The perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work: A scoping review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Global health-care systems are facing severe labor shortages, driven by high turnover and poor working conditions. Retaining and attracting staff, particularly from Generation Z, is crucial. The lack of comprehensive studies on Generation Z's views on health-care work highlights the need to understand their perspectives. AIM: To identify the best evidence regarding the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students concerning health-care work. Doing so can reveal potential gaps in the literature and guide future research. METHODS: The review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines for scoping reviews. The studies were screened by three independent reviewers. Eligible ones included those in which Generation Z nurses and other professionals and students born between 1995 and 2012 expressed perceptions related to health-care work in any geographical location. Qualitative and quantitative studies written in English, Finnish, or Swedish with no time limit were included. Narrative synthesis was used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the data. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search for original studies was conducted on CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MedNar, and the Finnish database Medic. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies published between 2019 and 2023 were included, and five distinct themes in the perceptions of Generation Z professionals and students were identified: 1) work values, 2) emerging competencies at work and development needs, 3) work attitudes and expectations, 4) feelings of well-being at work, and 5) workplace-community relations. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Members of Generation Z have unique, complex, and partly conflicting perceptions of health-care work, which calls for innovative approaches and different work-related benefits to ensure they are drawn to and retained in health professions and organizations. Understanding these perceptions is essential for healthcare organizations and managers to develop appealing and well-functioning work environments that meet their expectations and promote work engagement.

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