Age Discrimination Could be Right Around the Corner

The plight of older nurses becomes more important as the huge number of baby-boomer generation nurses age. The average age of nurses now stands at 44 years, according to the 1996 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. This means that more than half of all nurses now qualify for protection under the 1967 federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits discrimination for workers age 40 or older and promotes employing older workers.

Nationwide, age discrimination accounts for only 20% of all discrimination complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But, these cases were more expensive to settle, on average, than other kinds of discrimination. According to Jury Verdict Research, between 1988 and 1995, settlements resulting from age discrimination averaged $219,000, compared to $147,799 for race discrimination, $106,728 for gender discrimination, and $100,345 for discrimination based on disability.

Usually the allegations involved employees wrongfully fired or demoted because of age. Discrimination in hiring practices may be more difficult and expensive to prove and may hinge on showing a pattern of hiring, rather than an individual case. Your best advice would come from a lawyer and state or federal agencies.

Dollars to Disabilities, There’s More to It

Some nurses aren’t convinced that age alone is the problem. “We talk about age discrimination, but the real issue is usually translated into dollars,” says a Chicago nurse displaced by restructuring. “They want the benefits of your experience and credentials because that’s of value to their clients, but they don’t want to pay for that experience.” During the restructuring, she says “everyone’s value was measured solely by an economic yardstick.”

Another nurse suspects that the true source of discrimination is based on disability issues that become more common with age. She remembers nurses who were treated poorly after being diagnosed with chronic or often fatal conditions. She thinks part of the discrimination is unintentionally promoted by nurses who are secretly fearful of working with the chronically ill because it reminds them of their own vulnerability and mortality. At other times, chronically ill nurses are falsely judged to be difficult to schedule because of sick time or the need to take time off for treatment. After being diagnosed, some of these nurses find their every action scrutinized and their every judgement questioned. After years of outstanding evaluations, their usual level of performance is no longer good enough.

The Recruiter’s Perspective

A nurse recruiter, who asked to remain anonymous, thinks that older nurses can get stuck in a clinical specialty. “If someone has been a nurse for 30 years and worked exclusively on a psych floor, or on labor and delivery, or in a subacute facility and has been an excellent nurse there, she’s still not qualified for an acute-care or ER position unless she’s taken a refresher course.” The recruiter recommends a refresher course for anyone out of the job market for any reason for more than three years or for nurses transferring to acute care.

Other nurses prove to be undesirable candidates because they have become stagnant in a long-term position, or because they’ve grown weary by healthcare and nursing altogether. “Some nurses with 30 years of experience feel like they’ve been beat up, and they’re not interested in contributing to a team,” says one recruiter. “They’re angry because healthcare isn’t what it used to be. They come in very rigid, and the interview feels like they won’t be a good team player.” The recruiter warns nurses not to complain about the changes in healthcare or to criticize former employers. Instead, candidates should remain positive about what attracts them to a new position.

Some mature nurses interview poorly by unknowingly giving the impression that the world owes them a living. “A few people feel, ‘I’ve been a nurse for 25 years, and I’ve paid my dues, so I don’t want to work any more weekends or night shifts,’” says a recruiter.

To stay ahead of the competition, remember the basics, including appearance. As younger nurses are coached in school to dress and present their resumes and cover letters in a more professional fashion, older nurses may be stuck in the belief that all they have to do is show up with a nursing license to be hired. Some mature nurses still dress for an interview by wearing “sneakers without socks,” as one recruiter describes it. Regardless of their age or skills, they won’t be considered seriously.

Avoid Being Stereotyped

Young nurse recruiters and nurse managers may hold stereotyped beliefs about the attitudes and abilities of older nurses. Instead of evaluating candidates by their individual strengths and weaknesses, these immature interviewers may wrongly pigeonhole older nurses into one of the following stereotypes. All of these stereotypes are false, but the interviewer’s perceptions may be more important than the facts. To fight stereotypes, come to an interview prepared with examples that show that these stereotypes aren’t true for you.

• Older nurses are more likely to use sick time excessively.
• Older nurses can’t learn anything new, and their clinical skills are outdated.
• Older nurses can’t handle high-tech equipment or computers.
• Older nurses have stopped investing in their career; instead, they’re coasting to retirement.
• Older nurses are bossy, critical, and difficult to manage.
• Older nurses are inflexible.
• Older nurses aren’t fun to work with anymore and have difficulty interacting with younger staff.

Play to Your Strengths

During an interview, make sure to showcase the abilities that only an experienced nurse holds. Prepare examples to illustrate the following characteristics:

• Judgement – Studies show that intelligence doesn’t change much throughout life, but as we age many of us learn to apply information in new ways that leads to wiser judgements. Demonstrate how you have honed your critical thinking skills during your long career, and how these skills provide value regardless of practice specialty.
• Life Experience – Mature nurses have had the opportunity to accumulate experiences in their personal and professional lives that add depth and wisdom to their nursing practice. Nurses often remark that convalescing patients seek out younger nurses, but sick patients want an older experienced nurse. “They want a nurse who is there for them because she has already stared death in the face,” says a 27-year veteran. Patients are drawn to the strength and insights of a nurse grounded by years of rich personal and professional experience.
• Flexibility – A long career has probably given you many opportunities to adapt to change. Show how you have stayed flexible. Avoid giving examples when you said that a new idea wouldn’t work, and you turned out to be right. Instead, stay positive. Highlight instances when you supported and facilitated changes.

Jeffrey Zurlinden, RN, MS, ACRN, is a frequent contributor to Nursing Spectrum.