Do you see a generational gap in nursing?

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't know if it is just me, or just where I work, but I am seeing a major generational gap between nurses. The ones in their mid 20's just seem to be lacking a work ethic. I am not an old foggie, I am 43. the newer gals just dont get why they cant have day shift, or every holiday off, or why seniority in a union facility counts. They do not understand that it has taken many of us more than 10 years to get full time, or day shift, and that we all have to work holidays. I spent many Christmas at work instead of with my kids. I havent used sick time in 3 years. some of these new ones call in with the weirdest ailments, just to find out they were hung over!! I am not bashing young nurses, or "eating the young". I am just seeing a lack of work ethic with this generation. My friend who is in business sees the same. Did we as parents screw this generation up some how? Or will they eventually grow up? Again, not bashing anyone, just curious....

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

What about the 60-something who refuses to do things because she's "Old and Tired"? We have one nurse who pulls this all the time. She refuses to turn patients or help transfer. She gets someonen else to start her IVs. She refuses to do charge because "I've been a nurse for 40 years and I don't do that anymore." We're all expected to do relief charge when our regular charge nurse is out.

Yesterday she took my assignment because she had it the day before, then halfway through report, she took another patient from me so she wouldn't get an admission. (Yes I let her...I know that and it wasn't too inconvenient.)

Yesterday also, a patient called out for something and she said "I'm not doing anything else. I'm tired and my feet hurt." It was 1800 and we get off at 1900.

I generally like this lady. She is funny and is a wealth of knowledge. If you have a question, she'll answer it. But don't expect her to help you hold a patient's legs while you insert a foley or offer to do something when you're swamped.

(This isn't a slam against all 60-somethings. I knew another one who was so impressive as a nurse. I was sad when she had to retire due to health reasons.)

ETA: She also refuses to work holidays, etc (will call out) because she's "been there done that." Is that fair?

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
This is something I have never quite understood or been able to see the rationale, the apparent obsession with seniority to determine which shifts people work? or why seniority is important to hours worked or whether people get a disproportonate amount of public holidays off

Where is skill mix in this all ? to my mid it's dangerous to put the least experienced staff together on 'out of hours' shifts when the medical cover, nursing management and other senior nurses are less likely to be available, people should take their turn and their negotiated fair share of unsocial hours in a 24/7/365 environment

It should never be disproportionate. The rationale is for everyone to do their fair share. But because there has been a sudden influx of workers that refuse to do their fair share of holidays,weekends and nights. Rules needed to be established to work ever other weekend and a friday or sunday included to constitute a weekend. That "one major one minor holiday" required. It suprises me when newer nurses are shocked and indignant that they can't have exactly the schedule they want. I agree it is some and not all of the "younger nurses" but I have also found that it isn't always tied to age as much as how long they have been a nurse.

I am always amazed when making out a schedule with new nurses and the sense of indignation when it is enforced to work hoildays, weekends or nights. Everyone needs to pull their fair share of the load. It is not like it is kept a secret that hospitals never close, they are open during snow storms and yes people are hospitalized during christmas. It is hard fact that there is less experience on night shifts and as a night supervisor (for the past 10 years) I spend a lot of time teaching and mentoring......at least at night I have more time (usually) than if it was during the day. Frankly, any more, when days comes in I can't stand the noise level and beat feet outta there!

But do you really feel that after you have been working for 30 years that you should be bumped off the good shifts to be fair to the new kid? Probably not. I have long accepted that I work weekends and nights. That because I was born on christmas that I will be working both my birthday and christmas and that just because the roads are bad I cannot stay home........there are patients and staff who need me and if I don't get into work someone else may not be able to go home.:twocents:

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
What about the 60-something who refuses to do things because she's "Old and Tired"? We have one nurse who pulls this all the time. She refuses to turn patients or help transfer. She gets someonen else to start her IVs. She refuses to do charge because "I've been a nurse for 40 years and I don't do that anymore." We're all expected to do relief charge when our regular charge nurse is out.

Yesterday she took my assignment because she had it the day before, then halfway through report, she took another patient from me so she wouldn't get an admission. (Yes I let her...I know that and it wasn't too inconvenient.)

Yesterday also, a patient called out for something and she said "I'm not doing anything else. I'm tired and my feet hurt." It was 1800 and we get off at 1900.

I generally like this lady. She is funny and is a wealth of knowledge. If you have a question, she'll answer it. But don't expect her to help you hold a patient's legs while you insert a foley or offer to do something when you're swamped.

(This isn't a slam against all 60-somethings. I knew another one who was so impressive as a nurse. I was sad when she had to retire due to health reasons.)

ETA: She also refuses to work holidays, etc (will call out) because she's "been there done that." Is that fair?

NO WAY!!!!! :devil: If I was her manager she would be disiplined with an action plan that the failure to comply with will lead to disiplinary action up to and including termination. There is no excuse for this behavior no matter how long she has been a nurse and frankly because of her experience I find this even less acceptable!

Specializes in floor to ICU.

I think it all started with giving every kid a trophy. Whatever happened to winners and losers? :smokin:

P.S. To the above:

If you want to see a near perfect blend of how nursing, seniority and religous life were, at least in film, watch the "Nun's Story".

