New Technology in the Hospital Sector – How Do Older Nurses Manage?

With expectations of longer professional careers in an increasingly digitalised hospital sector, older nurses must acquire the necessary digital competence to remain in the workforce. This study examines how older nurses aged 53–67 in Norway's hospital sector respond to technological change and the introduction of new information and communication technology (ICT) systems, drawing on data from a 2021 online survey. Also, this study examines their attitudes towards, and experiences with, ICT in the workplace. The findings suggest that nurses’ age has limited significance for their attitudes towards technological change and for their view of their own ability to learn ICT. What they believe hinders the acquisition of sufficient ICT skills is their heavy workload and limited time for ICT tasks, insufficient training and guidance, as well as outdated computer equipment and less user-friendly ICT systems. The study highlights the need for better training and support to help older nurses navigate technological change effectively.