Professional Commitment, Stress Management, and Nursing Generations

This research article, published in the International Journal of Caring Sciences, investigates the professional commitment and stress management strategies employed by nurses from Generation X and Generation Y. The study, conducted in a state hospital in Turkey, involved 175 nurses and utilized the Professional Commitment Scale and the Coping Strategies Inventory to gather data through face-to-face interviews. The findings reveal significant differences between the two generations, with Generation Y nurses showing a stronger inclination to maintain professional membership, while Generation X nurses displayed greater self-confidence and sought social support more frequently as a means of coping with stress. The study emphasizes the importance of considering generational characteristics when developing strategies to support nurses' retention and stress management within the healthcare profession. The report concludes by recommending that healthcare organizations take generational differences into account when determining strategies that will help nurses remain in the profession and cope with stress. The study provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the nursing workforce and offers recommendations for improving the work environment for nurses.

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 456
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
Original Article
Examination of Professional Commitment and Stress Management
among Nurses from Different Generations
Canan Demir Barutcu, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Faculty of
Health Sciences, Burdur, Turkey
Senan Ergin, RN
Lecturer, Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Faculty of Health
Sciences, Burdur, Turkey
Correspondence: Canan Demir Barutcu, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Faculty of Health Sciences,
Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, 15100 Burdur, Turkey e-mail: [e-mail];
[e-mail]
Abstract
Objective: This study was conducted in order to examine professional commitment and stress management
situations of nurses from different generations.
Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted with 175 nurses who accepted to participate in this study
in a state hospital between April and July 2016. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the
scale of professional commitment in nursing and the scale of ways to cope with stress. In the analysis of the
data, correlation, chi-square and student t-test were used.
Results: No statistically significant difference was found among the nurses in group X and group Y included in
the research in terms of sex, position, cadre status and whether the profession was selected voluntarily (p>0.05)
while there were statistically significant differences among the nurses in group X and group Y in terms of
marital status, educational status and length of service (p<0.05). When total scores and sub dimension score
averages of the nurses in group X and group Y in the professional commitment scale were compared, a
statistically significant difference was found between two groups only in the sub dimension of maintaining
professional membership (p<0.05). When sub dimension score averages of the nurses in group X and group Y in
the scale of ways to cope with stress were compared, statistically significant differences were found between
two groups in terms of self-confident approach and seeking social support (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The present study reveals that nurses of Y generation are more willing to maintain professional
membership while nurses of X generation are more self-confident and seek social support more as a method of
coping with stress when compared to the other generation. It is recommended that characteristics of generations
are considered in determining the strategies that will help nurses remain in profession and cope with stress.
Key words: Coping with stress, generations, nursing, professional commitment
Introduction
In modern world, technological developments
and scientific advances affect lifestyles, cultures,
social circles and communications of human
beings. Periods of time emerging with the
influence of these developments and changes are
called as generation. The concept of generation is
used in order to identify human communities that
are born in the same period of time and go
through similar experiences. Each generation has
its specific characteristics and thus, is different
from other generations. One of the fields where
intergenerational differences can be clearly
observed is business world (Kose et al 2014).
Each generation has different opportunities
depending on the conditions of the period, and
this causes the individuals to grow in totally
different ways. As a natural consequence of all of
these situations, differences are observed among
generations in such aspects as perceptions,
opinions, values, attitudes, behaviors, lifestyles
and communication (Tuybek 2004). In particular,
with the increasing number of individuals from
generation Y who actively participate in business
life, conflicts between generation X and

