Nurse practitioners and intent to retire

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Research
• Gerontology
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Rising demand for primary care services necessitates understanding the retirement intentions of experienced Nurse Practitioners (NPs).
• Workforce planning is critical to ensure continued access to primary care.
• This study focuses on NPs aged 55 and older, a key demographic for retirement considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine factors associated with the intent to retire within 5 years among Nurse Practitioners aged 55 and older.
• To identify demographic and work environment characteristics influencing NP retirement decisions.
• To inform strategies for retaining experienced NPs in the workforce.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2012 National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners.
• Included 3171 working NPs aged 55 and older.
• Conducted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses to assess relationships between NP characteristics and retirement intent.

Main Results:

• 59% of NPs aged 60+ and 15% of NPs aged 55-59 intend to retire within 5 years.
• Working part-time and holding a non-master's degree were associated with higher retirement intent.
• High job satisfaction correlated with lower odds of intending to retire.

Conclusions:

• Job dissatisfaction and working in primary care were linked to retirement intent among NPs aged 55-59.
• Strategies to enhance job satisfaction may mitigate early retirement among NPs.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for effective NP workforce planning and retention.