The Experiences of Older Women Participating in the Workforce
Citation
Export citationSquire, M. O. (2008). The Experiences of Older Women Participating in the Workforce (Thesis, Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2499
Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2499
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of older working nurses and the reason they were still in the workforce while the majority of their cohort had exited from active nursing. New Zealand's legislative changes in the Human Rights Act, 1993 and the Employment Relations Act, 2000 makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age. In effect, this means the abolishment of mandatory retirement as the individual is now able to exit from the workforce by choice. For nurses the choice for exiting the workforce occurs noticeably in the 50-54 age group with further declines in subsequent years. This research study revealed a group of older nurses who valued autonomy in their nursing practice and valued the contribution they made as experienced practitioners in a variety of health sectors in the Waikato. As the demographic shift in New Zealand's population is towards older age groups and likely to require future nursing care, it becomes essential to retain experienced nurses in the workforce. This small scale qualitative study interviewed ten registered nurses over the age of 60 to discover how social life was constructed as they aged.
Date
2008Type
Degree Name
Publisher
The University of Waikato
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Collections
- Masters Degree Theses [2423]