Work attitudes of older RNs

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Research
• Gerontology in Healthcare
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• The aging registered nurse (RN) population presents unique challenges and opportunities for the healthcare sector.
• Understanding the work attitudes and characteristics of older RNs is crucial for workforce planning and retention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the characteristics and work attitudes of older RNs (≥50 years) with younger RNs (<50 years) across two time periods.
• To examine differences among older RNs based on their employment status: working in nursing, working outside nursing, or not working.

Main Methods:

• Data were collected from 1,906 RNs across Metropolitan Statistical Areas in 29 states.
• Comparative analysis was performed on work attitudes, including distributive justice, cohesion, support, constraints, workload, satisfaction, commitment, and intent to quit.

Main Results:

• Older RNs reported higher distributive justice, work group cohesion, and supervisory support, with lower organizational constraints and quantitative workload compared to younger RNs.
• Older RNs exhibited greater job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and lower desire to quit than their younger counterparts.
• No significant differences were found between age groups regarding autonomy, mentor support, or job variety.

Conclusions:

• Older RNs generally possess more favorable work attitudes and job satisfaction, indicating their value to the nursing profession.
• Healthcare employers and policymakers should implement strategic initiatives to retain experienced RNs, attract those in non-nursing roles back to the profession, and engage retired RNs.