Disheartened

[Nursein2011]

I have been a bit disheartened by recent posts on here dealing with the older vs. newer nurses.

I am a new nurse. Is this what I have to look forward to in my career?

I feel like it is politics instead of nursing where both sides are too busy throwing insults and working against each other unwilling to come together for a common goal.

I feel that there are inappropriate stereotypes on both sides. I do not like being lumped into the "lazy, sense of entitlement" generation. The only thing I feel entitled to do is busting my rear, paying my dues, and learning from earlier generations like those before me have done to become the absolute best nurse I can be.

I believe that nothing comes easy or free and it shouldn't. I get such a great feeling achieveing something that I worked hard and struggled for. Not something that was handed to me.

And on the other side of the debate...I don't know about others, but I was raised to respect and admire my elders as they are the ones who have paved the way for me.

I have always been extremely grateful for the older nurses who have shared their knowledge and tips with me. What I didn't realize until the recent posts is just how badly

I may be viewed by them because of the generation in which I was born. It saddens me, but I will hold on to the hope that not ALL older nurses view young nurses that was just as not ALL younger nurses sterotype the older nurses.

I think that every generation has something to offer. I just wish it wasn't a tit for tat type of mentality on allnurses. Those who so quickly jumped on a previous poster for what they perceived as stereotyping turned around and did the exact same thing.

I feel it is hurtful to all and is useless. I am sure many of you may say I am just a naive new nurse, and maybe I am. But what I KNOW I am is passionate about nursing and people in general and am willing to work hard and give 100% at all I do. I know that it won't be and don't expect my nursing career to be easy or glamorous.

I myself plan on working until I can absolutely no longer physically do so. It gives me a sense of purpose. I don't feel that age matters, but yes I agree that people need to know their limitations despite their age. So, as I start my new job I will continue to admire and respect the older and newer nurses who I feel all are to be valued.

I hope that all will give me the same chance instead of being so quick to stereotype. I know this was a long post and appreciate those who took the time to read it. I needed to put my feelings out there.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Hi, RNIn2011. I'm on the other end of the age spectrum with fifty-three years of life and fifteen of nursing under my belt, and what I've learned is that stereotypes and generalizations don't help anyone. Allowing ourselves to lapse into these modes of viewing our fellow humans is a sign of intellectual laziness; it takes effort to challenge our assumptions, but NOT to do so is inexcusable....especially for people who claim to be educated.

Please don't be disheartened. Sure, there are grumps out there who'll look down on you because you are young and new, but there are also many, many nurses who are happy to share their wisdom, and in fact are just waiting for you to ask. We older ones can learn from you, too! Those of you who are recent graduates know all sorts of things that we may not even be aware of, simply because we've been out of school so long and aren't up to date on the latest technology and/or evidence-based practices.

Bottom line: we need each other. Experienced nurses and young'uns fresh out of school, brand-spanking-new and 'used' nurses alike---all of us have something important to offer. I'm not going to blow sunshine up your nose by saying that working in an intergenerational workplace is all peachy-keen, but the truth is, you get to choose not to let yourself be defined by others' stereotypes of your generation. It sounds like you are already well on your way.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Just remember the nurses in the worst moods are usually the ones to post on here. It's a place they can vent and does not truly account for the majority of nruses. Most of these nurses additionally do not feel like this every day, it's just when they're at their worst.

[DookieMeisterRN]

It's only like that here on this forum. But seriously, I've never run into one of those 'eat their young' type nurses in my nursing career only experienced it here. Sure I've encountered grouchy nurses on the job, mostly due to the fact that they're running they're tail off or they're pms'ing. I wouldn't equate this nursing forum to what it's like in reality, it's really nothing like what you'll run into out in the real world.

[nursel56]

I'm pretty disheartened, too nursein2011. The rancor between levels of experience can get poisonous. We tend to get the most vocal people on either side contributing their posts. It's like politics. If you watch cable tv fodder you would think people are two armed camps when the vast majority of people are reasonable, fair-minded. Don't assume the real world is as polarized as allnurses sometimes is.

After you get out in the working world you'll come across lots of real people who you can either emulate or avoid being (like the plague) :) I was so lucky to start at a teaching hospital where there were so many nurses about whom I said to myself "I want to be like that person." There was no allnurses then though, so if I was considered to be something awful I didn't know about it, lol. But then there was no place to share all of my anxieties, either! :)

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Both have a good role to play in nursing. The older more experienced nurses can support and nurture new nurses and the new nurses can help keep things up to date and what current practices are in play. It all boils down IMO to good team work and accepting that everyone has a role to play. Good team work to me means good work environment and less staff turnover which is good from patient upwards

[backtowork]

Silverdragon nailed it perfectly. I concur totally.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I totally agree with others that the ones with issues are the ones that post negativity and nurse-against-nurse things. Most nurses are caring toward each other as well as toward their patients. Don't let what you read here sway you to believe most think the way the angry-vocal ones post here.

We're all in this together...

[Pixiesmom, BSN, RN]

I'm a new nurse, a second career new nurse so some of the more experienced nurses I work with are younger than I am. I wouldn't lose any sleep over what you read about. Your experience w/ nursing will be just that your experience. Where you work as well as your attitude on the job will be a big part of how your experience goes. I am fortunate to work with a great group of nurses and I learn something new, sometimes several things new, every night from nurses of all ages and levels of experience.

Good luck to you in your nursing career.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

It is just people that are frustrated because they swallowed the nursing shortage story hook, line, and sinker and now are finding out that they were defrauded and that jobs for new grads are not plentiful and easy to find.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Personally, God bless the "dinosaurs": if it wasn't for one that took me under her wing as a new grad, I would probably have left psych, if not all of nursing. May I become one myself so I can keep paying it forward.

It's frustrating right now for new grads...I know because I graduated right after the nursing job bubble burst and had to go through the same crap in finding work back then as they are right now. And its frustrating for the older nurses who were planning to retire but then the economy tanked and they have no choice but to keep working. But taking those frustrations out on other nurses--old or young--is not the answer.

OP: don't be too disheartened...consider that you're going to hear a lot more negativity and venting on an online forum than you would in real life because here, people (think they) are anonymous and so can spew away. And don't let what you read here completely color your perception of nursing. Yes, there are people on both sides of the experience line who are bitter and negative, but not everyone is. Walk into your new job (and into nursing) with an open mind.

Best of luck!

[JerseyBSN]

I am an older nurse. I enjoy when new nurses come to the floor. We can learn from each other. Don't let those who are unfriendly or not helpful (whether young or old) deter you from enjoying nursing. Nursing is awesome!