title: Sustainable employability in shiftwork: related to types of work schedule rather than age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is scarce research on age and sustainable employability of nurses working in various types of work schedules. Earlier research showed that nurses working in work schedules differ regarding age. Different operationalisations of age might explain variations in sustainable employability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate how nurses working in various types of work schedule differ regarding sustainable employability, and the role that age plays in these differences. Age was defined as chronological age, organisational age, life-span age, and functional age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were distributed to 974 Dutch nurses in residential elder care (response rate 51 %) with questions about the type of work schedule, aspects of sustainable employability, various operationalisations of age, and registered sickness absence data were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nurses working in various types of work schedules differed regarding aspects of sustainable employability, also when operationalisations of age were added. The 'life-span age' was directly related to aspects of sustainable employability. Statistically, work ability and job satisfaction were only explained by varying operationalisations of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses' sustainable employability appeared to be mainly related to differences between the types of work schedule rather than age. Fixed early shifts are characterised by the most positive aspects of sustainable employability, and three rotating schedules score worst. To improve sustainable employability, organisations should implement a system in which nurses with different types of work schedule are monitored in combination with their life-span perspective.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Studies, HAN University of Applied sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Velibor.Peters@han.nl.|Department of Social Medicine, Research Institute Primary Care and Public Health (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands. Velibor.Peters@han.nl.
authors.forename: Velibor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupation & Health, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, HAN University of Applied sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Josephine A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Research Institute Primary Care and Public Health (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Angelique E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: de Rijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frans J N
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Nijhuis
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance
keywords: Chronological age; Functional age; Life-span age; Organisational age; Sustainable employability; Work schedules