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 457
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
generation Y have become one of the main
problems of executives (Yuksekbilgili 2015). The
efficiency of precautions taken by the individual
against stressors is closely related with her/his
characteristically and behavioral features (Ekinci,
Altun &Can 2013).
Understanding and managing differences among
generations is of great importance for the present-
day employees and executives who spend most of
their lives in their workplaces for the efficient
and effective functioning of organizations.
Understanding intergenerational differences of
nurses who are important members of the
professional healthcare team and determining
their professional commitment levels and how
they manage stress are highly important in terms
of contributing to the literature and raising
awareness. Nurses are among the main
contributors to patient care and are in direct
contact with patients. Nurses’ professional
commitment can affect their job satisfaction and
retention in nursing and enhance patient safety
and care quality. Therefore, identifying factors
behind their professional commitment is crucial
(Akbari, Vagharseyyedin & Farajzadeh 2015).
One of the factors which may affect professional
commitment is different generation. Based on
this point, this descriptive study was carried out
in order to determine professional commitment
levels and ways to cope with stress among nurses
of the generation X and generation Y.
Research questions
• What is the level of professional commitment
and stress management situations of nurses
from different generations?
• Is there any difference between different
generations of nurses in the level of
commitment to the profession?
• Is there any difference between different
generations of nurses in the level of coping
with stress?
Methods
The cross-sectional and descriptive design was
used. This study was conducted in state hospital
in Burdur, Turkey. Convenience sampling
methods were used. Twenty five nurses refused
to participate (12.5%). The study sample
consisted of 175 nurses. The sample included
those who volunteered to participate in the study.
The inclusion criteria for nurses were a person
who voluntarily accepted participation in the
research, was literate in Turkish, and was 18
years and older. The data was acquired by the
researcher between April and July 2016 in a face-
to-face interview method, explaining the aim of
the research to the nurses who were part of the
research sampling in the clinics where the
research was carried out.
Instruments
Demographic characteristics
This form is comprised of eight questions
regarding nurses’ sociodemographic
characteristics: Age, sex, marital status,
educational status, employment status, working
ward, choosing the profession voluntarily, and
working period.
Professional commitment scale
The Professional Commitment Scale was
developed and revised by the authors (Lu, Chiou
& Chang 2000; 2002; 2007). This scale is
composed of 26 items in total. It has three sub-
scales including willingness to make effort (13
items); maintaining as a membership (8 items)
and belief in goals and values (5 items). Item
responses were rated on a four point scale (1 _
strongly certain, 4 _ strongly uncertain). Higher
scores represent higher levels of commitment to
the profession. Score of total scale is
standardized between 26 and 104. In the scale
nine items are reversed
(14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,25). Internal
consistency using Cronbach’s was .94. The
adaptation, reliability and validity studies of the
scale in Turkey were already available
(Cetinkaya, Ozmen & Temel 2015). Internal
consistency using Cronbach’s was .90. In this
study, the reliability coefficient of the scale was
determined as 0.89.
Coping strategies inventory
The Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) is 30 item
self-report questionnaire designed to assess
coping thought and behaviors in response to a
specific stressor. The format of the CSI is
adapted from Lazarus “Ways of Coping’
questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus 1980;
Folkman & Lazarus 1985; Folkman & Lazarus
1988). The Coping Strategies Inventory is
adapted from Sahin & Durak (1995) for the
Turkish society. It has five sub-scales including
self-confidence approach (7 items), optimistic
approach (5 items), helpless approach (8 items),
submissive approach (6 items) and social support
approach (4 items). Using a three-point likert

