How to Support the Next Nursing Generation: The Z's

[Melissa Mills]

You've finally figured out what makes your millennial co-workers tick. Time for a breather? Not a chance! Right on the coattails of the millennials is the next generation - the Zees.

Generation Z is made up of people born between 1996 and 2010. There are currently over 23 million Zees, and they will be the fastest-growing generation in the workplace over the next five years. Every generation is given a few nicknames - so, besides Generation Z, you may also hear this generation called the iGen, Zeds, Zees, and Centennials.

To make sure you understand this generation, here are a few traits and characteristics:

• They don't remember 9/11. Some of them were born, but none of them were old enough to remember it happening.
• They are cloud-natives. Their world has been full of "iEverything."
• While many of their characteristics are still being defined, what we know so far is that they are self-reliant, self-aware, goal-oriented and appreciate diversity.
• They don't remember a time before social media, so they live their lives online. This includes friendships, family, and education.

Now that you know the basics let's explore what you need to know about them as they enter the nursing workforce.

iGen as Learners

They were raised and educated in settings of inclusivity and diversity, which has formed them to be the most diverse and open-minded generation ever. They are changing our nursing classrooms and will likely change the workplace too.

Because they are technologically savvy, they want to use the internet to help them learn. Whether in college-level courses, orientation programs, or certification classes, they expect that the internet will be part of the curriculum. And, you need to know that it is estimated that they only have an attention span of about 8 seconds - so, let them multi-task - they have been doing it their whole life.

Zees as Professionals

They have grown up watching their Baby-Boomer grandparents work well past 65 years of age. Their Generation X parents have gone into debt with school loans that are still being paid off today. Where does this leave Generation Z as professionals?

There isn't much data on the Zee's concerning professionalism as they are just entering the workforce. But, so far, it looks like they are going to be more entrepreneurial, educated, and diverse than any generation before them.

They find honesty as the most important quality for leadership. They desire work-life balance while making money at a stable job. And, they want to have face-time with management.

Because of their comfort level with technology, image what this generation could do with advancements like telehealth and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as they join the nursing workforce. One potential concern is their ability to critically think because of the amount of interruptions and multitasking they have been doing their entire lives. However, this is merely anecdotal due to little research into the actual abilities of this generation.

As we watch the iGen enter the workforce, what can current nurses do to help? According to Priscilla Smith-Trudeau, "Putting diversity to work in the workplace, understanding each generational cohort, and accommodating generational differences so as to capitalize on these differences in attitudes, values, and behaviors must be the common goal of all nurses."

This means we must be ready to embrace, foster growth and mentor these new nurses who will be joining the ranks over the next few years.

Here a few ways to help the Zee's enter the nursing workforce:

STEP 1: Provide Technology

Incorporate internet learning into orientation. Understand that their lives are lived on their phones and other devices. Be sure to educate them on expectations of when and how to use social media and technology appropriately. Incorporate simulation, problem-based learning, games, and case studies into the curriculum to keep this generation engaged.

STEP 2: Show Respect for Diversity

Be sure to include them in groups and committees at work. And, be ready for them to expect these groups to show diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

STEP 3: Foster Retention

With every generation, we want to foster retention as nurses. Much information floats around about bullying in nursing. Let's get it right with this generation by welcoming them with open arms and helping them remain in nursing for many years.

STEP 4: Appreciate their Respect

They respect authority. Show them you appreciate it by fostering strong mentorships with them early on in their careers.

STEP 5: Empower their Practice

You know they are different than any other generation of nurses you have encountered. Their world has been far more technologically-savvy and quite frankly, scarier than what we experienced as children. So, let's empower them to be the best clinicians possible.

Are you a Gen-Z nurse or do you work with a Gen-Z nurse? What can you tell us about them? How do you feel we can support and foster this generation of nurses?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Glad this article got us thinking about how we educate nurses. Nothing wrong with learning in the best manner possible. People learn differently: I'm a baby boomer but probably my attention span is 8 seconds too - I love tech and I'm always doing several things at once: at the moment, I'm typing and on the phone talking with someone about a completely different subject.

Its not limited to the Zees - our society moves FAST and it makes sense for ALL of us to be upping our game. I think the important point to take away is that we all learn in different ways and there is nothing with adapting our education to our students.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

VivaLasViejas said:

I don't think short attention spans are limited to young people. I'm 60ish and I have the attention span of a goldfish. (Which is one of the reasons I'm not working anymore.) I think it has a lot to do with the technology that brings us all kinds of information at lightning speed, and people of all ages use technology.

First thing that came to mind was Trump. I've read that he has to have everything dumbed down due to his short attention span. lol

[DaveICURN]

Now that you mention it, I was at the long end of the shift that day. So responses were probably more... colourful than they needed to be in this case. True enough for the Gestapo bit. The targeting education as well. But I do find it irksome that the idea that equity is more important than equality is being put in the forefront.

Also on the wolfkin part, I chalk that up to the famous meme that went around about the boy who was in every way, but physical, a wolf.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I don't care how old you are, an attention span of 8 seconds is not a good thing. It's especially not a good thing in nursing.

I also agree with posters who said that if that assertion cannot be verified, then DO NOT continue to give it more life in a professional "article."

[Guest219794]

Since we are dispelling myths, like 8 second attention spans, probably worth having a look at young people and multitasking.

