J Nurs Manag. 2020;28:1473–1480. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jonm | 1473 © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
1 | INTRODUCTION
Amid their many staffing responsibilities, nurse managers pay
attention to macro-level workforce forecasts and micro-level
issues such as mentorship for early career nurses (Gan, 2019b;
Squires, Jylhä, Jun, Ensio, & Kinnunen, 2017). Researchers fore-
cast that the retirement of Baby-Boomer nurses (born between
1946 and 1964) and increased chronicity across populations will
exacerbate the nursing shortage problem (Auerbach, Buerhaus,
& Staiger, 2017; Buerhaus, Skinner, Auerbach, & Staiger, 2017;
Leineweber et al., 2016). Other international academics and clini-
cians have also raised concern about the attrition of experienced
Baby-Boomer nurses, noting that it will result in the loss of clini-
cal experience and tacit knowledge (Fackler, 2019; North, Leung,
& Lee, 2014; Sayers & Cleary, 2016) as well as affect care deliv-
ery especially at the bedside (Klug, 2009). However, it is crucial
Received: 21 June 2020
|
Revised: 6 August 2020
|
Accepted: 7 August 2020
DOI: 10.1111/jonm.13132
REVIEW ARTICLE
A scoping review of the nursing workforce's changing
demography: Supporting Baby-Boomer nurses
Ivan Gan JD, PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Arts & Communication,
University of Houston-Downtown, Houston,
TX, USA
Correspondence
Ivan Gan, Department of Arts &
Communication, University of Houston-
Downtown, One Main Street, Houston, TX
77002, USA.
Email: gani@uhd.edu
Abstract
Aims: This scoping review discusses two telecommuting options to advance scholar-
ship regarding Baby-Boomer nurses' delayed retirement and to extend their contri-
bution to bedside nursing.
Background: Peer-reviewed studies published in the 15 years before COVID-19 indi-
cate that Baby-Boomer nurses' retirement will increase the global nursing shortage.
However, three international trends have affected Baby-Boomer nurses' decision to
delay their retirement.
Evaluation: This review observed the scoping review framework.
Key issues: COVID-19 further disrupts the current understanding of Baby-Boomer
nurses' retirement as they recognize COVID-19's impact on health care systems and
younger nurses. Technological advancements and the changing needs of health care
delivery have made telecommuting a practical possibility.
Conclusion: Baby-Boomer nurses can leverage alternative work arrangements to
meet their needs and to contribute to clinical practice through telecommuting. This
approach extends Baby-Boomer nurses' careers and creates a resource for bedside
nurses.
Implications for Nursing Management: Clinical experience matters at the bedside.
Telecommuting maximizes the retention of Baby-Boomer nurses' clinical expertise
to benefit patients and to socialize bedside nurses. Baby-Boomer nurses can con-
tribute to patient monitoring as well as patient education and counselling through
telehealth. They can also provide asynchronous and synchronous telementoring to
bedside nurses.
KEYWORDS
economics, employment status, labour force, nursing, nursing personnel, occupational status