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 458
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
scale format. In the scale two items are reversed
(1. and 9.). Total scores for all components range
from 0 to 3. Total scores for each component
were computed by adding the items values in
each component and then dividing them by the
number of items in that component. The internal
consistency reliability analysis revealed
reliability between alpha = 0.47-0.80 for all of
the scales for Turkish society by Sahin & Durak
(1995). In this study, the internal consistency
reliability analysis revealed reliability between
alpha = 0.42-0.76 for all of the scales.
Ethical considerations
Written permission from Mehmet Akif Ersoy
University Ethical Committee (GO 2016/8) and
the Burdur State Hospital (49810142/806.02.02)
was also obtained. The objective of the research
was explained to the participants and written
permission was received from those agreeing to
participate in the research.
Data analysis
Analysis was conducted using descriptive
statistics tests using the Statistical Package for
the Social Services SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc.,
Chicago, IL). A test of hypothesis with p value
of <0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Nurses were mostly (62.9%) from generation X
(1966-1979) while 37.1 % of them were from
generation Y (1980-1995), were mostly (92%)
female, married (77.7%), 41.7 % of them had
bachelor’s degree, 92.6 % of them were working
as ward nurse, 97.1 % of them were working as
permanent staff, 73.7 % of them chose the
profession of nursing voluntarily and average
working period was 16.46 ± 9.27 (Table 1).
No statistically significant difference was found
among nurses in the group X and group Y in
terms of sex, position, cadre status and whether
the profession was selected voluntarily (p<0.05).
However, a statistically significant difference
was detected among nurses in group X and group
Y in terms of marital status, educational status
and length of service (p<0.05) (Table 2).
Differences were found among nurses from
different generations only in terms of marital
status, educational status and length of service.
Difference was found between two groups since
94.5 % of nurses of generation X were married
while 49.2 % of nurses of generation Y were
married. Also, difference was found between two
groups since average length of service among
nurses of generation X was 22.15±5.57 while
average length of service among nurses of
generation Y was 6.84±5.58. (Table 2).
No statistically significant difference was found
among the nurses in the group X and group Y
included in the research in terms of sex, position,
cadre status and whether the profession was
selected voluntarily (p>0.05) while statistically
significant differences were found among the
nurses in the group X and group Y in terms of
marital status, educational status and length of
service (p<0.05) (Table 2).
When total scores and sub dimension score
averages of nurses in the group X and group Y in
the professional commitment scale were
compared, a statistically significant difference
was found between two groups only in terms of
maintaining professional membership (p<0.05)
(Table 3). When sub dimension score averages of
nurses in the group X and group Y in the scale of
ways to cope with stress were compared, a
statistically significant difference was found
between two groups in terms of self-confident
approach and seeking social support (p<0.05)
(Table 3).
Discussion
Considering the birth date interval of generation
X, it is an expected result that the length of
service is longer and married ones are more
common. Low number of individuals with
bachelor’s degree in the generation Y which
includes newly graduated nurses made a
difference. This result may be attributed to the
fact that the number of nurses from generation Y
is lower than that of nurses from generation X in
the sample.
When total scores and sub dimension score
averages of nurses in group X and Y in
professional commitment scale were compared,
statistically significant difference was found
between two groups only in terms of maintaining
professional membership (p<0.05) (Table 3).
According to this result, sub dimension of
maintaining professional membership which is
one of the sub dimensions of professional
commitment is better in generation Y. When
professional commitment situations of nurses
from generation X and generation Y were
compared, it was determined that there were no
differences between two groups in terms of
willingness to make efforts and belief in targets-

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 459
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
values but nurses from generation Y were more
determined to maintain their profession since
they received higher scores in the sub dimension
of maintaining the profession. This result may be
attributed to the fact that nurses from generation
X suffer from professional deformation since
they have been working as nurse for long years.
However, since nurses of generation Y are
beginning nurses, they might be more idealistic.
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Nurses (n=175).
Demographic characteristics n %
Generation
X Generation (1966-1979)
Y Generation (1980-1995)
110
65
62.9
37.1
Gender
Female
Male
161
14
92.0
8.0
Marital status
Married
Single
136
39
77.7
22.3
Educational level
High school
Pre- Bachelor's
Bachelor
Master
33
65
73
4
18.9
37.1
41.7
2.3
Duty
Clinical nurse
Specialist nurse
162
13
92.6
7.4
Employment status
Permanent
Conditional
170
5
97.1
2.9
Selecting willingly Profession
Yes
No
129
46
73.7
26.3
Total 175 100.0
Years of service (years) M ± SD
16.46 ± 9.27

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 460
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
Table 2. Demographic Characteristics of the Different Generations Nurses
Demographic characteristics X Generation
(1966-1979)
(n=110)
Y Generation
(1980-1995)
(n=65)
Statistical
Analysis
n % n %
Gender
Female
Male
104(%94.5)
6(%5.5)
57(%87.7)
8(%12.3)
χ2=1.759*
p=.185
Marital status
Married
Single
104(%94.5)
6(%5.5)
32(%49.2)
33(%50.8)
χ2=45.86*
p=.000
Educational level
High school
Pre- Bachelor's
Bachelor
Master
5(%4.5)
58(52.7)
45(40.9)
2(1.8)
28(43.1)
7(10.8)
28(43.1)
2(3.1)
χ2=51.86
p=.000
Duty
Clinical nurse
Specialist nurse
100(%90.9)
10(%9.1)
62(%95.4)
3(%4.6)
p=.376**
Employment status
Permanent
Conditional
109(%99.1)
1(%.9)
61(%93.8)
4(%6.2)
p=.064**
Selecting willingly Profession
Yes
No
77(%70)
33(%30)
52(%80.0)
13(%20.0)
χ2=1.62
p=.203*
M ± SD M ± SD
Years of service (years)
22.15±5.57 6.84±5.58
t=17.54
p=.000
* Yates correction was made because the number is under 25. ** Corrected Fisher χ2 was used for that number
expected under 5.

