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A nurse who works until age 83 demonstrates extraordinary dedication, deep clinical wisdom, and a profound personal calling to care for others. That nurse’s name is Vivian Breen.
Vivian first retired in 2005 to care for her mother, but it didn’t stick. She returned to work two months later as eager as a new hire. She recently gave retirement a second chance on August 29, 2026.
Born in 1943 in New Glasgow, Vivian was the oldest of thirteen children. As the eldest, she was naturally tasked with caring for her brothers and sisters — a responsibility that likely foreshadowed her longstanding career in a caring profession
With some encouragement from a public health nurse who provided homecare to her mother after the birth of a younger sibling, she graduated from Camp Hill Hospital in 1963 and landed her first job at the Halifax Infirmary. That was short-lived but followed closely by a position at the old children’s hospital (replace by the IWK in 1970) where she worked in med-surg and poison control. She then spent time at the Cape Breton County Hospital before heading home to family and the familiarity of Pictou County.
A long-time NSNU activist and nursing advocate, she was initially drawn to the labour movement by the usual challenges – unfair wages, pension inequity, lack of representation, and an antiquated culture that undervalued nursing.
Like so many others, Vivian was nominated for positions within the Union, often without her full consent. Her first task was to organize Edward Mortimer Place (now Shiretown). She did so with the spy-like stealth of a covert operation, placing phone calls from pay phones and keeping union-talk in the shadows.
She now looks back fondly at early Annual General Meetings at Old Orchard Inn, connections with fellow LPNs, and working alongside numerous labour reps. Throughout her career she sometimes locked horns with the four NSNU presidents who served during her tenure — most notably her favorite sparring partner, Janet Hazelton.
Known for her steely glare and expressive eyerolls, Vivian routinely commanded the floor at the Annual Meeting to deliver spirited arguments for the issues she championed. Those looks and Vivian’s AGM deliberations were epic.
Above her union involvement, she was a nurse. She loved working in long term care and the attachments she formed with residents and their families. Giving voice to those who could no longer speak for themselves gave her deep purpose.
Vivian found deep fulfillment in being a licensed practical nurse and is proud of their current scope of practice. Her crowning glory came in 2018 when she received the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia Lifetime Achievement Award, just weeks into her battle with kidney cancer.
While one chapter closes for Vivian, an exciting new one is beginning. She enjoys cooking, baking, and knitting for her family, sharing a home with them on the very same street she herself grew up on. Her house is spotless, she’s joined an exercise class, and she now has more time to care for her ailing sister.
Vivian can take pride in her legacy, having shared both her immense union and nursing experience, and an intuitive wisdom that can’t be taught in a classroom.
NSNU congratulates her on her incredible career and this milestone. Her contributions to the Nurses’ Union and the nursing profession are immeasurable.
