Readiness to Practice in Generation Z Nursing Students

The perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Global health-care systems are facing severe labor shortages, driven by high turnover and poor working conditions. Retaining and attracting staff, particularly from Generation Z, is crucial. The lack of comprehensive studies on Generation Z's views on health-care work highlights the need to understand their perspectives.

AIM

To identify the best evidence regarding the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work. Doing so can reveal potential gaps in the literature and guide future research.

METHODS

The review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines for scoping reviews. The studies were screened by three independent reviewers. Eligible ones included those in which Generation Z nurses and other professionals and students born between 1995 and 2012 expressed perceptions related to health-care work in any geographical location. Qualitative and quantitative studies written in English, Finnish, or Swedish with no time limit were included. Narrative synthesis was used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the data.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search for original studies was conducted on CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MedNar, and the Finnish database Medic.

RESULTS

A total of 14 studies published between 2019 and 2023 were included, and five distinct themes in the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students were identified: 1) work values, 2) emerging competencies at work and development needs, 3) work attitudes and expectations, 4) feelings of well-being at work, and 5) workplace-community relations.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Members of Generation Z have unique, complex, and partly conflicting perceptions of health-care work, which calls for innovative approaches and different work-related benefits to ensure they are drawn to and retained in health professions and organizations. Understanding these perceptions is essential for healthcare organizations and managers to develop appealing and well-functioning work environments that meet their expectations and promote work engagement.

Factors influencing digital health competence among healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Improving healthcare professionals' digital health competence is critical to providing safer care. However, there is still a lack of empirical studies exploring the factors influencing healthcare professionals' digital health competence, even though significant investments have been made to advance digitalisation of healthcare globally.

AIM

This study aimed to identify the key characteristics influencing healthcare professionals' digital health competence.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data was collected from 252 healthcare professionals using two instruments measuring the digital health competences and the associated educational and organisational factors in 2024 via an online and paper-based survey. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the key characteristics influencing digital health competence.

RESULTS

Higher levels of education, working in a hospital, more professional experience, and increased use of digital solutions at work or during free time were associated with higher digital health competence. Higher qualifications were linked to greater digital health competence across several factors, with postgraduate degrees increasing health-related counselling competence and undergraduate degrees enhancing work-related attitudes and evaluating digital solutions. Professionals with university qualifications and those working in hospital settings showed higher ICT competence, while more years of professional experience increased ethical competence in using digital solutions.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital health competence development should prioritise healthcare professionals with lower educational levels. Additionally, such initiatives should include supporting those who work in non-hospital settings, have less professional experience, and use digital solutions less frequently at work or in their free time. Professional experience increases ethical competence in using digital solutions. Continuous professional development interventions and organisational policies should consider these factors to improve healthcare professionals' digital health competences.

Cognitive and Noncognitive Factors Influencing Nursing Students' Academic Success: Structural Equation Model Analysis

AIM

The study aim was to identify and explore relationships among cognitive and noncognitive factors that may contribute to prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students' academic success across their program of study.

BACKGROUND

Nurse educators are challenged to improve students' academic success. With limited evidence, cognitive and noncognitive factors have been identified in the literature as potential factors that influence academic success and may support students' readiness for practice as new graduate nurses.

METHOD

Data sets from 1,937 BSN students at multiple campuses were analyzed using an exploratory design and structural equation modeling.

CONCLUSION

Six factors were conceptualized as contributing equally to the initial cognitive model. The final noncognitive model, with deletion of two factors, yielded the best fit for the four-factor model. Cognitive and noncognitive factors were not significantly correlated. This study provides a beginning understanding of cognitive and noncognitive factors associated with academic success that may support readiness for practice.

Factors related to readiness for practice among undergraduate nursing students: A systematic review

AIM

This systematic review identifies the factors and effective strategies related to nursing students' readiness for practice.

METHOD

A search was conducted from 2012 to 2022 in PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, PsycInfo and EMBASE databases, using a combination of predetermined keywords. Four authors made the selection independently and the methodological quality was assessed using the RoBANS, Analytical cross-sectional studies Critical Appraisal Tool and MMAT tools. Information was extracted using a matrix and analyzed through the thematic synthesis approach.

RESULT

Studies (14,000) were identified from the search and 11 met the predetermined inclusion criteria. The main identified themes were personal characteristics, education-related factors, cognitive factors, psychological characteristics and social factors influencing readiness to practice. Some barriers also affect readiness for practice among undergraduate nursing students.

CONCLUSION

Multiple personal, educational and community factors interact in diverse ways to influences nursing students readiness to practice.

REGISTRATION

The protocol for the conduct of this study was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with the registration number CRD42020222337.

The Postpandemic Nursing Workforce: Increasing Fill Rates and Reducing Workload Through a Generational Design of Workforce Layers

Inequities between nursing workforce supply and demand continue to challenge nurse executives in creating the vision for a postpandemic nursing workforce. Health system's workforce redesign strategies must prioritize the changing needs of the multigenerational workforce to maximize the available supply of nurses willing to remain in the workforce. A test of a newly designed flexible workforce framework, aimed to meet the needs of the multigenerational workforce, resulted in increased fill rates and decreased costs of labor.

A large cross-sectional survey of COVID-19 vaccination willingness amongst healthcare students and professionals: Reveals generational patterns

AIMS

To determine coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy in healthcare professionals and healthcare students in Italy across four generations (baby boomers, generations X, Y and Z).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed through an online survey conducted from May to June 2021. The STROBE guidelines were adopted for reporting.

