Post-retirement Life Plans of Female Nurses in the People’s Republic of China

Abstract

A survey was made to determine a clarification of post-retirement life plans of female nurses in China and the motives behind their decisions.<br>The subjects were nurses over forty years old, working at twenty hospitals in three provinces and two cities. The survey was conducted from November 1997 until August 1998.

The questionnaire distributed consisted of demographic data, working conditions, retirement age desired, type of work desired after retirement, present health conditions, views on work and adaptability to work.

One thousand six hundred and thirty-four questionnaires were collected, out of which 1,521 (92.6%) were effective and considered. The questionnaire results showed that 74.2% of those surveyed planned to retire at the age of fifty-five, 60.2% intended to live free from employment and remain self-sustaining after retirement and 35.1% wished to go on working. Of the respondents wishing to keep working after retirement, 70.4% hoped to maintain the same nursing work. Forty-three point eight % wished to be engaged in the work in hospitals, and those interested in the work of visiting nursing and community health nursing were 20.5%.

This survey showed that the factors that decide the desires of the nurses after retirement are closely related to their health conditions, adaptability to work, and their views on work. The survey also indicated that the nurses with better health conditions, higher work-adaptability and more positive views on work were likely to prefer to work in hospitals after retirement.