Objective: This studyexaminedfactorsthatleadGenerationYnursestoconsiderorrejectnursing
leadership roles.
Background: Almost halfofthecurrentnurseleadersinthecountryareexpectedtoretirebytheendof
the decade.GenerationYwillsooncomprise50%ofthenursingworkforceandorganizationslookto
them toassumeleadershiproles.Learninghowtoeffectivelyrecruit,motivateandretainGenerationY
nurse leaderswillbecriticaltothefutureofnursing.
Methods: This wasaqualitativestudythatusedaConCensus™ processapproachtocollectthethemes
and factorsofimportancetoparticipantsrelatedtonursingleadershiproles.Threefocusgroupswere
conducted during2013and2014with32GenerationYRegisteredNurses,notcurrentlyinleadership
positions andbornonorafterJanuary1st,1981.
Key findings: Feedbackfromcurrentnurseleadersabouttheirrolesisprimarilynegative.Thestrongest
incentiveforGenerationYnursestoseekleadershiprolesisthepotentialtocreatemeaningfulchangein
healthcare. Fearoffailureintheroleandlackofwork-lifebalancearesignificant deterrentstoacceptinga
leadership role.
Conclusions: GenerationYnursesdoseethevalueandimportanceofnursingleadershipinmakinga
difference inpatientcarebuthaveconcernsaboutthelevelofsupportthatwillbeavailabletothemas
they assumetheseroles.Attentionmustbedirectedtowardprovidingresourcesandstrategiesto
develop skilledGenerationYnurseleadersinordertopromoteeffectivesuccessionplanning.
& 2015TheAuthors.PublishedbyElsevierLtd.ThisisanopenaccessarticleundertheCCBY-NC-ND