It would be great if the new generation of nurses were expert multitaskers due to their exposure to technology. If there is there is one key skill in many nursing environments, that's it. At any given point, I might have an admission, a triage, a dsicharge, and three overdue meds. So, if I had been raised with the internet, and had constant exposure to multiple simultaneous forms of media, would I be better at my job? I used to have to get up from the TV and attach myself to the wall by a cord to talk to the phone- what do I know about multitasking?

Every kid who is tweeting and texting and updating Facebook during homework time has patiently explained to mom how his or her generation is great at multitasking. Put aside, for a second, the humor in a 14 year old explaining multitasking to a working mother.

It turns out, studies do not bear this out.

The research is almost unanimous, which is very rare in social science, and it says that people who chronically multitask show an enormous range of deficits. They're basically terrible at all sorts of cognitive tasks, including multitasking.

There is no question that, as a group, Gen Z has faith in their ability to effectively mutitask. The operative word here is "faith", which can be defined as the belief in something for which there is no evidence.

(Disclaimer- I am not eating young nurses. They happen to be the topic of discussion, and the part of the cohort who were studied.)

[beekee]

One of my professors, in 1992, called us the "Seasame Street generation" because of our short attention spans. We turned out to be fully functional members of society. I'm sure the Zees will be just fine.

I do think, or maybe it's a hope, that the Z and Y generations will rebel against the deplorable working conditions that exist in nursing now. And if they can bring some human connection back into nursing, I will be grateful (as they will be taking care of me).

[SmilingBluEyes]

I work with some AMAZING Gen Z people. I don't like stereotypes and these guys DO have an attention span greater than 8 seconds. I have a lot of positive hope for our future...and them.

And if you complain about them just remember, if you have kids, WHO raised them, after all????

[SticksNstones]

Wow, I guess nurses really DO eat their young, huh? It gives me more pleasure than it should to know these Gen Z kids many of you seem to hate so much, will be the ones nursing you in your old age.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

morelostthanfound said:

Not wanting to sound harsh, but while I wish Gen-Z all the success in their professional endeavors, when did it become my, other nurses', or the entire profession's responsibility to support this new generation? When I entered into professional nursing 26 years ago, the expectation was that we work hard, keep our heads down, our mouths closed, and that, eventually, we would assimilate and be accepted into the culture. While I certainly had some awesome (and not so awesome) preceptors, no one went out of their way to learn my generation's unique needs or learning styles! I'm disturbed by what I now perceive as a sense of entitlement and a 'what can you do for me' or'accept me as I am' attitude-not a 'how can I help' or 'what can I bring to the table mentality! We've gone forwards in so many areas of healthcare, however, this is one area that I feel we're going the wrong direction!

Night__Owl said:

The youngest adult generation will ALWAYS be an easy generation to criticize. When Gen Z hits their thirties, you will be hearing about how stupid and degenerate Gen Next is. Because people tend to do more stupid and/or things in their 20s! Flagpole sitting, goldfish swallowing, car stuffing. I'm sure the older folks had a lot of snooty things to say about those young people doing those things, and that was all >50 years ago.

Also, I think it's pretty misguided to try and "accept" the newer generation based on such broad generalizations. If I choose some other demographic, make a bunch of claims about them, and talk about them as if they're all the same, well, that would be quite offensive.

Opposite opinions, and yet I agree with both. While every generation entering the workforce has unique characteristics that it's important for the the current workforce to recognize it's not the responsibility of the current workforce to adapt to the new generations unique characteristics.

I't also beyond unfair to generalize to the point that we assume every young, new nurse will have the attention span of a flea based solely on their age.

I have some direct experience with this generation in healthcare, we have hired several 17 to 18 year old girls and a couple young guys as CNA's. Every single one of them are responsible, dedicated kids that learn quickly and perform well. Not a one has made a habit of calling in "sick" when the whole building knows they were out partying the night before, they use their phones but not while caring for residents. I wish I could say the same for a few of our older workers! Overall I am pretty impressed with these generation Z workers that I know.

[RNingBSNing]

Really? Because as a millennial/ Gen Z-er (depending upon whom you ask) it was the older, nontraditional students in my cohort that struggled the most.

[RNingBSNing]

Mergirlc said:

^^^^

Agree w/ the above poster.

This sentence stuck out like a sore thumb to me: "......you need to know that it is estimated that they only have an attention span of about 8 seconds."

I totally agree w/ this statement and not in a good way. There is no way I'd ask them to multitask anything based on what I saw. As an older adult student (over 30), I had the experience of taking a microbiology class w/ many "Generation Z-ers" and after that 8 seconds, they pick up their phone and start texting all their friends in the middle of lectures. Then they have to keep asking me what page the teacher is on or which powerpoint slide because they're not paying attention. Granted, there were a few in this group who did want to learn, but it was a select few.

That 8-second attention span is going to kill somebody if they plan on being a nurse.

Really? Because in my cohort, it was the older students who struggled the most.

[Duttygal86, BSN, RN]

I'm a millenial (1986) an have been an RN for 1 year. I'm not sure if its because I went to school in a very diverse nursing program, or because I went to an HBCU, but on the topic of diversity I have been shocked at how many experienced RNs working the floor are just so unimformed about different cultures. I've seen nurses make different comments without even having enough insight as to how culture effects patient behaviors or family grieving practices. So if these new young nurses are going to be more sensitive and culturally aware I welcome them.