Out of the mouths of baby boomers!

The question of how to best recruit and retain students into the health professions has been widely discussed. In the looming nursing shortage that is predicted, this is paramount. Many health education programs have large numbers of older mature aged students, so the provision of quality learning environment, both off campus and at university, which meet the needs of mature aged student, is beneficial. Our research has implications for practice by identifying supports for and barriers to the experiential learning opportunities of 'baby boomer' undergraduate-nursing students in their clinical spaces. Our study indicates that developing a sense of belongingness, appreciating the contribution of past experiences to the student role and providing timely quality feedback may support the learning opportunities of 'baby boomer' undergraduate-nursing students.