In the near future, due to the economic crisis, it is highly likely that the healthcare system will undergo massive workforce reduction paralleled by the increasing number of workers aged over 55 years.
The emerged perspective promote an innovative contribution regarding physical health and musculoskeletal conditions. It is therefore necessary to find solutions on how to cope with these changes and to devise possible interventions aimed at making work accessible even for elderly workers. In this regard, previous studies have shown how the implementation of flexible working arrangements, part-time jobs, job sharing, and ergonomic solutions can improve both personal and team effectiveness in the workplace.
Moreover, high workability in the health sector means lower costs and better service to users, with repercussions on large parts of the population. These solutions, together with a complete assessment of the risk of biomechanical overload], could help make job tasks more viable for aging healthcare workers, especially nursing aides and nurses.
Applying Research to Occupational Health Practice Healthcare workers’ age is increasingly rising, negatively affecting their work ability. Impaired work ability among nursing aides and nurses is not just the result of high levels of physical work demand, but it is also caused by the intense relational demands inherent to their task of caring for the patients.
Occupational health nurses working with healthcare professionals need to find solutions on how to cope with the workforce aging and to devise possible interventions aimed at making work accessible even for elderly workers. These interventions should include the promotion of flexible working arrangements, parttime jobs, job sharing, and ergonomic solutions that can improve both personal and team effectiveness in the workplace.
More studies about the associated causes of the development of physical conditions are warranted to better investigate the effectiveness of interventions. Further understanding is also needed of the direct costs associated with staff working continuity and the direct costs associated with professionals’ health problems, absenteeism, injuries, and difficulties.