Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jun;79(6):2119-2135.
doi: 10.1111/jan.15569. Epub 2023 Jan 25.

Extending ageing nurses' working lives: A mixed-methods systematic review

Anu Nurmeksela  1 , Tarja Välimäki  1 , Tarja Kvist  1 , Helmiina Savolainen  2 , Vanesa Tahiraj  3 , Marja Hult  1
Affiliations

Extending ageing nurses' working lives: A mixed-methods systematic review

Anu Nurmeksela et al. J Adv Nurs. 2023 Jun.

Abstract

Aim(s): To identify, describe and assess research evidence on factors that promote working until and beyond the official retirement age among nurses.

Design: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Prospero id: CRD42022303890.

Data sources: The CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Scopus, SocINDEX and Web of Science databases were searched in December 2021.

Review methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist was followed. Two researchers independently applied eligibility criteria, selected studies and conducted quality appraisals. Data-based convergent synthesis and thematic analysis were used.

Results: Eighteen studies were included, most of which were survey-based. Eleven studies were quantitative, six were qualitative and one used mixed methods. Our results reveal that willingness to continue in work increased with age. Six factors promoted working until and beyond the official retirement age among nurses: good health and work ability, the significance of work sufficient income, meaningful relationships and support in the working community, individually tailored work arrangements, and organizational support and recognition.

Conclusion: To sustain experienced nurses in working life and promote their working beyond retirement age organizations urgently need to apply throughout working lives supporting age management schemes. Interventions should target supportive relations and individual and flexible arrangements at the workplace. Scarce studies investigated factors contributing to an extension of working life among nurses. Most published evidence on this topic is based primarily on nurses' subjective opinions and preferences: no intervention studies or objective evaluations of factors affecting retirement were found.

Impact: The available evidence suggests the most critical factors for extending nurses' working lives are support and individual and flexible arrangements in the workplace. There is a need to test interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of measures encouraging nurses to extend their working lives.

No patient or public contribution: Systematic review.

Keywords: early; extending working life; nurse; occupational health; retirement; systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Ang, S. Y., Ayoob, S. B. M., Hussain, N. B. S., Uthaman, T., Adenan, H., Chiang, P., Ong, L. T., Fong, M. K., & Ostbye, T. (2016). Older nurses in Singapore: Factors associated with attitudes towards extending working life. Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare, 25(4), 222-229. https://doi.org/10.1177/2010105816655553
    1. Buchan, J., Catton, H., & Shaffer, F. (2022). Sustain and retain in 2022 and beyond chief executive officer. International Council of Nurses. www.intlnursemigration.org
    1. Cleaver, K., Markowski, M., & Wels, J. (2021). Factors influencing older nurses' decision making around the timing of retirement: An explorative mixed-method study. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(1), 169-178. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13447
    1. Clendon, J., & Walker, L. (2016). Nurses aged over 50 and their perceptions of flexible working. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(3), 336-346. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12325
    1. De Preter, H., Van Looy, D., & Mortelmans, D. (2013). Individual and institutional push and pull factors as predictors of retirement timing in Europe: A multilevel analysis. Journal of Aging Studies, 27(4), 299-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2013.06.003

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources