Nurses' intention to work after retirement, work ability and perceptions after retirement: a scoping review.

Wonpen Kaewpan,Karl Peltzer

doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.33.217.17568

Abstract

Nurses have been identified as active workforce post-retirement. Little is known about nurses' intention to work post-retirement and their work ability and perceptions post-retirement. The aim of this scoping review is to identify studies that have investigated nurses' intention and recruitment strategies to work post-retirement and their work ability and perceptions post-retirement. PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Nursing and Health Database and in addition Google scholar were searched using different keywords (retired nurses, retired RNs, work intention, work ability, work perceptions, and older nurses) and an independent reviewer cross-validated all the identified articles. Of the thirty-seven studies identified from the search, 26 papers were excluded based on exclusion criteria, with a total of 11 studies finally included in the study sample. The review found in two studies low and high intentions to work as nurses after retirement. Factors influencing both intentions and recruitment strategies to work as a nurse post-retirement focused on lighter and flexible work conditions, supportive environment, financial incentives and formal rehiring policies. Nurses working post-retirement reported benefits (intrinsic factors such as self-worth, overcoming social isolation) and barriers (such as job demands and reduced physical work ability). The review found low and high intentions to work as nurses after retirement and identified factors influencing both intentions and recruitment strategies to work as a nurse post-retirement and benefits and barriers of working as nurses post-retirement that can inform strategies to retain nurses post-retirement.

Highlights

There appears to be a growing shortage of nurses [1,2,3]
Previous reviews of research studies focused on the intention and work ability of nurses to retain them into employment until retirement [13,14,15,16,17,18,19], but we are not aware of a review of studies focusing on the intention, recruitment strategies, work ability and perception of nurses postretirement, which prompted this scoping review
The scoping review found low and high intentions to work as nurses after retirement, and identified factors influencing both intentions and recruitment strategies to work as a nurse post-retirement and benefits and barriers of working as nurses post-retirement that can inform strategies to retain nurses post-retirement

Summary

Introduction

There appears to be a growing shortage of nurses [1,2,3]. In addition, the average age of the nursing workforce has been increasing [4, 5]. The research on policy on demand and supply projection of nurses for the period of 2017 to 2021 found that the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in Thailand will become more severe in 10 years due to early leaving of young nurses and retirement of senior nurses [10]. There is a scarcity of research on how retired professional nurses can help in filling some of the gaps of the nursing shortage [12]. Some research seem to suggest that retired nurses are entering the workforce again because of financial reasons, which could have positive impact on the nursing shortage [12]. Previous reviews of research studies focused on the intention and work ability of nurses to retain them into employment until retirement [13,14,15,16,17,18,19], but we are not aware of a review of studies focusing on the intention, recruitment strategies, work ability and perception of nurses postretirement, which prompted this scoping review

Methods

Conclusion

Tables and figure

Method