Retaining older nurses in primary care and the community

Area of Science:

• Nursing workforce studies
• Gerontology in healthcare
• Healthcare management

Background:

• Limited understanding of factors influencing retention of older nurses in primary and community care.
• Need to identify reasons for departure and incentives for continued service.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of age on the retention of female nurses in primary and community care within England's National Health Service.
• To identify factors contributing to job satisfaction and retention among older nurses.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional postal survey conducted in 2005.
• Involved 485 district nurses, health visitors, school nurses, and practice nurses across five primary care trusts.
• Data analyzed for associations between variables.

Main Results:

• Older nurses reported higher role expectation fulfillment.
• Key retention factors: feeling valued, consultation during change, pension considerations, reduced hours/workload near retirement.
• Degree-qualified nurses cited enhanced pay.
• Reasons for leaving: high admin workload, work-family conflict, lack of support.
• Retirement/pension advice was scarce.

Conclusions:

• Maintaining job satisfaction is crucial throughout a nurse's career.
• Policy makers and managers must address workplace issues to prevent premature departures.
• Creating a supportive environment aligned with nurses' retention priorities is essential.