Older women nurses: health, ageing concerns and self-care strategies Sarah Gabrielle, Debra Jackson & Judy Mannix Accepted for publication 12 October 2007 Correspondence to S. Gabrielle: e-mail: debra.jackson@uws.edu.au Sarah Gabrielle BN RN PhD Candidate School of Nursing College of Health and Science University of Western Sydney New South Wales, Australia Debra Jackson PhD RN Professorial Fellow School of Nursing College of Health and Science University of Western Sydney New South Wales, Australia Judy Mannix MN RN Senior Lecturer School of Nursing College of Health and Science University of Western Sydney New South Wales, Australia GABRIELLE S., GABRIELLE S., JACKSON D JACKSON D. & . & MANNIX J. (2008) MANNIX J. (2008) Older women nurses: health, ageing concerns and self-care strategies. Journal of Advanced Nursing 61(3), 316– 325 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04530.x Abstract Title. Older women nurses: health, ageing concerns and self-care strategies Aim. This paper is a report of a study of the health and ageing concerns and self- care strategies of older female Registered Nurses currently working in direct care- giving roles in acute public hospitals and community facilities. Background. Nursing is a rapidly ageing, and female-dominated workforce. However, despite the ageing of the nursing workforce, little is known about the needs and health concerns of older nurses. Method. A feminist perspective was used and 12 female Registered Nurses aged 40– 60 years, employed in various acute hospital and community health settings in Australia took part in qualitative interviews in late 2004. Narratives were audio taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. Findings. Two major themes were identified. The first theme – Aches and pains of ageing – had four subthemes: Neglecting self: ‘You don’t think of yourself first’; Physical changes: ‘The body is wearing out’; Living with pain: ‘You just work around it’; and Tiredness: ‘I’m just tired all the time’. The second theme – Evolving lifestyles: works in progress – had three subthemes: The power of exercise: ‘I feel great…and I’m enjoying life’; Healthy eating: ‘Low fat, lots of fruit and veg, little processed food’; and Adapting to ageing: ‘I think it’s quite a good time of life’. Conclusion. Further research is needed to explore the need for protective work practices and promoting healthy lifestyle practices for ageing nurses. Managers need to recognize the changing health needs of older clinical nurses and offer, for example, flexible rostering and tailored exercise programmes to promote their health. Keywords: ageing, feminist research, health concerns, interviews, nurses, self-care, thematic analysis, women Introduction Nursing is a rapidly ageing and female-dominated workforce and, in keeping with the international situation, Australia is experiencing a shortage of nurses (Buchan 1999; Senate Community Affairs Committee 2002, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2003; Wickett et al. 2003). Currently, the average age of Australian nurses is 41Æ6 years and further age increases over the next decade are predicted (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2003). This pattern is ORIGINAL RESEARCH JAN 316 Ó 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation Ó 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd