Entitled Generation

MB37 · Jan 21, 2008

I'll be 29 when I graduate in August, and the only shift I won't take is rotating. I've worked nights/evenings my whole life as a bartender, and I learned a long time ago that that's where the better money was. I also am very accustomed to celebrating holidays on a different day than what's written on the calender, because I was either working or too poor to fly over the real holidays. I used to always volunteer to pick up holiday shifts for my coworkers who had kids, and a lot of them were good money too. Both days and nights will take a little adjustment for me, since I'm used to only working 8 hours, but I'll take whichever is open on a unit I want to be on. I know that my body can't handle working rotating shifts, because I've been fired from one job in my life - I overslept for a day shift when I'd gotten off 8 hours before from a night, and we were scheduled that way regularly. My body doesn't work like that. I also don't expect to work every holiday, but I'll work my fair share for sure - especially if we get holiday pay. Maybe one difference about our generation is that we don't believe that seniority is the be all and end all, and we just want fair treatment. I'm not willing to give my life to my work, pull 5 12s a week on different shifts, and work every Christmas and Thanksgiving for the next 10 years. If that makes me entitled, so be it.

CHATSDALE · Jan 21, 2008

sometimes it is a shock when you wake up one morning and find out that you are a grown up

how ever if a nurse applies to a facility for a job if she doesn't believe that she can fulfill the job then she should go somewhere else, like wise a person hiring for a postion should be up front about the usual staffing, the days/hours available and if they have a list for preferred shifts if it is not available

joining the working world is not an easy adjustment no matter what field you are in..kids think that their parents disappear for a set number of hours a day and then come home every other week with money

the applicant must realize that they are not doing a favor by accepting a job with the facility

the employer must realize that employees deserve adult-adult respect, supplies and adequate staff to do the job that needs to be done

old story about give and take

okchug · Jan 21, 2008

Rn1989--amen!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2008

It seems that this is the general rule for the younger generation now entering the health care field, or am I the only one who is experiencing this?

I'm 26 years of age, and have worked 16 hour weekend double shifts for the past 2 years. I fully know that I'm not entitled to anything in life, and I'm somewhat offended that you have stereotyped the younger generation in such a negative light. Assumptions and generalizations are not beneficial to anyone.

MIM_RN · Jan 21, 2008

I have worked nights for many years in the hospitality industry and have really liked it. When I began having children, I found that schedule not to be very conducive to family life, but you do what you gotta do to get the bills paid. I will be graduating in May and I have realistic expectations. Rotating holidays? Working nights? Sure! I understand that I am not the only one with a family and I don't mind "paying my dues", as some of you have said the "entitled" generation must do, but I will not work somewhere that will require me to work every holiday and stay on the crappy schedule for years just because I am the newbee. So, I agree with MB37. If that labels me as having an "entitled" attitude, so be it. I am learning that there are more things to life than pursuing the "American Dream" and I refuse to become caught up in the rat race. Do I want to be a productive member of society? Yes. Do I want to contribute to people in a positive way by working as a nurse? Absolutely! Do I feel nursing is part of fulfilling my purpose in life? Definitely! Do I want to work myself to death and become a slave to the pressures of this profession? No way! I chose this profession to be able to live my life, not for it to consume my life.

vashtee, RN · Jan 21, 2008

When I am through with school, I don't mind working holidays or weekends. I actually think I will enjoy working nights. But rotating shifts? No way... it is too hard on the body.

I think it is easy to assume that because you have trouble with some new nurses, we must all be this way. We aren't. And for the record, it has been my experience that a poor work ethic is not limited to any generational group.

emmycRN · Jan 21, 2008

I think that EVERYONE should be entitled to choose the lifestyle that works best for them and their family. If a facility can't offer them what they want, they should move on. There are plenty of nursing jobs out there that don't require night, holidays, or weekends.

As a new nurse I started on days and got a lot of flack from other nurses. I got comments like, "so when are you going to nights?", for months after I was hired, even after I explained that I asked for a day shift and was hired for one.

After years on days I decided to take a night position for the extra pay. I felt like a zombie the entire time. It tooks me months to feel right again after going back to days. Not everyone can work nights and maintain thier health/sanity. I don't think it has much to do with anyone having a sense of "entitlement", more like empowerment IMO.

birdgardner · Jan 21, 2008

I see this as the system playing nurses against each other - one generation expecting the next to suffer and sacrifice just as much as they have for their profession, because that's partly how you define the profession.

