Cornerstone Specialty Hospital in Shawnee, Okla., a 34-bed long-term care facility, serves very complex patients—people recovering from sepsis, weaning off ventilators, dealing with complex wounds—and the majority of its nurses are under the age of 40. Chief Nursing Officer Amanda Kidd keeps several priorities in mind for her nursing staff.
“When it comes to Millennials, we have to be mindful of what their goals are and bridge a connection so that they can see how the work they are doing contributes to their goals,” she said. “We have to support a work-life balance really well. And we have to be flexible, thinking about what we need done and what they are trying to accomplish and be thoughtful about how we blend the two together.”
She should know: Kidd, 37, is a member of the generation born between 1981 and 1996 referred to as Millennials. A literature review published this spring in the Journal of Nursing Administration identified the factors that keep Millennial nurses on the job: strong leadership, advancement opportunities, alignment of organizational and personal values, good coworker relationships, a healthy work-life balance, recognition and cutting-edge technology.
“Millennials have specific expectations for work, and they will leave if these go unmet,” the authors wrote.
At Carolina Caring, a serious illness management company based in Newton, N.C., the tag line “Filling Each Day with Purpose” appeals to Millennial values, said interim CEO Dana Killian. Its nearly 400 staff members provide hospice, palliative care, home-based primary care and bereavement services to people living in 12 mostly rural counties in western North Carolina.
“What Millennials desire in a workplace is a great purpose and a great mission,” Killian said. “They can see that they are part of something that is bigger and that is good work.”