Recruit, respect, and retain: the impact of baby boomer nurses on hospital workforce strategy--a case study.

Hospitals are increasingly concerned about shortages of registered nurses due to the impending retirement of Baby Boomer nurses. A hospital case study of older nurse retention investigated the concerns of Boomer nurses to understand how workforce strategies can effectively retain older nurses. Using interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approaches and tools, the study went beyond the broad recommendations in the literature to help an organization identify targeted and effective strategies for retention, identified barriers, and assessed organizational readiness to implement changes with older nurses in mind. The methodology and findings establish the foundation to initiate the development of a strategic plan for retention that is research-based and specific.