METHODS

Data were collected by initially sending a survey link to a convenience sample of healthcare professionals and students, which was followed by snowball sampling. The VAX scale was validated and adopted. An ANOVA was performed to detect differences in vaccine-hesitancy beliefs between the four generational groups.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 1226 healthcare professionals and students. Worries about unforeseen future effects accounted for the higher vaccination hesitancy factor across generations. More positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination were expressed by members of generation Z than by members of generation Y and baby boomers. Members of generation X had the highest vaccination hesitancy scores in the overall scale.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that public health campaigns should take into account the generational differences in COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy to achieve higher levels of vaccine acceptance, including amongst healthcare professionals and students.

IMPACT

Vaccination is the most effective strategy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The advice of health professionals strongly influences vaccination willingness in the general population. A consideration of the generational patterns in the COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy of healthcare workers and students may increase vaccination uptake in these populations, which in turn may lead to greater public acceptance of the vaccine.

Generational differences in psychological wellbeing and preventative behaviours among nursing students during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Many nursing programmes have had to swiftly move online in response to COVID-19. Nursing students are often a heterogenous group that traverses generational boundaries. Exploring generational differences may assist in developing support systems for specific groups. This study sought to examine psychological wellbeing and preventative behaviours among nursing students from the iGeneration in comparison to older generations.

METHOD

A prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken using a convenience sample of pre-registration nursing students studying at two Australian Universities, one regional and one metropolitan. About 631 pre-registration nursing students completed an online survey.

RESULTS

An independent samples t-test revealed that students from the iGeneration possess higher anxiety compared to nursing students from older generations (p = .000). Compared to iGeneration participants, older generation participants had significantly higher scores for knowledge of COVID-19 (p = .015). iGeneration participants utilised social media to source information about COVID-19 far more than older generations (p = .008). iGeneration participants were significantly more concerned than older generations about the impact of COVID-19 on completing their clinical placement (p = .014). Older generations tended to have higher academic preventative behaviours, with significant mean scores for not attending university if they or others they knew had symptoms of COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

Given the differences between generation groups with regard to psychological wellbeing, knowledge about COVID-19, and concerns about studying in an altered study environment, strategies should be targeted to generational groups. Anxiety negatively impacts the quality of life, educational performance and clinical practice and is experienced more frequently in the iGeneration. Therefore it is crucial for nursing educators to reflect on how they engage this generation in the online space to provide support, stability and a sense of connection. This will contribute towards ensuring a well-prepared future nursing workforce who may encounter other pandemics and isolating events.

IMPACT STATEMENT

Compared with other generations, iGeneration students have a greater likelihood to experience mental health issues, isolation and insecurity. Nursing leaders and educators must be sensitive to such intergenerational differences, to ensure they are developing a skilled and productive workforce.

Experiences of nursing students as healthcare aid during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: A phemonenological research study

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a worldwide health and social crisis directly impacting the healthcare system. Hospitals had to rearrange its structure to meet clinical needs. Spain has been experiencing a shortage of working nurses. Student nurses in their last year at university were employed to help the National Health System respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore and understand the experience of nursing students' roles as healthcare aid in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

METHODS

A qualitative phenomenology design was used to explore undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of their experiences as HAs during the COVID-19 outbreak. Open face-to-face interviews were conducted to nursing students (n = 10) in May 2020. Data was analyzed using the hermeneutic interpretative approach.

RESULTS

All participants were women aged between 21 and 25 years. Seven main themes emerged: learning, ambivalent emotions and adaptation were classified at a personal level; teamwork, patient communication, and unclear care processes were categorized under hospital structure; and coping mechanisms were part of external factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Orientation, follow-up, and emotional support in crisis situations are key to unexperienced healthcare workers overcoming stressful emotions. Previous academic education and training may help novice future nurses feel more confident about their tasks and responsibilities as well as improve patient outcomes, resource management, and staff safety.

Problem-based learning: A strategy to foster generation Z's critical thinking and perseverance

Educators are concerned about Generation Z's inexperience with higher order critical thinking and tendency to give up or move on when faced with challenges. While acknowledging that this generation brings technological skills and an inclusive mindset that will enhance our profession, educators are challenged to adapt teaching strategies to promote critical thinking and foster perseverance. This manuscript will recount the attributes of Generation Z and describe problem-based learning as a strategy to enhance critical thinking and perseverance.

What is the most needed competence for newly graduated generation z nurses? Focus groups study

BACKGROUND

Research conducted so far in the area of identifying competence needed for newly graduated nurses has allowed for the identification of both strengths and weaknesses of nurses beginning work. However, the analyses conducted so far requires supplements in terms of difficulties and the strengths in respect to competence of graduates from the currently entering Generation Z.

OBJECTIVES

To explore Generation Z newly graduated nurses' competence that increase their work efficiency and support them during periods of professional adaptation.

DESIGN

A qualitative exploratory-descriptive design.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-nine participants attended the interviews conducted in 4 focus groups: nursing students, newly graduated nurses, nurse managers and clinical nurses with at least 10 years of working experience.

METHODS

Qualitative research utilized focus groups that were conducted based on the same semi-structured interview, which ensured similar key topics were discussed by each group. The COREQ criteria were used in the reporting of this study.

RESULTS

We determined the characteristics and difficulties of the adaptation period for newly graduated Generation Z nurses and identified six of the most needed competence: knowledge and the ability to use it in practice, communication skills, teamwork, openness to development, decision-making, coping with stress and empathy. The topics of self-confidence, assertiveness and empathy were also discussed in each group.

CONCLUSION

Analysis based on focus groups identified good preparation in knowledge, openness to development and empathy; however, deficiencies were found in the other competence. Competence indicated as the most important in Generation Z nurses' practice were interrelated. Deficits in some of them can cause difficulties in using others.