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Article Date: 08/16/2007

Retaining Older Nurses May Be Key for Nursing Shortage Solution
A new study proposes that to help decrease the shortage of registered nurses in the United States, tactics that are used in other segments of the economy to entice workers to stay would be helpful on enticing experience nurses and nurses who have left the nursing profession to return to the market. Carol Brewer, Ph.D., is the co-author on the study shown in the August issue of "Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice." The study compared characteristics and work attitudes in RNs 50 years old and older with those of younger nurses. In addition, it compared responses of older registered nurses to those in the same age group that are working outside nursing field or are retired. The results of the study showed that older RNs were more satisfied, more committed to their organization and had less desire to quit than younger nurses. This may make older nurses a key factor in helping solve the nursing shortage, which would make their retention a high priority. Several ways that the study suggested for retaining older nurses' retention included expanding or creating appropriate work for older nurses who have substantial clinical experience; creating pools of older nurses that would be open to filling in during short-term needs; making equipment safer and more ergonomically correct; providing more flexible work hours; and increasing wages. To bring back nurses who are currently working outside of nursing, salaries and retirement plans should be used for enticement. While these nurses may not be up-to-date on current treatments, however, they could be used for the areas in the nursing profession that have not changed through the years.

Website Address: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/8801

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