How about paying enough of a differential that people actually want to work nights by free choice, and not because they have to? Enough that they're lined up for it?

I suffer from seasonal affective disorder (much better this winter thanks to Vitamin D but it's there.) If I have to work nights I'll likely have night-shift affective disorder, and I can't take rotating shifts. One of the reasons I want to move on to the NP level as quick as possible is to have a better chance at normal hours!

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2008

As a fairly recent new graduate who is not a 20 something, I have to state the obvious "there is no reason to work a shift that will make you unhappy, tired or dangerous." All jobseekers have an opportunity to seek their type of employment.... in the same way, all businesses can hire the applicant they want, with their specific qualifications.

I never worked nights, and would not have worked for anyone who required it....the nursing recruiter was horrified that I would tell her when I would work, instead of visa versa. I know my limitations...a night shift would be one of them. Either my hospital had a position or not.

Unfortunately, self sacrifice of one's family, body, and time still seems to be on some nurses agendas. Believe me....it doesn't matter how much you do today, it will not matter tomorrow (to management). I work hard like everyone else, but I also have expectations that must be met. I encourage my college aged children to expect this as well.

Recently I was injured on the job through no fault of my own....have been on very light duty, and plan to take care of my own recovery....really don't care about other's opinions. I know some of my coworkers are "clucking about their own injuries and how they tough through it" I say "dumb, dumb, dumb" No MEDALS ARE GIVEN FOR SELF SACRIFICE IN HEALTHCARE. They fire you for not being able to do the job, even though the job caused the injury. Back to nurses and self sacrifice. NO Other Industry Does This!

Remember people: If your life is like a bicycle tire with spokes and each section is a part of it....work can't be all! If it is, you have a flat! Don't let others tell you how it is, or should be. There is a time to work...a time for family....a time for religion....a time for holidays....etc. And we all need to share.

JMHO

Maisy

javajaydon · Jan 22, 2008

In the situations I was talking about, it was never expected that staff were to work every weekend, holiday, rotating shifts. It was every other weekend, every other holiday, and either the evening shift or night shift. these are the positions that were advertised for, interviewed for, and hired for. What I have found is the majority of the persons that I have interviewed, and/or hired for these positions have informed me themselves or made comments to other staff that they feel they should not have to work the evening or night shifts. The one nurse in particular even asked the full-time day nurse why she couldn't have the day position, and the nurse who had already worked for this particular nursing home for 16+ years work the night shift. In this particular situation, it was like she thought she should just automatically get it. Yes, I should not generalize about a whole generation, it is just what type of behaviors/comments etc. that have been brought to my attention from the last "several" applicants/new hires I have encountered.

I am sorry if I upset anyone with these comments, I was just curious if anyone else was experiencing these same kind of behaviors/comments that I have been encountering?

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2008

If people are taking a position with your organization and then complaining, I would agree that it would be a problem! I am not sure it's entitlement, but more like....not having realistic expectations of work as an adult. Perhaps, not having realistic expectations of nursing.

While I would never take a night job, I understand that part of my working conditions as a hospital nurse include one weekend per month and some holidays. Institutions don't close....that should just be common sense. Not every job is suited for everybody.

Good luck in your hiring....you'll find the right people.

Maisy;)

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2008

I agree with the person that said that their job is not their life. There are plenty of nursing jobs out there so actually, these new grads may darn well have a shot at working the schedules they want. There is nothing wrong with this, IMHO, as long as they are upfront from the beginning and don't accept a job that is a bad fit, and take up valuable time and money getting oriented when they don't intend to stay.Times change and I think people's attitudes need to as well. I feel badly that 30 years ago, new grads had to work every holiday/weekend and basically got crapped all over when they were new. Does that mean that I expected to be treated that way? Heck no. The martyr mentalility does not benefit anyone(except management:icon_roll). My last hospital, the same people got weeks and weeks of summer vacation while there were others who had to fight for 1 day off during the summer. The old timers were all gung-ho about the young un's paying their dues. Well, they've had about 6 or 7 nurses/techs that have left for greener pastures(I was the first one to go;)) and all of us have been on the younger end of the spectrum. This left some of these nurses with call spots for holidays that they needed to fill, and they've had to shut down ORs due to staffing problems. If this hospital didn't cling so fiercely to the "old ways" of doing things, I think they'd have an easier time hiring and retaining staff.