Leaders adapt as Gen Z nurses leave workforce

Editor's Note

Gen Z nurses are leaving the workforce in droves, and CNOs must adapt their leadership strategies to keep them. That’s according to a July 21 HealthLeaders report on the Nurse Experience 2025 analysis from Press Ganey, which found that 24% of Gen Z registered nurses left the workforce in 2024.

The 24% figure, reported by Press Ganey amid an already high national RN turnover rate of 16.4%, comes from an analysis of over 500,000 RNs, advanced practice providers, and clinical staff nationwide. HealthLeaders quotes Press Ganey CNO Jeff Doucette: "We know that this engagement report and these statistics tend to be the earlier bellwether that there will be problems with quality, safety, and reliability in six to nine months from now if we don't pay attention to what's happening in with the workforce." 

As detailed in the article, the data show Gen Z nurses are departing not due to a lack of commitment, but because they perceive a disconnect with leadership and a failure to support their professional purpose and wellbeing. Doucette noted these younger clinicians report lower psychological safety, higher cognitive overload, and greater administrative burden. Unlike older generations, they are less willing to tolerate dysfunction in the workplace.

Gen Z clinicians also tend to expect faster solutions to complex problems and may leave environments that lack clear pathways to career advancement or responsive leadership. According to the article, the solution to these concerns begins with flexibility and communication. CNOs should consider relaxing rigid scheduling practices and outlining concrete career pathways from day one. Telling Gen Z nurses what they can achieve—such as joining shared governance or entering a leadership development program—matters more than what they can’t do yet, the outlet reports.

How leaders communicate makes a significant difference. The data show Gen Z nurses are more likely to engage with leadership that uses short-form digital content on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, rather than traditional print newsletters, HealthLeaders reports. Ultimately, Doucette emphasized that retaining Gen Z nurses will require environments that meet their expectations for flexibility, purpose, and transparent communication.

A July 21 press release from Press Ganey details other takeaways from the data, including: 

•  Patient experience scores are trending upward, driven by stronger communication, coordination, and access, particularly in outpatient settings. Since 2019, “Likelihood to Recommend” (LTR) scores have increased by 1.7 points in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), 2.8 points in medical practices, and 0.5 in emergency departments (EDs). Inpatient scores, though still below pre-pandemic levels, rose 0.9 points year over year.
• Patients with unplanned admissions report the lowest experience ratings and are 16% less likely to recommend the hospital.
• The data shows a strong link between teamwork and LTR scores
• When patients rate safety as “very good,” LTR scores are dramatically higher. When they don’t, scores fall below the 1st percentile.