Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Australian Health Review Australian Health Review Society
Journal of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AH > AH09684
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 34(1)

An ageing nursing workforce

Elizabeth M. Graham A and Christine Duffield A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Health Services Management, University of Technology, PO Box 123, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: christine.duffield@uts.edu.au

Australian Health Review 34(1) 44-48 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH09684
Submitted: 27 August 2008  Accepted: 29 July 2009   Published: 25 March 2010

Abstract

There are well documented workforce shortages in nursing. Many strategies have been suggested to resolve the issue, including increasing migration or training places, changing skill mix or nurses’ roles, redesigning nursing work, and greater use of unregulated or unlicensed workers. One of the contributing and growing factors is the ageing of the workforce, but methods of retaining older employees have been given very little attention.

This paper examines the impact of ageing on individuals, the ageing nursing workforce and the implications for government policy given its current status.

What is known about the topic? A generation of ‘baby boomer’ nurses are reaching retirement age. The nursing workforce is in crisis due to there being less entrants to the workforce as a result of lower birth rates, wider choices of career, and nurses leaving the profession for less stressful, more satisfying jobs.

What does this paper add? This paper outlines the necessity for the employment of retention strategies for older nurses in the workforce. It dispels myths about the functional capabilities of ageing nurses.

What are the implications for practitioners? Health managers should canvass ageing nurses to discover strategies that would encourage them to extend their working life. Only then could it become feasible to plan practical solutions to ease the global nursing shortage.


References


[1] United States General Accounting Office. Older workers: policies of other nations to increase labor force participation. Report to the Ranking Minority Member, Special Committee on Aging, US Senate. Washington: United States of General Accounting Office, 2003. Available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03307.pdf [verified May 2005].

[2] Purcell PJ. Older workers: employment and retirement trends. Mon Labor Rev 2000; 123(10): 19–30.
[verified April 2005].

[4] Tarrant D. Exit strategy. Australian CPA 2004; 74(6): 28–30.
[verified May 2005].

[6] Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Social Trends. Canberra: ABS, 2007. (ABS Cat. No. 4102.0.) Available at http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4102.0?OpenDocument [verified May 2008].

[7] Taylor P . Global ageing – meeting the business challenges. Prepared for the symposium “An Ageless Workforce – Opportunities for Business”; 2003 Aug 27; Sydney. Available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/ageing-ofoa-wllplan-aawpapers.htm/$file/aawtaylor.pdf [verified August 2006].

[8] Walker A . Work after 45 – sociological perspective. In: Kilbom Å, Westerholm P, Hallsten L, Furåker B, eds. Work after 45? National Institute for Working Life, Proceedings from a Scientific Conference. Stockholm; 1996 Sep 22–25; (1): 29–46.

[9] International Council of Nurses. An ageing nursing workforce. Geneva: ICN, 2008. Available at http://www.icn.ch/matters.htm [verified May 2008].

[10] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nursing and midwifery labour force 2005. Canberra: AIHW, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. HWL 40.)

[11] O’Brien-Pallas L,  Duffield C,  Alksnis C. Who will be there to nurse? Retention of nurses nearing retirement. J Nurs Adm 2004; 34(6): 298–302.
| PubMed | [verified May 2005].

[13] Duffield C , Roche M , O’Brien-Pallas L , Diers D , Aisbett C , King M , Aisbett K , Hall J . Gluing it together: nurses, their work environment and patient safety. Sydney: Centre for Health Services Management, University of Technology Sydney, 2007. Available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2007/nwr_report.html [verified May 2008].

[14] Healy CM,  McKay MF. Nursing stress: the effects of coping strategies and job satisfaction in a sample of Australian nurses. J Adv Nurs 2000; 31(3): 681–8.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | CAS | [verified May 2008].

[19] Commonwealth of Australia. National Review of Nursing Education 2002: our duty of care. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002.

[20] Koopman-Boyden PG,  MacDonald L. Ageing, work performance and managing ageing academics. J High Educ Policy Manage 2003; 25(1): 29–40.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | [verified May 2008].

