Job satisfaction, work environment and successful ageing: Determinants of delaying retirement among acute care nurses

• Published in: Journal of advanced nursing Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 900 - 913
• Main Authors: Wargo‐Sugleris, Michele, Robbins, Wendie, Lane, Christianne Joy, Phillips, Linda. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2018
• Subjects: acute care; Acute services; Adult; Age Factors; Aging; Cross-Sectional Studies; delayed retirement; Early retirement; Female; Florida; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Middle Aged; Motivation; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Nursing Staff, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; older; Personnel Turnover - statistics & numerical data; Policy making; Retention; Retirement; Retirement - psychology; successful ageing; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work environment; Workplace - psychology; delayed retirement; nursing; older; work environment; nurses; successful ageing; job satisfaction; acute care
• ISSN: 0309-2402; 1365-2648
• DOI: 10.1111/jan.13504

Aim To determine the relationships between job satisfaction, work environment and successful ageing and how these factors relate to Registered Nurses’ intent to retire. Background Although little studied, retention of older nurses by delaying early retirement, before age 65, is an important topic for research. Qualitative and quantitative studies have indicated that job satisfaction work environment and successful ageing are key motivators in acute care Registered Nurses retention and/or delaying retirement. This study was designed to provide information to administrators and policy makers about retaining older, experienced RNs longer and more productively. Design This was a correlational, descriptive, cross‐sectional study. Methods An online survey of acute care Registered Nurses (N = 2,789) aged 40 years or older working in Florida was conducted from September ‐ October 2013. Participants completed items related to job satisfaction, work environment, successful ageing and individual characteristics. Hypotheses derived from the modified Ellenbecker's Job Retention Model were tested using regression analysis. Results Job satisfaction scores were high. Highest satisfaction was with scheduling issues and co‐workers; lowest with advancement opportunities. Successful ageing scores were also high with 81% reporting excellent or good health. Work environment explained 55% of the variance in job satisfaction. Years to retirement were significantly associated with successful ageing (p < .001), age (p < .001) and income (p < .010). Conclusions This study provides quantitative evidence that environment and successful ageing are important areas that have an impact on job satisfaction and delay of retirement in older nurses and further studies in these areas are warranted to expand on this knowledge.