Accommodating the needs of the aging registered nurse workforce

The average age of registered nurses is 45, according to the 2000 national Sample Survey of Registered Nurses as shown in results released in February 2002. With the nursing workforce aging and few young people entering the profession administrators will need to entertain ideas that will aid in retention of the older nurses. A descriptive survey design was used to determine the awareness of and any plans for the aging Registered Nurse (RN) workforce by Alabama nursing administrators in hospitals and nursing homes. The average of all responding facilities for employed RNs over the age of 55 is 11.78%, with hospitals average being 11.68% and nursing homes being 11.43%. Fifty-four percent of administrators were at least moderately aware of the aging workforce. There was a higher percentage noted in nursing homes (57%) than hospitals (40%). All administrators responded that they wished to retain older RNs. Unfortunately, 96.3% of Alabama hospitals and nursing homes have no policies currently in place to address the needs of the aging registered nurse workforce.