The millennial engagement, resiliency and retention study: What does your millennial advanced practice registered nurse workforce really want?

BACKGROUND

Increasing the use of advanced practice nurses may be one of the most viable options to meeting the burgeoning health care demands of older Americans and impending provider shortage over the next two decades. However, keeping the millennial workforce engaged and retained continues to be a significant challenge for health care administrators.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to understand the intergenerational advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) workforce and assess what job satisfaction factors impact APRN intention to stay, and explore how variables such as resiliency style and age affect retention in these young careerists.

METHODS

This was a single-center, cross-sectional descriptive study using survey methodology. A total of 405 APRNs from all specialties and practice sites from a large Midwestern Academic Medical Center were eligible to participate. A total of 165 APRNs completed the survey, which was a 41% response rate.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in mean resiliency scores by age cohort (p > .05) or a higher intention to leave in millennial-aged APRNs versus older APRNs (p > .05); however, there were significant mean differences in job satisfaction responses that warrant consideration in millennial versus older "baby boomer" APRNs on items such as professional growth, compensation, monetary bonuses, and expanding procedures and skills within scope of practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Understanding generational differences in APRN job satisfaction assists hospital leaders to develop strategies to support, engage, and retain younger careerists, which may help mitigate turnover.