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 461
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
Table 3. Comparing Nurses’ Professional Commitment Scale and Coping Strategies Inventory
Mean Score Based on Their Generations
X Generation
(1966-1979)
(n=110)
M ± SD
Y Generation
(1980-1995)
(n=65)
M ± SD
Statistical
Analysis
Professional
Commitment
Scale and
Sub Scales
Willingness to make effort
(13 items)
30.08±5.59 30.50±6.87 t= -.446
p=.656
Maintaining as a
membership (8 items)
17.42±4.08 18.92±4.44 t= -2.263
p=.025*
Belief in goals and values
(5 items)
10.40±1.87 10.23±2.47 t=.476
p=.635
Total Scale 57.90±9.76 59.66±12.18 t= -1.045
p=.298
Coping
Strategies
Inventory
Sub Scales
Self confidence approach
(7 items)
.93±.45 .78±.40 t=2.229
p=.027*
Optimistic approach
(5 items)
.99±.37 1.04±.41 t= -.741
p=.460
Helpless approach
(8 items)
1.81±.50 1.85±.44 t= -.525
p=.600
Submissive approach
(6 items)
1.84±.46 1.93±.36 t= -1.352
p=.178
Social support approach (4
items)
1.13±.43 .92±.44 t=3.029
p=.003*
*p<0.05
When sub dimension score averages of nurses in
the group X and group Y in the scale of ways to
cope with stress were compared, statistically
significant differences were found between two
groups in terms of self-confident approach and
seeking social support. (Table 3). Besides, it was
reported that, from among the ways of nurses
from different generations to cope with stress,
self-confident approach and act of seeking social
support were more common in the generation X.
This finding is important as it reflects the proper
characteristics of generations. When ways of
nurses from generation X and generation Y to
cope with stress were examined, there were no
significant differences between two groups in the
sub dimensions of optimistic approach, desperate
approach and submissive approach while self-
confident approach and act of seeking social
support were more common in the generation X
(Mucevher 2015). This result may be attributed
to the fact that the number of nurses from
generation X is higher in the sample, and they
can be more self-confident thanks to the life
experience gained in years. Also, the fact that the
generation X seeks social support more than the
generation Y complies with the characteristics of
the generation X. Considering that the generation
Y is more individualistic, this is an expected
result. There was a significant and negative
correlation between self-confidence approach and
optimistic approach and a significant and positive
correlation between self-confidence approach and
submissive approach. As the Y generation of
nurses’ work-related tension increased, self-
confidence approach and optimistic approach
decreased whereas submissive approach
increased. There was a significant and negative
correlation between the age of the beginning of
working and seeking social support approach and
as the age of the beginning of working increased

