title: Nursing and the aging workforce: myths and reality, what do we really know?
abstract: Not unlike the general population, the population of nurses is aging. This trend is problematic for the nursing workforce in the light of a predicted shortage yet the extent of the effect of the aging population is unknown. What should individuals older than 45 years know to mitigate the effects of aging both physically and professionally? This article describes the magnitude of the aging nursing workforce issue, explores the myths and realities related to the aging process, discusses evidence-based strategies supporting healthy aging and retention of experienced nurses in one Magnet hospital, and introduces recommendations for further study.
authors.affiliation: Central Baptist Hospital Administration, 1740 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY 40503, USA. khill@bhsi.com
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D005544:Forecasting; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007629:Kentucky; D008875:Middle Aged; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011367:Professional Staff Committees; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014830:Vocational Guidance; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control