Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Keywords: leadership, nurse administrator, nurse manager, millennial nurses, Generation Y, qualitative research
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A Qualitative Description of Millennial Nurse ... (John Ian Lamasan, et.al)
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Ash: “You empower them by teaching Hex: “An ideal practice environment.
them the ideas that you have learned.” Okay. One thing. It has to be something
that comes along with the standards. An
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A Qualitative Description of Millennial Nurse ... (John Ian Lamasan, et.al)
ideal practice environment is not ideal if the psychological factors that motivate them at
doesn’t practice the standards which work. These factors are inherent to work such as
comes along with it, and practice a sense of accomplishment, promotional
environment should have a goal, the staff opportunities and additional responsibilities.
should have a goal which is to have a They find these factors rewarding, making their
quality goal not just a goal but it goes experience fulfilling. There were three
with quality.” subcategories identified as the source of
fulfillment felt by the participants: (a)
Ensuring clients satisfaction as a “Promotion,” (b) “Responsibility,” and; (c)
measure of quality care. Participants are “Achievement.”
committed in providing quality care to their
clients and consider client satisfaction a factor in Promotion. The growth and
the provision of quality care. To ensure client advancement opportunities in the organization
satisfaction, they assess the needs of their clients motivate them to perform well.
through constant feedback.
Ash: “I feel happy because being
Hex: “Well, we do client satisfaction appointed as nurse administrator means
reports regularly for all our patients. I that you got promoted.”
personally do my morning rounds every
day, talking to the patients and folks if Responsibility. Millennial nurse
there are any problems with the doctors, administrators hold a great responsibility at
nurses or any member of the healthcare work. Initially overwhelming, at a young age,
team, the set-up or any personnel in the participants were given the big responsibility of
hospital.” managing a unit including all its complexities.
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Dealing with older staff. The Gia: “I think as a nurse leader, the
participants shared that they felt challenged negative side happens when something
when dealing with older staff as they still feel affects the care rendered to the patients.
awkwardness especially in giving orders, and When this happens, your unit will be
even more so when providing corrections. It is tagged negatively. Worse, the case will
challenging for the millennial nurse spread as a rumor and reach the other
administrators to deal with their staff older than areas of the hospital. Hence, being a
they are because they need to devise a manner of leader means that you need to
management that would suit the personality of meticulously supervise your area. If your
older staff. staff has done something unfavorable, it
reflects your leadership. Like what they
Dan: “Of course one of the reasons is said, there should be a good leader in a
age. You know, the problem is on how to unit”.
correct them because they are older than
you are. You cannot just reprimand them DISCUSSIONS
because they might think that you have This study explored the views and
no respect for elders.” feelings of millennial nurse administrators on
leadership and their practice environment
Assuming full responsibility and likewise the challenges they have experienced.
accountability. The participants shared that they After reading and re-readings of interview
were challenged when the staff committed transcripts, twelve (12) meaningful categories
unwanted errors in the delivery of care. emerged directly from the text data. After
Participants acknowledge and take on the full careful analysis, the findings of this study were
responsibility for actions, decisions, and actions situated with the related literature and prior
of their subordinates. studies.
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A Qualitative Description of Millennial Nurse ... (John Ian Lamasan, et.al)
The findings of this study echo the millennial nurses in the study of Dyess,
characteristics of millennial nurses based on the Sherman, Pratt & Chiang-Hanisko (2016). In
AMN Healthcare (2017, 2018) survey of their research, emerging nurse leaders consider
millennial nurses. According to the survey, high satisfaction survey results, the need for
millennial nurses generally expect professional effective teamwork, strong staff connection, and
development opportunities, transparent quality a healthier work environment as important.
measures, a positive culture, and earnestly are Millennial nurses also mentioned client
supportive leadership. Correspondingly, the satisfaction as a responsibility of nurse leaders in
Deloitte (2016) millennial survey, participated an earlier investigation (Sherman, Saifman,
by 300 millennials from the Philippines, found Schwartz, & Schwartzc, 2015).
that millennials value customer satisfaction and Moreover, the transition from staff to
be given opportunities for professional managerial position of millennial nurse
development, career progress and assume administrators have been both challenging and
leadership roles. In the Philippines, to be rewarding. Traditionally, clinical experience has
promoted in the administrative position, staff been as a central criterion in nurse-leader
nurses are required by the nursing law of the selection and career progression (Robertson,
country to pursue a graduate degree or earn at 2007; Sherman, 2013). This path leads to
least nine (9) credit units in management and clinical integrity in the management position
administration courses at the graduate level. (Robertson, 2007). It cannot be avoided,
While the researchers encountered some however, that millennial nurses get promoted to
challenges in looking for participants in this administrative position ahead of the other
study, it is not surprising to note that there are generational cohorts. Millennials tend to better
already millennial nurses occupying themselves through pursuing graduate studies
administrative positions. Six (6) out of eight (8) and are more interested in leadership
study participants were already holding their opportunities. As a consequence, they get to lead
position for three (3) or more years. In keeping the generation of nurses ahead of them, like the
with the results of AMN Healthcare (2017, Gen X and the Baby Boomer nurses. Yet,
2018) survey, millennial nurses were found to be acceptance of staff remains to be an initial
more interested and optimistic about leadership challenge for nurse leaders (Sherman, 2010).
roles and were eager to pursue higher nursing Participants of this study recalled their
degrees compared to Generation X (ages 37-53) experiences of having difficulty in leading staff
and Baby Boomer nurses (ages 54-71). nurses older than them. Younger nurses in New
Leadership role in nursing such as being Zealand also faced challenges at being young
a charge nurse is fundamental to ensuring that (Clendon & Walker, 2012). Young leaders may
high standards of care are achieved and expect some push-backs and may be tested by
maintained optimizing patients’ experiences their staff (Sherman, 2013; Sherman 2016).
(Royal College of Nursing, 2009). This study Being young may also place them at higher risk
revealed that millennial nurse administrators of being targets of workplace bullying and
prize positive practice environment and the need harassment (Clendon & Walker, 2011; Sherman,
to continuously uphold standards for quality care 2013; Sherman 2016).
and client satisfaction. This finding is supported Undeniably, millennial nurse
by the AMN Healthcare (2017, 2018) survey administrators struggled with generational gaps
and the Deloitte (2016) millennial survey were probably because nurses from different
millennial nurses were found to strongly generations have differing expectations,
consider the positive culture and quality of their sometimes clashing personalities, opposing
work environment. Similarly, working values and views. Differences in work ethic and
conditions, as well as relationship with peers and the use of technology (Dyess, Sherman, Pratt &
supervisors, were dominant themes millennial Chiang-Hanisko, 2016) at the same time
nurses in New Zealand want for their profession differing values and communication preferences
(Jamieson, Kirk, Wright, & Andrew, 2015). (Chung, 2016) are potential sources of conflict
Comparable views were also shared by between generations. Though millennials
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generally respect their elders (Pew Research research among millennial nurses (Gen Y) also
Center, 2010), a number of researches found expressed safety as a major role of nurse leaders
millennials likely to prioritize work-life balance and fear of failure as a significant factor that
(Jamieson, Kirk & Andrew, 2013;Deloitte, hinders them from taking on the nurse leader
2016; Gunawan, 2016) and demand for role (Sherman, Saifman, Schwartz, &
reasonable work hours and flexible work Schwartzc, 2015). Likewise, tones of having role
schedules (Gunawan, 2016; Moore, Everly, & additions and 24/7 responsibility were
Bauer, 2016). Baby Boomers, on the other hand, appreciated themes among millennial nurse
are defined mainly by their jobs and may even managers in another study (Saifman, 2017).
sacrifice personal interests until the job is More than the challenges, the rewarding
complete while Gen Xers tend to be independent aspect of the experience of millennial nurse
when working (Moore, Everly, & Bauer, 2016). administrators point to their sense of satisfaction
In terms of communication and technology, of being given a chance to progress in their
millennials being digital natives and having an career together with the added trust and
affinity for technology prefer instant messaging responsibility given to them. It can be said that
and social networking applications compared to the upward movement of their career
Boomers who prefer face-to-face intrinsically motivate millennial nurse
communication, phone calls and memos (Shaw, administrators. Previous surveys found that
2013; Moore, Everly, & Bauer, 2016). Whereas millennials are driven by pay and financial
millennial nurse administrators value benefits (Deloitte, 2016) and that millennial
collaboration and teamwork, they maintain their nurses in New Zealand consider salary as a
professional boundaries when dealing with staff primary factor at work (Jamieson, Kirk, Wright,
and other members of the health team. It, & Andrew, 2015). Nonetheless, millennial nurse
however, remains a challenge that younger administrators in this study were motivated by
managers may also desire to “be friends” with their sense of achievement having to assume the
the staff (Sherman, 2016). Managers, therefore, role at a young age. A prior study also revealed
need to work hard to be fair and impartial among that millennial nurse managers felt lucky as they
staff regardless of age (Sherman, 2016). come into the role (Saifman, 2017). According
Additionally, aside from the challenge to Herzberg Motivation-Hygiene Theory
of managing older nurses, it was shared by the (1974), achievement, recognition, work itself,
participants of this study that they were initially responsibility, advancement are considered
overwhelmed when they assumed their new motivating factors which are reasons by workers
leadership role. This feeling stems from the to stay in their jobs (Jamieson, Kirk, Wright,&
added responsibility and greater accountability Andrew, 2015). Employers may see this finding
that is being placed on their shoulders. as an avenue to develop measures addressing
Navigating into the new role requires some form these motivational sources to attract and retain
of adjustment. It has been studied that major millennial nurses in their hospitals. Based on the
transition impacts role, relationships, routine and literature review of Aziz, Rahman, Yusof, &
assumptions (Schlossberg, 2008). The transition Yunus (2018), authors found that the literature is
from staff nurse to ward leader involves consistent in disclosing that younger generation
developing a wide range of skills and that even tends to have lower organizational commitment
with support, new ward leaders need time to compared to older generations. The U.S. Bureau
become confident in their role (Spencer, Al- of Labor Statistics (2018) survey also found that
Sadoon, Hemmings, Jackson, & Mulligan, employee tenure was higher among older
2014). Millennial nurse administrators are held workers than younger ones. The Deloitte (2016)
accountable for their unit. This experience has millennial survey likewise raised issues related
also been noted in an earlier study where to the loyalty of millennials in their current jobs.
