The Millennial generation is made up of those born between approximately 1980 and 2000. A Pew Research study identified that Millennials make up 35% of the overall workforce. Every generation has stereotypes and preconceived notions by the other generations, and Millennials are no different.
With that being said, Millennials bring a whole new way of thinking to the nursing world! These people grew up with technology and have a mindset to work hard for their success. Here are 4 reasons to love Millennial nurses:
- They’re open-minded:
When Millennials were growing up, the 20th century was coming to an end. In terms of their identity, Millennials are accepting a “new normal” in contemporary culture. Gone are the rigid definitions of what it means to be masculine or feminine and they seem to see any means of safe and non-violent self-expression as positive.
These traits are extremely important in nursing and healthcare. For patients and their families, this opens the door to a decreased need for defensiveness, the reluctance to seek medical care and the fear of judgement by a healthcare provider.
- They are future leaders:
When you say Millennial, a lot of people automatically think of these people being in their 20s when in actuality, a good portion of those people are almost 40 years old! In healthcare, Millennials are poised to become administrators, Directors of Nursing, CEOs, CNOs, CFOs and leaders at every level.
New leaders mean new ideas!
- They’re undeniably tech savvy:
“They are always on their phone” is a common complaint about Millennials these days. While this can be a downfall of any generation, it is actually a benefit for the healthcare world. The oldest Millennials were in high school when the internet came into popular use. Cell phones also emerged around this time, followed by smart phones.
This means that millennials generally have a relatively high degree of comfort and familiarity when faced with new software, apps and digital platforms. While some Gen X’ers and Boomers had to work hard to adapt to life in the Information Age, Millennials were practically born into it. As medical technology progresses, Millennials will be the ones to develop, introduce, and train on it.
- They’re flexible:
Rigid work hours, issues around continuity of patient care and organizational needs do not allow for much time off. However, Millennial nurses are much more self-aware of self-care needs and time away from work.
While this may seem “lazy” to older generations, this means they have a clear understanding of their personal needs and boundaries. When a person loses their ability to provide self-care and time off, they burn out, which doesn’t help anyone.
Millennials are here to stay and they will make huge, positive changes in the healthcare world. Every generation has their strengths and weaknesses and as a society, we need to learn how to appreciate and utilize everyone.
