Who We Are

My name is Sue Adair. I am a registered nurse with 28 years of experience. I’m glad you are here. Let me tell you a little about my continued journey with nursing.

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Like many nurses, I spent my career showing up, doing the work, and investing deeply in my patients. Nursing is demanding, but it carries dignity. There is meaning in being competent, reliable, and trusted to care for people during the hardest moments of their lives. That work is fulfilling, and it becomes part of who you are.

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Over 28 years, I worked full-time hours through chronic medical conditions and the accumulated physical and mental effects of long-term nursing. Treatment and time changed how my body and mind tolerated the work. Eventually, it became clear that I would have to finish my career away from the bedside and that was not the the way I had planned.

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That realization was hard. Nursing is a great career and is part of my identity. One of the strengths of nursing is the ability to move within the profession seeking challenges early on, and later adapting as life and responsibilities change. But current systems assume that nurses can meet the same demands, in the same way, throughout their entire careers.

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That reflection brought clarity. The pivot happened earlier than I had imagined, and forced me to think differently about usefulness, contribution, and dignity. I began to see that experienced nurses who bring real physical and cognitive changes are met with systems that have not been adapted to meet them. They leave not because they have nothing left to give, but because the work no longer fits.

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Thrive 55+ Nursing Advantage grew out of that understanding. It focuses on preserving dignity, usefulness, and contribution by helping nurses and organizations think differently about how experience is used and sustained over time.

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I help nurses aged 55 and older name what has changed in their work capacity, and to evaluate next steps in their careers.

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The focus is on continued contribution as careers change.