Einflussfaktoren auf das bevorzugte Renteneintritts- alter bei Pflegefachkräften – Querschnittsergebnisse der deutschen lidA-Kohortenstudie

Contributing factors of the preferred retirement age in nursing professionals – Cross‑sectional results of the German lidA Cohort Study In Germany, the need for care will continue to rise significantly. However, most currently employed nurses want to retire before reaching the official retirement age. The study, published online in the “Journal of Public Health” in June 2025, therefore examined the precise reasons why many older nurses are choosing early retirement. The study analyzed interview data from 418 nurses from the fourth wave (2022/23) of the representative German lidA cohort study. Using these data, the weighting (percentage share) of twelve reasons that, from these nurses’ perspectives, were determined for early retirement. In addition, linear regression models were applied to examine the impact of personal and workrelated factors on the nurses’ desired retirement age. It was found that the majority (70.6 %) of nurses preferred early retirement. The most important reason for this was the desire for more leisure time (79.3 %). Older age, better health, lower household income, care facilities, job satisfaction, and professional commitment correlated positively with the nurses’ preferred retirement age. Physical strain and psychosocial stress, on the other hand, correlated negatively with the outcome. According to the researchers, the results underscore the paramount importance of a healthy, attractive, and motivating work environment (“stimulating working conditions”) for nurses’ decision-making behavior. Working conditions must accommodate the specific life circumstances of nurses. In addition to avoiding the most important work-related physical and psychosocial stressors, facilities should therefore implement additional measures to improve their employees’ job satisfaction. This, the study authors argue, is essential to motivate these urgently needed specialists to remain in the profession longer.