The perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work: A scoping review

IF 3.6 2区医学 Q1 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES Nurse Education Today Pub Date : 2025-03-11 DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106678

Outi Kanste , Minna Ylisirniö , Mira Hammarén , Suvi Kuha

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Global health-care systems are facing severe labor shortages, driven by high turnover and poor working conditions. Retaining and attracting staff, particularly from Generation Z, is crucial. The lack of comprehensive studies on Generation Z's views on health-care work highlights the need to understand their perspectives.

Aim

To identify the best evidence regarding the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work. Doing so can reveal potential gaps in the literature and guide future research.

Methods

The review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines for scoping reviews. The studies were screened by three independent reviewers. Eligible ones included those in which Generation Z nurses and other professionals and students born between 1995 and 2012 expressed perceptions related to health-care work in any geographical location. Qualitative and quantitative studies written in English, Finnish, or Swedish with no time limit were included. Narrative synthesis was used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the data.

Data sources

A systematic search for original studies was conducted on CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MedNar, and the Finnish database Medic.

Results

A total of 14 studies published between 2019 and 2023 were included, and five distinct themes in the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students were identified: 1) work values, 2) emerging competencies at work and development needs, 3) work attitudes and expectations, 4) feelings of well-being at work, and 5) workplace-community relations.

Conclusion and implications

Members of Generation Z have unique, complex, and partly conflicting perceptions of health-care work, which calls for innovative approaches and different work-related benefits to ensure they are drawn to and retained in health professions and organizations. Understanding these perceptions is essential for healthcare organizations and managers to develop appealing and well-functioning work environments that meet their expectations and promote work engagement.

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来源期刊

Nurse Education Today 医学-护理

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

12.80%

发文量

349

审稿时长

58 days

期刊介绍： Nurse Education Today is the leading international journal providing a forum for the publication of high quality original research, review and debate in the discussion of nursing, midwifery and interprofessional health care education, publishing papers which contribute to the advancement of educational theory and pedagogy that support the evidence-based practice for educationalists worldwide. The journal stimulates and values critical scholarly debate on issues that have strategic relevance for leaders of health care education. The journal publishes the highest quality scholarly contributions reflecting the diversity of people, health and education systems worldwide, by publishing research that employs rigorous methodology as well as by publishing papers that highlight the theoretical underpinnings of education and systems globally. The journal will publish papers that show depth, rigour, originality and high standards of presentation, in particular, work that is original, analytical and constructively critical of both previous work and current initiatives. Authors are invited to submit original research, systematic and scholarly reviews, and critical papers which will stimulate debate on research, policy, theory or philosophy of nursing and related health care education, and which will meet and develop the journal''s high academic and ethical standards.