Ambition in the Workplace: Millennial Nurses Drawn Toward Leadership, Higher Degrees, Professional Development

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennials are rapidly becoming the most predominant generation in the workplace, and in nursing they are driven to seek leadership roles, higher degrees, and professional development more than their generational counterparts.

The AMN Healthcare Survey of Millennial Nurses: A Dynamic Influence on the Profession, compares the views of Millennial nurses (ages 19-36) to those of Generation X (ages 37-53) and Baby Boomer nurses (ages 54-71) regarding their expectations about their work environment and career futures. The results show that Millennial nurses are bringing a dynamic new perspective on such factors as career, leadership, education, and work environment.

"Millennial nurses are changing the healthcare workforce in ways that could further improve patient care and help healthcare organizations," said Marcia Faller, Chief Clinical Officer at AMN Healthcare. "This survey demonstrates the high ambition of this generation of nurses and provides better understanding about how healthcare leaders can fully engage these high-achieving healthcare professionals."

The report shows Millennial nurses are not only interested in further educational attainment, but are actively pursuing higher degrees and professional certification. Nearly 40% of Millennial RNs said they plan to pursue a master's degree in the next three years, while another 11% said they would seek a PhD. These responses were significantly higher than those of other generations.

As the healthcare industry faces an aging patient population needed more complex treatment, this push for increased levels of education will help fulfill the goal of a highly educated nursing workforce.

Since the healthcare industry is impacted by shortages of leaders as well as practitioners, healthcare organizations stand to benefit from the increased interest in leadership among Millennial nurses. According to the Millennial Nurse Survey, more than one third --36% -- of Millennial nurses said they were significantly interested in leadership roles, compared to one fourth of Gen Xers and 10% of Baby Boomers.

Millennial nurses were also more optimistic toward leadership than their older counterparts.  When responding to positive statements about their leaders, across categories including how much they trust their leaders and whether leaders care about their career development, Millennial nurses more often answered "agree" or "strongly agree" than did Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

Professional development has proven to be important to recruiting and retaining Millennials in all professions but may be especially important in healthcare, where workforce demand is high and the need for quality care and team collaboration is significant. In the survey, the majority of Millennial nurses agreed with the statement "the quality of patient care I provide is positively influenced by professional development opportunities."

The full survey can be downloaded here.

About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in healthcare workforce solutions and staffing services to healthcare facilities across the nation. AMN Healthcare's workforce solutions - including managed services programs, vendor management systems, recruitment process outsourcing and consulting services - enable providers to successfully reduce complexity, increase efficiency and improve patient outcomes within the rapidly evolving healthcare environment. The Company provides unparalleled access to the most comprehensive network of quality healthcare professionals through its innovative recruitment strategies and breadth of career opportunities. Clients include acute-care hospitals, community health centers and clinics, physician practice groups, retail and urgent care centers, home health facilities, and many other healthcare settings. AMN Healthcare is committed to fostering and maintaining a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. Our commitment to the inclusion of many different background, experiences and perspectives enables our innovation and leadership in the healthcare services industry. AMN Healthcare disseminates news and information about the Company through its website, which can be found at www.amnhealthcare.com. 

Media Contact: 
Jim Gogek
Corporate Communications
AMN Healthcare
(858) 350-3209
[email protected]

SOURCE AMN Healthcare