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Melanie Lavoie-Tremblay, N, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the McGill University School of Nursing in Montréal and McGill coordinator for FERASI Training Center, Québec, Canada. Researcher at the Research Center Fernand Seguin Hopital Louis-H Lafontaine, Quebec, Canada, FRSQ Career award Junior 1.

Arielle Bonneville-Roussy, M.Sc, Department of Psychology, Université du Quebec a Montreal.

What are the needs and expectations of new generation nurses; and what are the factors contributing to their intent to quit?

Presently, the nurse workforce includes four generations (Lavoie-Tremblay, Leclerc, Marchionni, & Drevniok, 2010). The veterans (born between 1925 and 1945), the retiring cohort, are considered as respecting authority, are fond of hierarchy, and like when tasks are clearly defined. They value hard work and discipline, but are conservative and usually slow to adapt to new work methods and technologies. The babyboomers (born between 1946 and 1964) question authority and derive a sense of self-worth from work, are sometimes workaholics, but have adapted slowly to new technology (Apostolidis & Polifroni, 2006; Widger, Pye, Cranley, Wilson-Keates, Squires, &Tourangeau, 2007). Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, are independent and value balance between work and life. They are not loyal to one single employment and will change job to achieve their own goals. Generation X is confident with technology and needs recognition. They are also motivated by continuous learning and mentoring (Apostolidis & Polifroni, 2006).

Generation Y (born between 1980 and 2000) is the new generation that currently enters the work force. They value working in collaboration with others and strive for continuous training, mentoring, and career development (Kupperschmidt, 2001). Nurses from this generation do not hesitate to change job if it means better work conditions. They want to keep their life balanced between work and family, and value flexible working conditions. However, this generation of new nurses enters the profession when the healthcare system experiences short staffing, heavy patient loads, and unstable shift work.

NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS

According to the result of one study we have conducted, the needs and expectations of new generations nurses include five main aspects: stability, flexible work schedules and shifts, recognition, opportunities for professional development, and adequate supervision (Lavoie-Tremblay, et al., 2010). First, they want to be assigned to the same unit every day to have a sense of stability. New nurses also need flexible schedules to be able to respond to unexpected personal events. They desire to be able to make plans without wondering whether they will have to work because they have not received their schedule. Another important aspect of nurses’ needs and expectations is their craving for recognition. Currently, this need for recognition is met by frequent contacts that nurses have with patients and their families, but this is not enough for young nurses. Nurses in our study suggested that more rewarding behaviors from the members of the staff, such as: ‘‘congratulating us, recognizing our know-how and skills, or offering pleasant work conditions are ways to show us that we do matter.’’ would be the best way for their need for recognition to be met. Recognition also plays an important motivational role in new nurses’ life, by giving them important feedback to rely on when difficult days come. A third dimension of generation Y nurses’ needs is training. New nurses are constantly confronted with new situations for which they are unprepared or that make them feel uncomfortable. They thus expect continuous training and career development to be able to answer by themselves their work-related questions. They finally expect to be coached. Long term coaching and mentoring is more than introductory-days guidance; newly employed nurses need a mentor or a senior nurse who is able to support them in more difficult times.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR INTENT TO QUIT

In another study we have conducted in 2008, we found that 61.5% of new nurses intended to quit their present jobs for another job in nursing (Lavoie-Tremblay, O'Brien-Pallas, Gélinas, Desforges, & Marchionni, 2008). The study also found that 12.6% of new nurses intended to quit the nursing profession. Indeed, the turnover rate among nurses seems to be higher than turnover rates in other professions. This high rate of turnover may be due to the imbalance between effort and reward (money, esteem and career opportunities) and a lack of social support.

New nurses’ give four main reasons for changing jobs while remaining in nursing: lack of challenges, a desire for change, new career opportunities, and poor work conditions. The members of Generation Y believe that education, lifelong learning, and stimulation are primordial for successful career path. New nurses’ generation will be loyal to a job that will bring opportunities to learn, provides challenges, recognition support and career opportunities.

New nurses’ intent to quit the nursing profession is influenced by imbalance between effort and reward, high psychological demands and elevated job strain. When the perceived effort given by nurses outweighs the perceived recognition (positive feedback, bonus…) nurses perceive they have, an imbalance arises that may cause psychological distress. This is a significant dimension for nursing job turnover and for leaving the nursing profession. In addition, difficult working conditions and instability of work schedules are by far the reasons most often given for quitting the profession. New nurses who project to quit the profession also experience high psychological demands and work-related stress. Psychological demands, and job strain in nursing jobs usually come from heavy workloads, time constraints, and complexity of patient care (Lavoie-Tremblay, Wright, et al., 2008).

Conclusion

We presently have little knowledge about the special characteristics of the nurses of the new generation. What seems to be clear is that members of Generation Y desire jobs with flexibility and stability, to be recognized, and to be provided with extensive training. In order to reach a higher rate of retention, organizational strategies may be implemented. Continuous training and mentoring, support and work development are strategies that can easily be implemented. However, improving workplaces and giving nurses’ better work conditions may be the key to successful nurses’ retention and recruitment.

Main references

Lavoie-Tremblay, M., Leclerc, E., Marchionni, C., & Drevniok, U. (2010). The Needs and Expectations of Generation Y Nurses in the Workplace. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 26(1), 2.

Lavoie-Tremblay, M., O'Brien-Pallas, L., Gélinas, C., Desforges, N., & Marchionni, C. (2008). Addressing the turnover issue among new nurses from a generational viewpoint. Journal of Nursing Management, 16(6), 724-733.

Lavoie-Tremblay, M., Wright, D., Desforges, N., Gélinas, C., Marchionni, C., & Drevniok, U. (2008). Creating a healthy workplace for new-generation nurses. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 40(3), 290-297.

To learn more about nursing in a generational point of view, see also:

Apostolidis, B. M., & Polifroni, E. C. (2006). Nurse work satisfaction and generational differences. Journal of Nursing Administration, 36(11), 506–509.

Kupperschmidt, B. R. (2001). Understanding net generation employees. Journal of Nursing Administration, 31(12), 570–574.

Widger, K., Pye, C., Cranley, L., Wilson-Keates, B., Squires, M., & Tourangeau, A. (2007). Generational differences in acute care nurses. Nursing Leadership, 20(1), 49–61.