The circumstances — a pandemic and nursing shortage — were tough. But the timing was right for Donna Teixeira and Brenda Mickey.

Both retired from full-time nursing, both have returned to their respective Fall River hospitals to help with staffing, Mickey at Saint Anne’s and Teixeira at Charlton Memorial.

The Herald News talked to both of these dedicated nurses, as well as to a former full-time teacher, to get their out-of-retirement stories.

COVID changed nursing school: But these SouthCoast nursing students say they're ready.

Helping to fill per diem nursing spots

A former critical care nursing manager at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Teixeira in October 2019 retired after 37 years at CMH. She said she took a few months, some of that time in Florida, “to get used to being retired,” then felt the need to work again.

By March 2020, COVID concerns were wreaking havoc with staffing in many industries, one of those health care. CMH, part of Southcoast Health System, was no exception. Offered very attractive financial packages (signing bonuses, relocation assistance) some nurses left CMH.

Staffing became a challenge. George Barth, a Southcoast’s associate chief nursing officer, let Teixeira know her services would be appreciated. Very appreciated. The Somerset resident did not hesitate, and returned as a per diem nursing supervisor.

She’s been working at least twice month since early spring of 2020. She said she says yes 99 percent of the time when she’s asked to work, declining only if she absolutely cannot do it.

It’s a labor of love. Teixeira said the staff at CMH had become family to her. “I wanted to stay somewhat connected,” she said. “And Southcoast has been extremely responsive to staff,” she said, “to try to make every accommodation.”

Asked if she would return full-time, Teixeira indicated she doesn’t need to be quite that connected. But, “If they needed a month, I’d do it,” she said. “I like having a balance now.”

(Shawn Badgley, Southcoast’s public information officer, said in an email that Southcoast has established a variety of programs to attract top new talent and retain current clinical staff.)

'It feels very good'

A career (25 years) nurse, Mickey worked as a Saint Anne’s as a perioperative circulating staff (operating room) nurse from 2009 to August of 2019. She retired soon after her husband, retired Naval Underseas Warfare Center (Newport, Rhode Island) Commanding Officer John Mickey, died from a quick-hitting episode of esophageal cancer.

The Little Compton, Rhode Island, resident, a former military nurse, was at first contented with retirement, especially when she could be with her grandchildren, but they live in Washington, D.C. She occupied herself with a variety of activities, including volunteering at town vaccination clinics.

“But there’s only so much knitting, yoga, meditation, volunteering for the church you can do,” she said recently from D.C.

“I wanted to help,” she said. “Life didn’t have a purpose. It does with the grandchildren, but they’re in D.C. I called the hospital one day. They said, ‘When can you start?’”

That was last January.

Mickey works per diem, as both a perioperative circulating staff nurse (PCSN) and as a nurse educator, doing the latter job both on site and from home. A PCSN prepares the O.R., gets needed items during surgery and works with the scrub technician and registered nurses/first assistants.

“I train the new nurses coming aboard. It’s what I love. They’re sharp as tacks,” she said.

Looking for a job this Labor Day?: Here are the industries hiring on the SouthCoast

Mickey works the 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. shift three weekdays per week. Once a month, she’ll do a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday shift. For her weekday shifts, she said she gets to work by 6:30 a.m. and can often be found still at work at 6:15 p.m.

Two weeks shy of her 68th birthday, she has no interest in working third shift, driving into the work in the dark.

She’s not just teaching. Mickey is learning. She will soon be training to be a laser safety officer, a position required for a hospital to be certified.

Life, away from the grandchildren, has purpose again.

“It feels very good,” Mickey said. “I just love it.”

Subbing is a win-win for this retired teacher

A retired seventh-grade computer science teacher at Bridgewater Middle School, Fall River native and Bishop Connolly High School graduate Dave Audet is now on Bridgewater Middle’s roster of substitute teachers.

Still an active high school basketball referee, Audet retired from teaching in June 2020. He returned as a sub in January 2021. For the 2021-22 school year, he subbed 35 days, in a variety of classrooms. The Dartmouth resident and UMass Dartmouth graduate said he especially enjoyed filling in as a physical education teacher.

Last school year, Audet and other BMS subs enjoyed a pay raise, to $113.75 per day. “It’s golf money,” he said.

Audet said based on what he sees on the app used to post the available sub shifts, some shifts definitely go unfilled, so he’s glad to help out, even with the modest pay. “And, I believe, it does help out the school,” he said. “I only choose to sub at my old school, Bridgewater Middle. Definitely a win-win.”

Additional motivation?

“A little bit of coin,” he said. “And a little bit missing it. I miss the interaction with the kids, and with some of the adults. I taught 34 years, so I do miss it.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River, New Bedford area residents returned to work after retiring