Older nurses' experiences of providing direct care in hospital nursing units: a qualitative evidence systematic review protocol.

Abstract

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to understand the experience of older nurses providing direct care in hospital nursing units. The review question that will guide this review is: what is the experience of older nurses providing direct care in hospital nursing units? INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of participants: This review will consider studies that include registered nurses 45 years and older who work as direct care nurses on any type of in-patient hospital nursing unit. For the purposes of this study older nurses will be defined as 45 years and above as this is consistent with the literature. Studies that include nurses both over and under the age of 45 years will be included if findings for nurses 45 years and older can be separated from nurses under the age of 45 years. This review will exclude studies consisting entirely of enrolled nurses, licensed practical nurses, and licensed vocational nurses. The rationale for this is that registered nurses have a level of competence and skill that enables them to perform nursing competencies at a much different level than enrolled nurses, licensed practical nurses, and licensed vocational nurses, thus the nature of their nursing experience is most likely quite different. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest: The phenomenon of interest is the experience of providing direct nursing care as experienced by the population of older nurses. Types of outcomes/context: The context is the provision of direct nursing care in an in-patient hospital nursing unit.