managers struggled with being held accountable Additionally, the AMN Healthcare (2017)
for the performance of their staff during their survey revealed that about 17% of millennial
transition from clinical to a managerial domain nurses said they would seek a new place of
(Thompson & Henwood, 2016). Comparably, employment as a nurse compared to 15% of Gen
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A Qualitative Description of Millennial Nurse ... (John Ian Lamasan, et.al)
Xers and only 10% of Baby Boomers. trustworthiness were employed, some bias or
Employers, therefore, should celebrate subjectivity could have been still introduced in
differences and promote the strengths and the analysis and interpretation of the findings.
positive attributes of each generational cohort as Nevertheless, this current study has provided
a guidepost to establish good management insights regarding nurse leaders in this
strategies and practices to attract and retain staff generational cohort and has contributed to the
(Hendricks & Cope, 2013; Moore, Everly, & emerging body of knowledge among millennial
Bauer, 2016). nurse administrators in the Philippine setting.
Meanwhile, it was also demonstrated in
this study that millennial nurse administrators CONCLUSIONS
tend to hold contemporary viewpoints of
leadership. Directing has been described as a Millennial nurse administrators are
function of management that entails human transformative when it comes to leadership.
resource management responsibilities (Marquis While they continue to hold some traditional
& Huoston, 2009). Millennial nurse viewpoints on task orientation, it is evident that
administrators are transformative as they see millennial nurse administrators tend to focus
leadership as a chance to guide, mentor and more on people-oriented approaches and
empower their staff. Research with millennial contemporary viewpoints on leadership.
nurses in South Florida echoes many similar Considering the complexities in the healthcare
themes as with this study in terms of motivating profession, millennial nurse administrators cope
others, mentoring, fostering cooperation through with the responsibilities brought by their
the empowerment of others and promoting position as major key players to ensure that the
effective teamwork (Sherman, Saifman, operations of the unit abide with the standards of
Schwartz & Schwartzc, 2015). Likewise, practice. Millennial nurse administrators should
millennial nurse managers in another study learn to accept the responsibilities and embrace
expressed similar patterns with this study as to the accountabilities brought by their position
staff influence, developing others and helping that they have at present. Moreover, they should
staff succeed (Saifman, 2017). acknowledge the complexity of the nursing
Transformational leadership is being practice environment and adjust to the demands
encouraged in present-day healthcare of the healthcare industry. When onboarding
organizations (Smith, 2011). The perspectives millennials in leadership positions, it is
on leadership of millennial nurse administrators necessary to value the qualities of this
in this study are consistent with the roles of a generation and how they can contribute to
transformational leader described in the improving the quality of care and the practice of
literature. According to Smith (2011), the roles nursing. Underscoring the importance of staff
of the transformational leader in the healthcare relations without depriving the quality of
setting include promoting teamwork, motivating, nursing care services, millennial nurse
and empowering staff. Additionally, Renjith, administrators must be provided with
Renu & George (2015) described a understanding, mentoring and support to
transformational leader as a mentor and a role enhance their leadership skills as they advance
model for the staff. into higher leadership positions.
This study has its limitations inherent ACKNOWLEDGMENT
particularly with qualitative research designs.
For one, the study only captured the views of a The researchers would like to thank Dr.
small number of purposive selected millennial Mark Lister F. Opiñia and Chief Nurse Fitz
nurse administrators in tertiary hospitals from Gerald Jaminit, colleagues in the nursing
one geographic area hence limiting the profession and millennial nurse administrators
generalizability of the results. Also, while the themselves, for reviewing the article before this
researchers tried to remain as objective as publication.
possible in the analysis of the interview
transcripts and certain measures of
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