[rpv_rn]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/521375?src=mp

Excerpts from article:

Between 2010 and 2020, over 40% of the RN workforce will be over 50 years of age, and many RNs are expected to retire and withdraw from the workforce.

Studies suggest there may be some important differences between older and younger RNs. Letvak (2002) reported older nurses are more likely to work in outpatient, community, and other non-acute care settings, and Buchan (1999) found the same in countries outside of the United States.

There also is evidence that older nurses favor working 8 instead of 12-hour shifts (Hoffman & Scott, 2003). However, results are mixed with respect to whether older RNs compared to younger RNs are more satisfied with both their jobs and nursing as a career (Division of Nursing, 2000; Hoffman & Scott, 2003).

Selected demographic and work characteristics of working older and younger RNs included in the sample are shown in Table 1 .

Older RNs represent approximately 31% of RNs surveyed. As a group, they are more likely to have an associate degree as the highest nursing degree and less likely than younger RNs to have a baccalaureate degree. As a group, older RNs reported less earnings compared to younger RNs.

Among RNs not working, 60% were retired, 13% were not working for health reasons, 7% indicated they were burned out, and 4% cited family care responsibilities. About one-third of older RNs plan to leave their current nursing position in the next 3 years; however, older RNs are more likely than younger RNs to say they will remain in their current position. Moreover, of those older RNs planning to leave their current nursing position, nearly half (47%) intend to retire, 29% intend to take another position in nursing, 15% to change professions, and 15% to take time out for family or personal reasons.

In a recent survey of student nurses, older students were as interested in acute care nursing positions as their younger counterparts (Norman, Buerhaus, Donelan, McCloskey, & Dittus, 2005). Thus, it may be that older new nursing graduates may choose to be employed in hospitals whereas older practicing RNs choose other care delivery settings where demands are less intense.

[karenpacu]

i have been lurking around long enough, so here is my first post. I am an RN, bsn who worked in pacu for 25 years, moved to ASU for 2 years and now I am doing presurgical teating. The stress of PACU is gone, and my legs feel 100% better. I am 65 years old and dont see retirement in the near future. I love my new job.

[QuigRN]

Good for you, Karen!! I am 55 and love nursing and do not plan to retire or slow down for a long time!

[spidermonkey]

[casualjim]

I'm only 44 but I'm not even done with School yet! I'm not even pondering being started let alone quitting

[CuttingEdgeRN]

HI all
I am 48. Graduated in 1980. Worked 3 years in ICU then switched to surgery. All at the same hospital! I took a 4 year day off (OR burn-out) in 1998, and then went back to the same OR working three days a week, 8 hour shifts. I was in management before my burn out, and NOW I love just circulating. I will fill in "running the board" when manager is off. My age fits into those statistics for sure. I will keep at it though as long as I am able.

[TheCommuter]

I am in my mid-20s and frequently mistaken for a teenager and/or a nursing assistant or housekeeping personell. This annoys me greatly.

So there is an advantage to being an older nurse.

BTW this story was emailed to me today since I've been registered with Medscape for the last couple of months.

[fergus51]

I was surprised that only 7% said they were out of the profession because of burn out.

I definitely see the older nurses getting pulled to outpatient and other "regular hours" type jobs. We've lost 4 or 5 in the last year to jobs with better hours, no weekends, no holidays, etc. Night shift is almost all under 40 at my unit. It makes for an interesting social dynamic. I really feel out of place when I pick up hours on day shift since so many of the women are talking about menopause lately.

[1Tulip]

Oh, dear... I've never fit in with my "peer group".

I'm 56
My first degree in nursing was the BSN in 1971.
I'm going back into acute care after a 15 year hiatus
I'm looking forward to working 12 hour shifts.
I have no plans to retire.
I'm being paid more than the youngsters on the unit.
I don't mind working nights

(I do have a wee problem dropping into REM unexpectedly between 2 and 4 AM. This is not an age thing since I did it as a 24 year old. Nevertheless, I'll be taking split shifts or otherwise helping out with nights as needed.)

It's going to be interesting to see how well I do with physicians after all these years. I'm older than most of them. It will be different.

[Ruby Vee]

Twenty eight years of nursing here. I'm still working in the ICU, wouldn't give up my 12 hour shifts for anything, and have no plans to retire for the next decade. I wouldn't want a Monday-Friday 9-5 job. When would I go to the bank or to the movies? I like being off when everyone else is working. Only thing is, I suffer fools less gladly than I did 20 years ago!