Nursing Workforce Trends Younger, Values Tenured Practitioners

• The nursing workforce trends younger when comparing 2017 to 2021, according to the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses.
• However, a survey from the American Nurses Foundation, conducted with Mckinsey & Co., found that tenure is complex and nuanced when it comes to retention.
• Surveys indicate that finding creative ways to engage near-retirement nurses with early-tenure nurses could help build the workforce.

As the nursing workforce trends younger, some practitioners would consider coming out of retirement to serve in a mentorship capacity, according to recent industry surveys. 

The National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, released in March 2024, found that 38% of the workforce was 55 years old or older in 2017, but decreased to 34% by 2021.

Meanwhile, tenure is considered a complex and “nuanced factor” for workforce dynamics and retention, according to The American Nurses Foundation, Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Multigenerational Nurse Experience Survey.

“The early-tenure population is particularly important to retain as more experienced nurses reach retirement age,” the ANF report stated. “Supporting and retaining mid-tenure and most-tenured nurses is also crucial given the critical role they play in teaching and mentoring those newer to the profession.” 

Roughly 30% of the ANF survey respondents were considering leaving their role within six months – about 45% of early-tenure nurses, 31% of mid-tenure nurses, and 27% of most-tenured nurses.

The report also determined that “finding creative ways” to engage nurses in patient care or coaching who have retired, or are near retirement, would help with the industry’s “experience void.” Of nearly 180 survey respondents who were currently or previously retired, 34% wanted to serve as an educator and 31% wanted to serve as a mentor. 

The “2024 Survey of Hospital Nurse Leaders: Roles, Challenges, and Workforce Solutions” echoed sentiments in the previous two surveys, with recruitment/retention, staff burnout, and labor shortages top of mind. Leadership development (30%) was identified as one of the “most useful” methods to help with retention, along with effective onboarding and orientation (31%). 

Nursing Workforce Trends Denote Support From Tenured Practioners

Early-career nurses reported seeking a supportive environment where they could learn from more experienced practitioners, the ANF survey found. They said they felt more supported by mid-tenure nurses (29%) than most-tenured (17%), and more often frustrated by most-tenured colleagues (12%).

“Despite these negative sentiments, however, about 75% of early-tenure nurse respondents reported that they agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoyed working with most-tenured nurses,” the survey stated. “More than 80% reported that they viewed most-tenured nurses as ‘a great resource to learn from.’”

Mid-career and most-tenured practitioners said they felt both respected and like a leader, but also exhausted and concerned after shifts with early-career nurses. Still, roughly 75% of both career-levels enjoyed working with their younger counterparts, according to the report.

“Some organizations have implemented programs that provide flexibility and schedule relief to these most-tenured preretirement nurses,” the report stated. “Indeed, being able to set their own schedule was the top response among the 1,640 respondents who identified as eligible for retirement, with 46% sharing that this would encourage them to consider delaying their retirement. And 45% of nurses who were currently or previously retired indicated that this would make them consider rejoining the workforce.” 

Mentorship Programs of Interest in Nursing Workforce Trends

Nearly 20% of early-tenure nurses indicated that a formal mentorship program with mid- and most-tenured nurses as a “top initiative to support a positive work environment.” Supporting that sentiment, roughly 72% of the more tenured nurses reported being “energized and fulfilled” when teaching younger coworkers. Retired or previously retired nurses felt the same, with more than 30% willing to consider returning to the industry in an educational or mentorship capacity.

“As a growing number of nurses reach retirement age, organizations have an opportunity to create roles that honor the expertise of these often more-tenured nurses while promoting a work environment that is collaborative and positive for early-tenure nurses,” the report stated. 

For example, the Mass General Brigham healthcare system established a mentoring pilot program that sowed an increase in job satisfaction from both mentors and mentees.

The ANF survey, conducted with McKinsey & Co., included 5,772 nurses across three cohorts (early-tenure, mid-tenure, and most-tenured) and was conducted from September to October 2023. 

Additional findings from the 2022 national sample survey include: 

• The nursing industry is becoming more diverse, with non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic Asian RNs making up 11% and 9% of the RN population compared to 8% and 5%, respectively. 
• 46% of RNs who earned a degree between 2016 and 2020 took online courses, an increase from 19% of graduates between 2000 and 2015. 
• RNs have roughly $48 billion of student loan debt. 
• Workforce shortages are projected nationally for RNs and LPN/LVNs through 2036. 

The Bottom Line

The nursing workforce is in a transition, in part, due to retirements and burnout. But industry surveys show opportunities for younger nurses to learn from their more-tenured counterparts through mentorship programs and other professional development opportunities. Of concern is finding the time and capacity to build those relationships and the workforce as a whole. 

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