Nurses’ Generational Differences of Burnout and Turnover Risk

This study aimed to determine the impact of nurse generation on (a) turnover risk factors (low meaning/joy in work, low resilience, high occupational fatigue, high burnout) and (b) turnover intentions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey methods were used to compare two samples of hospital nurses who completed online surveys in 2017 or 2021. The results were compared on burnout and turnover risk by generation. Results indicate that in 2017, high acute fatigue and low inter-shift recovery differed by nurse generation, with Baby Boomers (Boomers) being the least affected. Additionally, Boomers were the least likely to report a likelihood of leaving the hospital within 6-12 months. However, in 2021, Millennial nurses experienced significantly higher levels of low meaning and joy in work, low resilience, high acute fatigue, low inter-shift recovery, and high burnout than Generation X (GenX) and Boomers. Millennials were the most likely generation to report turnover intention. This leads to the conclusion that the pandemic may have worsened the work experience of millennial nurses and increased their risk of leaving hospital jobs and the profession.