How do older nurses perceive their clinical competence and the effects of age?

In 1996, the first of the baby boomer population bulge that includes registered nurses (RNs) will reach age 50. Considering the prevailing negative stereotypes about women, nurses, and older adults in general, it is necessary to understand the abilities and needs of older nurses. This qualitative study was the first stage of a needs assessment of professionally mature RNs. Eight female RNs, employed full-time in an acute care setting and over age 50, were interviewed to determine their perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about their own professional competence and how they believed they were perceived by others. Results indicated that older RNs felt good about themselves and the profession, and valued traditional bedside nursing and professional behaviors. Of the eight recurring themes found, the need for continuing education generated the most discussion. Will the methods and resources of the past meet the educational needs of the older nurses? Further study is recommended to discover their needs and the needs of their employers.