[22] Hardy MA , Baird CL . Is it all about aging? Technology and aging in social context. In: Charness N, Schaie W, eds. Impact of technology on successful aging. New York: Springer Publishing, 2003.

[23] Churchill JD,  Galvez R,  Colecombe S,  Swain RA,  Kramer AF,  Greenough WT. Exercise, experience and the aging brain. Neurobiol Aging 2002; 23 941–55.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | [verified May 2006].

[25] Ilmarinen JE. Aging workers. Occup Environ Med 2001; 58 546.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | [verified November 2006].

[33] Government of New South Wales. Mature workforce: policy and guidelines. Sydney: Premier’s Department, 1998.

[34] Government of Tasmania. Employment issues facing mature age workers and jobseekers in Tasmania. Hobart: Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2001. Available at http://www.ossc.tas.gov.au/issues/mature-age-workers.pdf [verified November 2006].

[35] Government of Victoria. Addressing impacts of population ageing on labour force participation: Strategic Policy Group preliminary report. Melbourne: Department of Treasury and Finance, 2005. Available at http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/DTF/rwp323.nsf/0/c31777f9b5a03dbeca2570110004de66/$FILE/Addressing%20Impacts%20of%20Population%20Ageing%20on%20Labour%20Force%20Participation.pdf [verified October 2006].

[36] Encel S . Age can work: the case for older Australians staying in the workforce. Australian Council of Trade Unions, Business Council of Australia, 2003.

[37] Australian Council of Trade Unions. The future of work – older workers policy. 2003. Available at http://www.actu.asn.au/congress2003/draftpolicies/olderworkerspolicy.html [verified August 2006].

[38] Robinson P , O’Connor A. Retain older workers: report. The Age 2003; 23 April.

[39] Toomey S. Wisdom in older heads. The Weekend Australian 2006; 1 April.

[40] Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Grey matters – positive ageing workforce education project. http://www.vecci.org.au [verified November 2006].

[41] Australian Public Service Commission. Flexible working arrangements for older workers. 2003. Available at http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications)#/maturedewr.htm [verified May 2005].

[42] Commonwealth of Australia. Productive and safe workplaces for an ageing workforce. Canberra: Comcare, 2003.

[43] Department of Health. Code of Practice for the supply of temporary staffing. 2002. Available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/ Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4008054 [verified October 2003].

[44] Government of New South Wales. Introducing workplace flexibility. Sydney: Department of Commerce, Office of Industrial Relations, 2004. Available at http://www.workandfamily.nsw.gov.au/ [verified August 2006].

[45] Government of Queensland. Workforce Demographics Toolkit: framework and strategies for an ageing workforce. Brisbane: Department of Industrial Relations, 2002.

[46] Government of South Australia. Prosperity through people: a population policy for South Australia. Adelaide: Government of South Australia, 2004. Available at http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub182.html [verified November 2006].

[47] Government of Western Australia. Phased retirement in the Western Australian public sector. Perth: Department of the Premier and Cabinet, 2003. Available at http://www.publicsector.wa.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Non-Current%20-%20Workforce%20Beyond%202000%20-%20Phased%20Retirement%20in%20the%20WA%20Public%20Sector.pdf [verified November 2006].

[48] Government of New South Wales. Positive ageing strategy hunter (PASH): strategic directions 2004–2009. Sydney: Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, 2004.

[49] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nursing and midwifery labour force 2003. Canberra: AIHW, 2005. (AIHW Cat. No. HWL 31.)

[50] Schofield DJ,  Beard JR. Baby boomer doctors and nurses: demographic change and transitions to retirement. Med J Aust 2005; 183(2): 80–3.
| PubMed | [verified May 2005].

[52] Andrews J,  Manthorpe J,  Watson R. Employment transitions for older nurses: a qualitative study. J Adv Nurs 2005; 51(3): 298–306.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | [verified April 2005].

[58] Productivity Commission. Economic implications of an ageing Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Productivity Commission, 2005.