Why the wisdom and knowledge of our older colleagues should be valued
The wisdom and experience of our older colleagues should be valued and respected as too many are leaving nursing feeling undervalued and discarded
The wisdom and experience of our older colleagues should be valued and respected as too many are leaving nursing feeling undervalued and discarded
There is much to be learned from cultures that continue to value the knowledge and wisdom which comes with getting older.
Many nurses will recall the generous support and guidance of those more experienced and often older nurses who first role modelled the core values of nursing care.
Our interesting and challenging analysis on the experiences of older nurses, ‘I felt discarded’: how age discrimination limits nursing careers, reveals that one in five nurses working in the UK is over 56, making up nearly 170,000 of the current nursing workforce.
Some nursing colleagues feel discarded and undervalued, and have left the profession
What a wonderful reflection of nursing, that colleagues continue to commit themselves to the profession and to sharing their wisdom and knowledge with others.
‘In some cultures and professions there is a danger that the wisdom that often comes with age and experience is not acknowledged and respected, leaving the older person isolated and discarded’
However, it saddens me to read that some of these colleagues report feeling discarded, undervalued and that they have lost confidence, resulting in them leaving the profession. Not because they no longer want to work but because of how they may be perceived.
What is more shocking, is that these feelings of disappointment, worthlessness, abandonment and anger not only arise from the system or the organisation they work in, but in some cases because of how they are treated by fellow nurses and colleagues.
Commitment to nursing requires kindness, dignity and respect
In some cultures and professions there is a danger that the wisdom that often comes with age and experience is not acknowledged and respected, leaving the older person isolated and discarded.
Nursing cannot afford to be one of those cultures.
Perhaps, it is time for each nurse to stand up and speak out to ensure that older colleagues are valued and respected.
An ongoing commitment to nursing requires, kindness, dignity and respect, for oneself, for one’s colleagues and for those who require care and nursing expertise.
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