Healthy aging at work – Development of a preventive group intervention to promote quality of life of nursing staff aged 45 years and older

BackgroundDemographic change is challenging health care. In Europe, shortfalls in nursing numbers already exist due to low retention rates. The development of prevention programs addressing nursing staff aged 45 and older and aiming to enable older nursing staff to remain healthy until retirement age is needed.ObjectiveThe development and evaluation of a complex prevention program for the target group of nursing staff aged 45 and older incorporating key elements of occupational health interventions.MethodsWe focused on nursing staff aged 45 and older and used a framework that is proposed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) for the design and evaluation of complex interventions. Prior to the definitive RCT regarding effectiveness, we aimed to explore the main sources of workplace distress and possible prevention. Additionally, a qualitative study with nursing managers and the ward management and experiences of a pilot study informed about barriers and enablers of the intervention implementation.ResultsIn this article, we provide a detailed description of the developmental process and the final intervention manual that will be evaluated in a RCT.ConclusionA complex intervention program can be implemented for nursing staff aged 45, reach the targeted population, and gains high acceptance. Further research on feasibility and effectiveness is indicated.