Can a nurse be too old to work at the bedside?
Written by AMNT Guest 3/25/2011 11:53:13 AM
Donna Cardillo, MA, RN
A recent New York
Times article begged the question, “How old is too old for doctors to
continue practicing medicine?” It noted that increasing numbers of physicians
are now over 65 years old and cited instances where some physicians, who
apparently suffered from cognitive and other age-related ailments, simply were
not able to practice safely and caused harm to patients. I couldn’t help but
wonder if the same applies to some “older” nurses working at the bedside.
Let’s consider the facts: Many nurses are still working at
the bedside in their 70s and a few even in their 80s. Granted, every nurse is
different and age alone is not an indictor of ability. But the inevitable truth
is that the older we get the more we are prone to age-related ailments ,such as
Parkinson’s and dementia, which are often undiagnosed. And since nurses, like
the rest of the population, are living and working longer (many out of sheer
necessity), will those nurses be able to recognize when they are no longer able
to do their bedside job to the best of their ability? Can we even see in
ourselves when our slowed reflexes, diminished critical thinking skills, and
lessened agility hamper our practice and potentially endanger our patients and
ourselves?
This does not imply that all nurses should stop working at
the bedside at a certain age or that they should stop working at all. It simply
raises the question about one’s own ability to continue competent and safe
bedside practice indefinitely. This concern comes at a time when 10,000 baby boomers
are turning 65 each day — that’s
right, each day. And many of them are in the current bedside nursing workforce
and are being required to work 12-hour shifts. (See post dated 10/26/10 “Are 12-hour shifts safe?”)
If you manage or employ nurses in a direct patient care role
who seem to no longer have the speed, agility, or quick thinking skills
necessary to provide competent care at the bedside, what do you do? Do you
suggest or require that the nurse transfer to an alternative-type specialty or
department within the facility or do you do nothing and pray that the situation
will work itself out?
So let’s say a nurse decides for himself or herself, or is
deemed by an employer, it isn’t safe to practice at the bedside. That doesn’t mean that the nurse should
be sent out to pasture and is no longer productive on any level. Of course
nurses have many options of work settings, specialties, schedules, and types of
work. So there are always alternatives. An in-patient bedside role is only one
way for nurses to work. But since many nurses have never considered alternative
work settings/roles and may not even know what many of them are, this can
create a personal and career crisis for some.
It’s time for the nursing community to have open and frank
discussions about our aging workforce as it relates to ability to do a
particular job. It is also time for employers to offer more flexible scheduling
and hours for older nurses and to create a plan to transition some nurses into
alternate positions/settings within their organization. Some healthcare
facilities are already doing this but many are not. It is also time for all
nurses to be realistic about what is an appropriate work setting, pace, and
schedule for them and to explore alternatives as necessary. If we don’t, it may
just be a matter of time before our employer and/or a regulatory body does it
for us.
Older nurses, whether new graduates or seasoned veterans,
have plenty to offer and are a vital component of our current and future
healthcare system. Let’s all work together to have a realistic, safe, and
supportive vision and plan for every stage of the lifecycle of a nurse.
Donna Wilk Cardillo is the Career Guru for Nurses and “Dear Donna” columnist for <i>Nursing Spectrum, NurseWeek, and www.nurse.com. Donna is also an ‘Expert’ Blogger at DoctorOz.com. She is author of The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses, Your 1st Year as a Nurse, and A Daybook for Beginning Nurses. Ms. Cardillo is creator of the Career Alternatives for Nurses® seminar and home-study program. You can reach her at www.dcardillo.com.
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