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 462
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
seeking social support decreased. It was explored
that nurses who were female and responsible for
the services used self-confidence approach and
seeking social support approach more (Tel et al.
2012). When the generation X is examined in
terms of business life, common features of this
generation include loyalty to workplace, high
admissibility and persistence in one job.
Generation X is sensitive to social problems, has
high work motivation and is respectful to
authority (Mengi 2009). In addition to having
tendency to take more risks and to question the
existing traditions when compared to previous
generations, they are more family-oriented, more
self-confident, more open-minded and fond of
entertainment (Etlican 2015). In accordance with
the characteristics of this generation, families are
interconnected and away from individualism.
Most of them currently work as executives and
manage the generation Y (Keles 2011). As for the
generation Y, it consists of young individuals in
the business life. This generation which is fond of
its independence and grew in an environment
shaped by internet is the latest generation in the
business life (Aydemir and Dinc 2015). The rate
of the participants from generation Y was found
to be 37.1 % in our study. Thus, the present study
mainly focused on the generation X.
Conclusion
Awareness about the characteristics of
generations which emerge with the influence of
scientific and technological developments is of
great importance in order to understand the
generations. Understanding intergenerational
differences among nurses who are important
members of the professional healthcare team is
highly important to determine their professional
commitment levels and stress management ways
and to raise awareness. According to the results
of the study, there are no statistically significant
differences among nurses in the group X and
group Y in terms of sex, position, cadre status
and whether the profession is selected voluntarily
while there are significant differences among
those nurses in terms of marital status,
educational status and length of service.
Also, the present study reports that nurses of
generation Y are more willing to maintain the
profession while nurses from generation X are
more self-confident and seek social support more
as ways of coping with stress. It is recommended
that characteristics of generations should be taken
into consideration while strategies that will help
nurses remain in the profession and cope with
stress are being determined.
References
Akbari1 O., Vagharseyyedin S.S., Farajzadeh Z.
(2015). The Relationship of organizational
justice with nurses’ professional commitment.
Mod Care J 12: 31-38.
Aydemir M. & Dinc S. (2015) A model study on the
effects of generation differences and job
values of generations in the search for work and
life balance. 23. National Management and
Organization Congress, Mugla, Turkey, 867-873.
Cetinkaya A., Ozmen D., Bayik Temel A. (2015). The
study of reliability and validity of nursing
professional commitment scale objectives.
Electronic Journal of Dokuz Eylul University
Faculty of Nursing 8:54-60.
Ekinci M, Altun O.S., Can G. (2013). Examination of
the coping style with stress and the
assertiveness of the nursing students in terms of
some variables. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing
4:67-74
Etlican G. (2015) Comparison of the attitudes of
generation X and Y to online training
technologies. Master Program of Human
Resources Management, Bahcesehir University
Social Sciences Institute, Istanbul, Turkey
Folkman S. & Lazarus R. S. (1988) Coping as a
mediator of emotion. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology 54:466–475.
Folkman S. & Lazarus R. S. (1980) An analysis of
coping in a middle-aged community sample.
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 21:219–
239.
Folkman S. & Lazarus R. S. (1985) If it changes it
must be a process: a study of emotion and
coping during three stages of a college
examination. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology 48: 150-170.
Keles H. N. (2011) A study to determine the
motivational profiles of employees in Y
generation. Journal of Bahcesehir University
Organization and Management Science 3:129-
139.
Kose S., Oral L., Tetik H.T. (2014) A survey on the
comparison of job values in the first and
second half of Y. HUMANITAS 3:149-169.
Lu K.Y., Chiou S.L., Chang Y.Y. (2000) A study of
the professional commitment changes from
nursing students to registered nurses. Kaohsiung J
Med Sci 16(1):39-46.
Lu H., While A.E., Barriball K.L. (2007) Job
satisfaction and its related factors: A questionnaire
survey of hospital nurses in mainland China. Int J
Nurs Stud 44: 574-88.
Lu K.Y., Lin P.L., Wu C.M., Hsieh Y.L., Chang Y.Y.
(2002) The relationships among turnover
intentions, professional commitment and job
satisfaction of hospital nurses. J Prof Nurs 18(4):

International Journal of Caring Sciences January– April 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 1| Page 463
www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org
214-219.
Mengi Z. (2009) X, Y and Z are very different from
each other” http://www.zeynepmengi.com.
Accessed: 12.04.2016.
Mucevher M.H. (2015) Characteristics and
interaction perceptions of X and Y generations
against each other: Suleyman Demirel University
Sample. Master Thesis, Suleyman Demirel
University Social Sciences Institute, Isparta,
Turkey
Sahin N.H. & Durak A. (1995) Psychometric
properties of Turkish version of coping style scale.
Journal of Turkish Psychology10:56-73.
Tel H., Aydin H.T., Karabey G., Vergi I., Akay D.
(2012). Status of coping with work-related
tension and stress among the nurses. Cumhuriyet
Nursing Journal 2:47-52.
Tuybek C. (2004) University youth and family in
terms of differences between generations.
Master Thesis, Selcuk University Social Sciences
Institute, Konya, Turkey
Yuksekbilgili Z. (2015) The age interval of Y
generation in Turkey. Electronic Journal of Social
Sciences 14:259-267.

Copyright of International Journal of Caring Sciences is the property of International Journal
of Caring Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to
a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may
print, download, or email articles for individual use.