A global examination of clinical ladder programs - A synthesis of commonalities and opportunities for standardization.

Background: Clinical ladder programs (CLPs) have been part of the nursing profession for nearly 4 decades. However, the structure and implementation of CLPs vary widely throughout healthcare systems. CLPs are a valuable factor in nurse retention and employee satisfaction initiatives, but globally replicating and measuring their impact is difficult due to lack of standardization.

Occupational stressors, stress perception levels, and coping styles of medical surgical RNs: a generational perspective.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the occupational stressors, the perceived stress levels, and coping styles of 3 generations of medical-surgical (MS) nurses.

Background: The literature supports that the nurse's role is stressful based on a variety of factors including physical labor, human suffering, work hours, staffing, and interpersonal relationships. Data indicate that there are generational differences in the response to stress.