There is a scene where "Sister Luke" who was the daughter of a physican and excellent in the study of microbiology is taking that course with a senior nun, who is failing badly. If the senior nun failed the course she would not be allowed to return to the order's mission in the Congo, but shamed because she "failed' to a junior sister/nun (Sister Luke) and likely to be replaced by her.

Sister Luke is asked to "throw" her board exam in order to allow the senior sister/nurse to save face. However in one of the most brilliant scenes in film, a struggling Sister Luke cannot over ride her own self will/pride, and gives correct answers. She comes in fourth out of a class of nearly 50 or so. For this she is not sent to the Congo, but packed off to nurse at an insane asylum. Which goes to show there is something to be said for humility:D

...and doesn't she end up leaving the religious life in the end?

Specializes in Geriatrics.

Thanks for all the replies! I think there is a generational gap anywhere you go, between all generations! and i agree- there are "bad apples" in each generation! Again, thanks for all the input!

I grew up in a working class community.. believe me, no sense of entitlement with people my age there. But then I went to an expensive public university (on scholarship), and it was like a different world -- lots of kids who grew up with those helicopter parents who would call their kids' university professors to argue about the B their kids got in the class. Seriously? So I do recognize that many of my peers are like this. However, I still find most of what was in this thread highly offensive.. just as I would any stereotype, be it about my gender, race, anything else. It's beyond frustrating being unfairly judged, whatever the reason. (And, yes, I know that the answer to my being offended is to not read the thread, but curiosity got the best of me. :) )

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

Say, "YAH!" to sweeping, ignorant generalizations!

Pfft.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
i am a new nurse, in my early 20s and during my first orientation to my new job as an rn we had a lecture on generational gaps...and it's true, they do exist but not because of the "we're lazy" excuse.

my generation, the millenia generation, grew up in a setting where our parents worked hard, were never home with the kids. our generation have decided that our family is more important than our work and i will not be a slave to my work. if i call in sick, it's not cause i'm hung over, lazy, or feel i've done enough....it's cause i want to be with my family.

i work to live; not live to work.

you've taken the words out of my mouth in terms of "work to live; not live to work." i would not, however, call in sick to be with my family, but i will not be guilted into taking more shifts or spend my life entirely immersed in my career. call me entitled, call me a 20-something snot, but don't call me a person whose life passed them by while they were at work.

...and doesn't she end up leaving the religious life in the end?

Yes, in both the book (based on a real life story), and film, "Sister Luke" does leave the order.

The Catechism of the Church teaches us that self will dies fifteen minutes before we ourselves do, or is that fifteen minutes afterwards? :D

In any event Sister Luke was unable to "bend", and subjugate herself to the will of God as expressed through His instruments, her superiors.

Religous obedience, at least as it was often practiced at that time by certain orders, required allot of a person. Especially for someone as strong willed as Sister Luke. She cites the rules of the bells, which would cause her to stop speaking with a patient even at the minute he/she needed her most, and begin to observe the "grand slience", as difficult. That may have been true if one puts being a nurse first above all things, but it is pointed out to Sister Luke, she was a nun first and shouldn't have entered religous life to become a nurse.

Bringing this on home, in relation to nursing practice, it was often the same. One was simply told/taught how to do something, and wasn't supposed to ask why (no theory and rationale), and then left to get on. If bed making was supposed to require "X" amount of steps, and you found a faster/easier way but it required less steps, guess what? Permission would often be denied to use "your" method because it was not "the" approved way.

I don't believe it has to do with a generational gap. I am in my mid 30's and nursing is my second career. Coming from a corporate environment I saw people who devoted 25 plus yrs to their job and were given the pink slip. It didn't matter that they came in on their sick days, or stayed late to work, or gave up time away from their family. My life outside of work is more important. SO if I can't make it or need a mental health day I will put myself first. Because we are easily replaceable by administration.

Kudos to this generation for putting themselves first maybe if this was done in earlier generations nurses wouldn't be carrying this martyr attitude on their shoulder. ANd we'd get more respect from administration.

I don't believe it has to do with a generational gap. I am in my mid 30's and nursing is my second career. Coming from a corporate environment I saw people who devoted 25 plus yrs to their job and were given the pink slip. It didn't matter that they came in on their sick days, or stayed late to work, or gave up time away from their family. My life outside of work is more important. SO if I can't make it or need a mental health day I will put myself first. Because we are easily replaceable by administration.

Kudos to this generation for putting themselves first maybe if this was done in earlier generations nurses wouldn't be carrying this martyr attitude on their shoulder. ANd we'd get more respect from administration.

There is tis in a nutshell.

On one side you have those who see nursing as a "calling" as it were. A profession rich in traditions and customs that should be upheld and passed on. On the other side there are those who see nursing as a "job", just a means to an end but not something to get worked up into a sweat about.

Not picking sides, nor saying which camp is correct. Will confine my remarks to this: nurses have chosen to remain at bedside/with their patients during times of war, famine, epidemics, and for that they were often raped, beaten, killed, died of disease, and suffered many other types of abuse, both physical and mental. Many of these nurses were girls/women often of the best families and could have easily spent their time safe somewhere else out of harms way.

Martyrdom? Perhaps. They certainly got scant thanks or recognition for their efforts. Working conditions were often horrible, and the pay, well less said about that the better.

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