Ageism directed at older nurses in their workplace: A systematic review
HOPE Scholar, Chunxu Chen, presented this poster at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Annual Conference in Wellington, August 24.
Abstract: Global population ageing has triggered significant demographic changes across various sectors, including nursing, where the average age of nurses has been steadily increasing in many countries. While research has extensively documented the detrimental effects of ageism on older workers, there remains limited understanding of ageism directed at older nurses in their work environments. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review, following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, to gather evidence on the impact of ageism and interventions to address it in the work environments of older regulated nurses. The review included nineteen empirical studies that focused on ageism in older nurses’ workplaces, including approaches to mitigate ageism in their practice settings. Our findings showed the prevalence of ageism in these settings, which influenced older nurses’ decisions to continue to practise. Moreover, cultivating a positive attitude towards ageing, fostering meaningful relationships in the workplace, and promoting age inclusive environments were identified as strategies to support older nurses’ continuation of practice. To address ageism and support older nurses, effective interventions need to be organisational-led. However, there is a notable dearth of research addressing organisational support for older registered nurses engaged in direct patient care, and the perspectives of organisational representatives on organisational support for older registered nurses’ continuation of practice. This research gap has informed a doctoral study focused on organisational support for the continuation of practice of older registered nurses who provide direct patient care.
A pdf of this poster is available to download.
Chunxu Chen is a PhD Candidate from AUT. Dr Kay Shannon is supervising Chunxu.
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