[Generations of Italian nurses compared: an exploratory study].

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Sociology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Limited research exists on generational influences within complex nursing work environments in Italy.
• Previous studies on this topic often suffer from small sample sizes and a monocentric approach.
• No prior Italian studies have specifically investigated the multigenerational nursing workforce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the existence of generational differences among Italian nurses.
• To describe the characteristics of these generational differences within the Italian healthcare context.

Main Methods:

• A 33-item questionnaire was administered to 317 nurses in two major Italian North-East hospitals.
• Analysis focused on five dimensions: professional space, professional role, professional culture, orientation to care, and relationships among generations.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant generational differences were observed in 9 questionnaire items.
• The dimension with the most significant differences was 'relationships among generations' (6 items).
• Differences were also noted in 'orientation to care,' 'professional space,' and 'professional role' (1 item each).

Conclusions:

• The study confirms the presence of generational differences among Italian nurses.
• It provides preliminary data on the perceptions and relationships between different nursing generations in Italy.
• Further research is recommended to compare these findings with international literature due to the study's exploratory nature.