Keeping an Eye on Gen Z Nurses during COVID-19

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

How resilient is your nursing staff right now? We often answer this question taking a collective look at our team. This is a mistake. Although we are all in the same COVID storm, we are not in the same boat. The evidence is indicating that our youngest nurses are having a much tougher time. We need to keep an eye on our Gen Z nurses (born between 1997 and 2015) and here’s why:

Data from the American Psychological Association (pre-COVID) indicated that Gen Z reports far lower baseline levels of excellent or very good mental health.
Trait anxiety and stress levels are higher in Gen Z – some speculate it is at least partially driven by time spent on social media.
CDC data collected in June 2020 indicates that Gen Z reported significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation during COVID.
Recent data from a large sample size survey NurseWellbeingAtRisk-Final2020-web indicates that Gen Z nurses were the most likely (57.3%) to report that COVID-19 had negatively impacted their overall well-being. Gen Z was also the least likely (only 23.5%) to report managing work-related stress and anxiety or to decompress after work (only 19.2% could).
Only 15.4 % of Gen Z nurses in the Nurse Well Being Survey felt comfortable discussing their well-being with their manager versus 59.6% of Baby Boomer nurses.

Resilience builds over time. The philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche wisely said, “that which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Not surprisingly, in the Nurse Well Being survey, Generation X and Baby Boomer nurses reported higher levels of well-being and resilience. These nurses have both more life experience and usually have also confronted more adversity. We know from the resilience research that we anchor every new challenging experience against others that we have had. We can draw energy from remembering how we have overcome other challenges. Our Gen Z nurses don’t usually have as many adverse experiences, and it is difficult for them to put the COVID-19 experience into any context. When a young Gen Z nurse tells you that “I didn’t sign up for this?” – it is a cry out that some of their central core beliefs about nursing have been disrupted, and they are having challenges understanding what is happening.

I am anecdotally hearing from some nurse leaders that they are worried about their Gen Z nurses. Turnover has always been higher among nurses in the first three years of practice, but the discussion today is a little different. Some Generation Z nurses wonder aloud not just whether they will move to new employers but whether they will stay in nursing.

Nurse leader coaching has always been essential but perhaps now more than ever. We know from research that growing up with digital devices has made it harder for Gen Z to have face to face conversations. Nurse leaders cannot wait for their young Gen Z nurses to initiate a conversation about well-being because they are unlikely to do. Leaders must take the initiative. Gen Z is in a much different boat during COVID, and we need to keep an eye on them.

Don’t let nurse leaders in your organization go without development in 2020. Virtual programs include Nurse Leader Coaching, Coaching Staff to Promote Resilience and Leading Teams in Turbulent Times or schedule your customized Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership Virtual Workshop taught by experts for either new or experienced leaders. Nuts and Bolts Flyer

Read Rose Sherman’s book available now – The Nurse Leader Coach: Become the Boss No One Wants to Leave