A new workforce report sheds light on the unique work behaviors and management needs of young nurses.
The analysis of nearly 100,000 registered nurses across more than 150 hospitals and health systems focuses on Gen Z nurses—those under 30 who are now the second-largest generation in the nursing workforce, and growing. It was conducted by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and Laudio, a workflow platform for frontline managers and leaders, which provided the dataset for the review.
The analysis found that Gen Z nurses are more likely to stay with an organization through 24 months than other cohorts (in large part due to their increased participation in support programs like residencies), but have substantially higher rates of turnover after 30 months.
These young nurses more often than others organize their shifts to maximize continuous days off and ensure they are able to take meal breaks. Nursing executives and managers interviewed for the report also suggested that Gen Z nurses “are more inclined to insist on schedule flexibility than prior generations.”
The report also affirmed the “common conception” that Gen Z workers require more frequent interaction with their team managers. Specifically, young nurses in the dataset required 2.5 times as many meaningful interactions—documented exchanges such as emails or follow-ups directly related to an employee’s work—in order to reach the same levels of retention as other generations. Compared to the oldest members of Gen X, that requirement increased to five times as many meaningful interactions.
“This implies that managers need to create shorter, more specific and more frequent interactions with Gen Z R.N.s,” the report reads. “New processes (e.g., a reduced reliance on annual reviews) and new tools may be needed.”
Gen Z nurses may still be early in their careers and development paths, but the analysis found that some high-acuity specialty roles are seeing increased interest, such as transplant, step-down and critical care. On the other hand, rehab, therapies and operating room specialties are the least popular among young nurses.
Though it’s too soon to definitively say whether Gen Z will step into nurse manager roles at a similar rate to millennials, they are taking on charge nurse responsibilities at a steady clip.
They have also, so far, been willing to take on assistant manager responsibilities, providing “hope that the next generation of leaders will be ready to lead in the coming years,” according to the report. In the meantime, AONL and Laudio advised managers “adjust their approach to encourage Gen Z RNs to step into charge nurse roles by helping them understand both what ‘being ready for leadership’ looks like and how they can make a unique difference through their leadership.”
Based on interviews, the report outlined five of the demographic’s major priorities that could help bolster integration and engagement. Organizations and nurse leaders, per the report, should focus on:
- Personalizing professional development
- Adapting organizational structures and systems (aligning staffing or workload expectations with stated organizational values, reducing administrative friction, etc.)
- Modernizing communication
- Prioritizing wellness and flexibility
- Advocating for mental health
“Gen Z nurses are changing what’s needed for effective nursing leadership,” Claire Zangerle, a registered nurse and CEO of AONL, said in an accompanying release. “They expect transparency, frequent connection and clear pathways for growth from the start of their careers.”