporary lull in the nursing shortage – a pause really – is the influx of previously retired nurses back into the workforce. When the economy started to stumble last year, nurses who had previously experienced “good bye” parties in hospital lounges everywhere came back and punched their time cards once again. However, the individual reasons for their return, varied from nurse to nurse.

Earlier this year, during my orientation to an RN refresher course, the instructor facilitator went around the room and asked all the previously retired nurses present in the class, why they were returning to the workforce. Rather than simply stating “the economy,” like one of the many industry reports floating around the media, the nurses in the classroom were specific, and personal.

Some were grandmothers, whose dried up 401K and pension accounts meant that they would not be able to fund their grand-children’s education as they had planned.  Or, they needed a stable paycheck to replace their own retirement income.

Others were forced to return to work after the recent unemployment of their spouse. Some of the younger students in the room, who comparatively had not been out of the health care industry for very long, were looking for stability (the same reason many new nurses are entering this recession proof field).

One thing that was clear, however, was that these nurses were well aware that the progress of nursing and health care in general had been marching steadily on since their departure. I listened as they discussed fears related to advancing technology, electronic medical records, new infection control protocols – and then technology again (computers).

What they were excited about returning to, other than the stability of a paycheck, was the connection with the patients. The “human” reasons for these nurses’ return to the workforce were the same reasons that new nursing students talk about. The economy may change, nursing job vacancies may fluctuate, and technology may march on, but the special relationships between nurses and their patients, is eternal.