Old, but Not Out: The Aging Nurse in Today's Workplace

[epidemiology/publichealth]

Hope they dont push early retirement

Current Issues in Public Health and Epidemiology

[cougarnurse]

Hope they dont push early retirement

Current Issues in Public Health and Epidemiology

Naaaaah; we just become one of the patients. :rolleyes:

[RNCMSN]

It would also be beneficial to take into account the years of experience. With so many students going into nursing as a second and sometimes even third career change, many of them are already "older" and do not necessarily posess the presumed skill levels.
The article does not identify if these stats are considering nurses as a whole or just those at the bedside. As Ricu points out, the capacity and level of physical labor required in the varying roles plays in largely as to why nurses may not be able to meet the demands of their daily tasks as they get older and choose to move away to other roles and even other careers.
During my Masters program, we discussed at great lengths multigenerational nursing, which is what we are seeing now. The younger nurses bring with them completely different values, different work ethic, some have no work ethic at all. Many of them have not even begun to fathom what loyalty means, not only to a work commitment but to their peers.
But on the financial side, employers are favoring new blood because they can bring them in for less. The saddest part of all of this, is that the individual laying in the bed is the one that pays the most.

Amy

Interesting article.

Wouldn't it be insightful to look at the various capacities in which nurses work and the relative age of those nurses? For example, let's break the workforce down into the following arbitrary areas; direct inpatient care, supervisor/manager, clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse educator, advanced practice, inpatient/outpatient, acute/long term care, home/hospice care, physician office, and so on.

I'm sure there's no clear pattern but it's my sense that those "older" nurses will likely be found at the bedside rather than up the chain of command. Nurses here eventually will retire and many want out sooner rather than later. We like our job but it's taking more out of us than it used to. We're getting older, the work is more challenging than ever, there are sicker patients and more of them to care for and there are fewer of us doing it. It's here, at the bedside, where the shortage is felt, not in the boardroom. Ironically too, it's at the bedside where the fewest new nurses are found.

I'm forty-six so by some standards, fit into that category therefore, feel qualified to comment. Nurses in this category have probably been working for over twenty-five years so have mastered patient care and view it as more relevent activity than the rest of what is referred to as Nursing Scope and Practice. I refer to this realm of nursing as "clipboard" or "meeting room" nursing with truthful sarcasm, probably because I've been in administration. I eventually returned to bedside care because I didn't find admin. as fulfilling.

Don't misinterpret my opinion as being opposed to nursing leadership or advanced practice when I applaud efficient leadership and nursing advancement. What I oppose is the epidemic of ineffective, nonclinical, roles and top heavy bureaucracy which seem to be the fastest growing areas in nursing.

This leads me to another controversy, the preparation of the new nursing workforce and how we come to have so few of them at the bedside consequently; a shortage.

Thoughts anyone?

R

[darlonna]

I'm almost 60. have been doing all kinds of med-surg for 29 years in nursing. Also many years of hospice patients at home, and call center triage and advice. Always wanted to do bedside nursing but not the special units.
Just finishing my first travel assignment and heading for my second starting next monday. Wanted to wind up my career this way before i go back and just do per diem shifts in the little SNFs and hospitals in my little town and surroundings.
I don't really look all of 60 so maybe that helps. But when nurses get to talking and they ask i just answer directly and say i am 60. I may not have that vibrant energy and idealism that some of the younger nurses have, but i do have a quiet endurance, determination, and i still have my enthusiasm for nursing!!!:42::nurse-clap:

[RNCMSN]

Yay! There you go. I rest my case. Determination, endurance, passion for nursing and enthusiasm! That is what we are lacking most of. I can only surmise that it due to the conditions of overworked, understaffing etc. as reason why there is this growing apathy among many nurses. It's a tough field for the young.
But Gawd knows we need you.

I'm almost 60. have been doing all kinds of med-surg for 29 years in nursing. Also many years of hospice patients at home, and call center triage and advice. Always wanted to do bedside nursing but not the special units.
Just finishing my first travel assignment and heading for my second starting next monday. Wanted to wind up my career this way before i go back and just do per diem shifts in the little SNFs and hospitals in my little town and surroundings.
I don't really look all of 60 so maybe that helps. But when nurses get to talking and they ask i just answer directly and say i am 60. I may not have that vibrant energy and idealism that some of the younger nurses have, but i do have a quiet endurance, determination, and i still have my enthusiasm for nursing!!!:42::nurse-clap:

[91B]

I have to wonder if the study took into account the ages of nursing students. I am 38. I am not the oldest in my class, so even though someone is a brand new nurse, they might not be brand new to to world, so to speak.

That could swing that age bracket a bit.