The number of workers age 55 and above is expected to increase by 47 percent in the next seven years, according to the Older Workers Survey, conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the National Older Worker Career Center, and the Committee for Economic Development. For nurse managers, this translates into a greater challenge than even the staffing shortage: an aging workforce that is increasing at twice the rate of any other profession.

Stacy Pavish, a healthcare recruiter with PPR Travel, headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, confirms that roughly a third of her travelers are over the age of 50. It is a trend that seems to have increased in the past five years. "These individuals want to remain in their occupations, but are only interested in practicing 36 hours a week. As mobile clinicians, they have that option."

The benefitsRecruiting and utilizing seasoned nursing professionals can be a great boon for acute care executives. By tapping into this growing resource, managers can staff units with knowledgeable, flexible, team leaders. And by supplementing personnel with mature mobile professionals, nurse administrators add not only years of experience, but also knowledge of tips and techniques from dozens of healthcare facilities across the nation. An added benefit: some travelers, like Judy Turgeon, RN, an operating room (OR) nurse with Soliant Health, based in Tucker, Georgia, have chosen the mobile lifestyle in order to locate the right facility at which to settle down, become permanent staff, and finish out their careers.

Flexibility, both in terms of scheduling and handling difficult situations, tops the list of reasons to recruit mature providers. It is this ability to adjust quickly that often is a priority for smaller healthcare facilities—and an important aspect of staffing efforts. "From my experience, those types of institutions want and need older nurses because of our adaptability," comments Ms. Turgeon. "They know, with our diverse backgrounds, we can be placed throughout the hospital. A nurse with limited experience would have trouble in an environment such as that."

With decades of experience from which to draw, the mature nurse can solve problems other staff members cannot. According to Ms. Pavish, facility decision-makers appreciate their proficiency and professional dedication. "It has been my observation that when given the choice, hospital directors and nurse managers frequently prefer to offer contracts to travelers with 20 to 30 years of experience."

"When I encounter a certain situation, I have the ability to reflect on similar experiences in the past," explains Ms. Turgeon. "And rather than one or two options, I may have several solutions to offer. That is invaluable to a unit."

Mary Huie, BSN, RN, CCRN, a traveler with Mobile Medical Staffing, headquartered in Kettering, Ohio, reflects on a similar scenario. While on assignment at a hospital outfitted with the latest state-of-the-art cardiac care equipment, Ms. Huie discovered that core staff were familiar with it, but in many cases were still adapting to procedures. So when a patient was moved from surgery to recovery, and the care team could not get a cardiac output right away because a catheter would not connect properly, Ms. Huie was able to share her expertise. "I've practiced as a critical care nurse since 1973 and have been traveling for more than a decade. As it turns out, I had used the same equipment at another assignment and knew how to connect the cardiac output in a different way. Solving that problem helped me build positive relationships with staff and eliminated any stereotypes they may have held about older workers."

Another reason to consider mature professionals is their innate ability to be team leaders. "Physicians and fellow colleagues often use my experience in ways that diffuse tense situations," says Ms. Turgeon. "Seasoned nurses tend to stay calm rather than get caught up in the moment. Since I have been through numerous similar scenarios, I can objectively assess the situation, determine what needs to be done to solve the problem, and lead the other nurses through the process."