Beyond generational differences: a literature review of the impact of relational diversity on nurses' attitudes and work

Abstract

AIM: Based on a review of the empirical literature, we examine the influence of selected diversity attributes on nurses' work-related attitudes and behaviour. BACKGROUND: The nursing workforce has become increasingly heterogeneous in its age, educational attainment, and ethnicity/race distributions. There is considerable speculation, in the literature, that the work values of recent nursing graduates are discordant with more experienced nurses. RESULTS: A review of studies published between 1980 and 2009 in nursing, healthcare, psychology, and organizational behaviour led to the inclusion of 19 peer-reviewed research articles, from which our analyses are drawn. KEY ISSUES: The findings indicate that age diversity leads to negative behaviour toward others in the workgroup (e.g. poor collegial relationships) whereas perceived work-values diversity is negatively associated with individuals' own attitudes and behaviour toward their work as well as toward other members of their workgroup. CONCLUSIONS: There is inconclusive evidence about the attributes that most significantly influence nurses' attitudes and work; however, preliminary evidence supports the salience of work values. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Irrespective of the actual diversity within workgroups, how nurses see one another can have a significant impact on members of their workgroups and their functioning. Broader conceptualizations of diversity are necessary.

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