7.4.2 Flexible working and the contribution of older nurses in the workforce (397)

Ruth Harris, Senior Researcher, Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, Kingston University - St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom Co authors: Janette Bennett & Barbara Davey ruharris@hscs.sgul.ac.uk

Abstract:

Concerns about the future shortage of nurses is a key challenge to the modernisation of health care delivery. The increasing age or ‘greying’ of the workforce has prompted a number of strategies to improve working lives and to encourage older nurses to continue to work in the NHS after retirement (DH 2000a, 2000b). Flexible working is one such initiative that has had a huge impact on work life in a large number of industries (Pettinger 2002). This paper presents findings from a Department of Health funded study. The study was undertaken within two inner city case study sites, one an acute trust and the other an integrated health and social care trust. Data were collected using focus groups and biographical semi-structured interviews with nurses (n=10 and n=37 respectively) and telephone interviews with trust managers (n=17). The study examined the organisational, professional and personal factors that influence participation in the workforce for nurses working in mid-life (aged 45 and over). The study found that flexible working was greatly valued although there was evidence of variation in nurses' and managers' perceptions of the access to and operation of flexible working. Furthermore, challenges to its implementation were identified and these include the nature of the service setting, shift patterns, management style of service managers and seniority of position. There was evidence that the working patterns of some older nurses with no caring responsibilities were accommodating for the flexible working of their colleagues. Thus, for some, flexible working may inadvertently produce an ‘inflexible’ workforce. The findings have implications for maximising the contribution of older nurses and workforce planning.

Biography:

Ruth Harris is a senior researcher at Kingston University and St. George’s, University of London. Previously she worked in several research posts including research fellow/deputy director in the Nursing Research Unit, King’s College London, senior nurse for R&D in an acute NHS Trust and lead researcher of a NHS funded RCT of a nursing-led inpatient unit. Ruth has a clinical background in medical nursing and care of older people and has worked as a primary nurse on a King's Fund funded Nursing Development Unit (NDU) and as the senior primary nurse / ward manager on a nursing-led intermediate care unit. Her research interests include the development and evaluation of nursing-led services within intermediate care, the impact of the nursing workforce on processes of care and patient outcomes, and evaluation of patient assessment instruments. Current work includes the development and evaluation of a workload measurement tool for use in neurological rehabilitation, exploration of the support needs of carers of people who have had a stroke and a recently completed multi-method, systematic review of self-assessment of health and social care needs by older people.