By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Delivering workshops on Building Bridges, Not Walls: Leading Multigenerational Nursing Teams has given me the opportunity to speak with up-and-coming Generation Z nurse leaders across the country. I am always interested in what we are getting right in terms of meeting the needs of their generation, but more importantly, what we are getting wrong. Here is some of what they have shared with me that is also supported in recent literature about this generation:
- They want us to move past the “lazy” or “entitled” stereotypes and recognize a fundamental shift (from previous generations of nurses) in how this generation views work, authority, and well-being.
- They acknowledge they don’t see nursing as a calling, and that should be okay. While earlier generations of nurses entered nursing as a “calling” where sacrifice was expected. Gen Z views nursing as a specialized profession with a need to establish clear boundaries between work and life. Gen Z prioritizes a sustainable career. They see over-extension as a failure of management, not a badge of honor for the nurse.
- Gen Z grew up with the world’s information at their fingertips; they don’t respect “because I said so” or “that’s how we’ve always done it.“If Gen Z doesn’t understand the logic behind a clinical workflow, they are more likely to bypass it or leave. Generation Z nurse leaders tell me that their generation is very savvy and can see right through performative leadership behaviors.
- For Gen Z, mental health support isn’t a “perk” or a “pizza party”—it is a core safety requirement, similar to PPE. They want proactive institutional support. This includes debriefing after traumatic shifts, manageable patient ratios, and leaders who actually model taking mental health days.
- This generation is used to real-time feedback (likes, comments, instant metrics). They want continuous feedback, not a yearly performance evaluation.
- Generation Z nurses are not disengaged, as some data suggests – rather, they are engaged and interested in different things than previous generations of nurses. If you want to engage a Generation Z nurse, ask them what their superpower is and how they can use it in various unit activities. Also, remember, they are still learning their skills, so a high level of engagement in the first year of practice is unrealistic, yet many organizations demand this.
- Gen Z are “Digital Natives” – yet this skill is underutilized. These nurses are always evaluating the technology that organizations invest in and rebel when it becomes a major source of frustration. They believe they are not being tapped into for their technology expertise and are not asked to sit on selection committees, yet they may be the best staff to give you an honest evaluation.
- Generation Z nurse leaders acknowledge that their generational cohort is much more suspicious of organizational leadership and less likely to be loyal. As one leader told me, we have learned that if you want to get ahead financially, you almost have to leave your organization to do it, so don’t be surprised when we do.
- Generation Z nurses are very focused on their own career development and want career coaching, even if it means they will leave you, the leader. As one Gen Z leader pointed out, isn’t two years of good work better than staying in place and being unhappy for long periods?
- Stop using the “We are a family” narrative or “We practice leadership love” to build cohesion. For Gen Z, this is often a red flag and a trigger. To a Gen Z nurse, the word “love” in a workplace context can feel cloying or manipulative—much like the “family” narrative. In a family, boundaries are blurry. You’re expected to do “favors” (like picking up a shift on your day off) because of emotional ties. Gen Z views this as a manipulation tactic used to compensate for poor staffing. Gen Z values a leader who respects their “off” time as sacred. They want a professional community, not emotional enmeshment.
- Gen Z has a very high “BS detector” when it comes to recognition. They can spot low-effort, “check-the-box” rewards from a mile away. In a high-inflation economy, Gen Z is practical. Recognition that impacts their bottom line (bonuses, help with student loan assistance, or even grocery stipends) carries more weight than a “Nurse of the Month” certificate or a Daisy Award. Gen Z would like organizational leaders to ask them what recognition would be most meaningful, rather than assuming what was meaningful to other generational cohorts is valued by them.
As each new generation enters the workplace, nurse leaders need to reconsider their leadership tools, tactics, and strategies to determine whether they meet the needs of the new generation. Too often, these Generation Z nurse leaders tell me that their leaders stick to what is comfortable for them, making them less effective leaders. As they remind me, they are the future, and as organizations plan their futures, it should be nothing about us without us.
emergingrnleader.com 2026
To effectively lead through these challenges and others, nurse leaders need new tools and strategies. Let me help you as I have helped hundreds of organizations over the past five years. Book a workshop or keynote for your team by contacting me at roseosherman@outlook.com
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