Healthy work environments for the ageing nursing workforce

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Facility Design
• Gerontology

Background:

• Older nurses are extending their careers past traditional retirement age.
• Aging nurses frequently encounter chronic fatigue and age-related physical and cognitive changes.
• Nursing's physically demanding nature leads many older nurses to work through pain during patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify physical challenges faced by aging nurses.
• To explore facility design features that foster healthy work environments.
• To encourage the continued employment of experienced nurses.

Main Methods:

• Searched electronic databases across medicine, nursing, psychology, and architecture.
• Evaluated a range of literature, including evidence-based, non-evidence-based, and review articles.
• Included government and organizational newsletters in the review.

Main Results:

• Hospital design is a key factor in addressing the physical demands on older nurses.
• Specific design elements can mitigate the physical challenges associated with aging in the nursing profession.
• Optimizing the work environment through design can enhance the experience of older nurses.

Conclusions:

• Aging nurses possess invaluable knowledge and expertise that should be retained.
• Thoughtful design of nursing units can significantly improve the work experience for older nurses.
• Nurse managers must actively engage in design processes to advocate for supportive environments for aging nurses.