Gen X,Gen Y,baby boomers in the work place

[ktwlpn, LPN]

What are your experiences at work with your co-workers from different generations? As a Gen Xer I try very ,very hard to remain energetic and flexible. I really don't want to be labeled "the old fart that needs to quit" I think it's funny that the Gen Yer's expect the work place to bend completely to their will (IMHO) and don't want to do anything that they don't think they should have to do. I have to be very careful offering guidance or I run the risk of being accused of "eating my young" . I do find Gen Y very tech savy but almost dependent and pre-occupied with computer to the exclusion of doing any hands on pt. care.It's too much fun to sit and create documents-not as much fun to actually run around and do treatments or pass meds. My big clash last week was being told that it is now the oncoming nurse's responsibilty to stock the med cart.The rationale is that you may not do it in a way that pleases the on-coming nurse. Really? Isn't it courtesy to clean it up,empty the trash and stock it after you are done? I really want to spend 20 mins scrubbing the dried crud of of the cart that you left -NOT. I guess my getting ticked off at that labels me firmly as an Old Fart nurse.....

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

As a Gen Xer I try very ,very hard to remain energetic and flexible. I really don't want to be labeled "the old fart that needs to quit"

Oh c'mon! We're not that old, but it's really the attitude one takes for their age. I've seen Gen Xers who act and look ancient (read: really grumpy with the permanent frown to go with it), and others who are aging gracefully in both age and attitude.

At any rate, laziness or a sense or entitlement isn't the domain of a certain generation at my workplace. It's an individual thing.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Um.. Gen x..y.. z.. I dunno. To make it in nursing . you will smile, nod and Never complain.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I don't see much of a generation thing. I see personalities. There is a young 20 something who is so into her job and will go far. Then I see an older nurse that needs to retire. Not because she is too old. She is just way too lazy. My only complaint with the younger generation is them whipping out the phone to text.* That* drives me nutty. If I feel my phone vibrate, I don't even look at it. I wait for a quick break and then will text back.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I don't see much of a generation thing. I see personalities. There is a young 20 something who is so into her job and will go far. Then I see an older nurse that needs to retire. Not because she is too old. She is just way too lazy. My only complaint with the younger generation is them whipping out the phone to text.* That* drives me nutty. If I feel my phone vibrate, I don't even look at it. I wait for a quick break and then will text back.

I agree. Texting while working is a scourge. For some, it appears to be an addiction. Regardless, I'm glad possession of a cell phone is against the law where I work. It entirely solves this problem.

[camoflower]

I worked on a floor, where they would not hire another nurse over 60, but had one 59 year old on the floor, that had worked there 8 years, that was "in" with the floor manager and although everyone complained that she did not do her work, ex: amputees not being wrapped, bandages not changed, antibiotics run late, and she is soo quick to point out anyone's shortcomings and dare you to even point out one of hers...that queen bee is still there. 100% of the nurses had one word for her..it was "lazy". There was one more boomer, that was a blonde, 65 year old"ish", that was so nervous of write ups it showed and she was always defensive about the least little thing - her hands shook like pudding. I have worked with new grads that are so dramatic with the "ewws" and "oh that smellsss soo bad" constant comments it makes me wonder what they thought their jobs would be - to look and smell like a magazine scratch and sniff fold out? I have seen young, street smart, wise mouths, get away with not doing the little things that a boomer would be swift kicked out the door for. I believe it's the individual, as in patients, some act way beyond their years and some peter pans will be running 5Ks at 75 years of age. I am 55 with the peter pan syndrome, got moves like Jagger "ain't you a little ray of sunshine?"...too bad the DON/ADON could not see the mess the wound nurse was leaving for you. I'm with you it's not your mess - but she probably lives in that mess at home and is blind to it...just clean it...and keep smiling.

[33762FL]

Well first of all, as the tail-end of generation X I certainly don't consider early/mid 30's to be old. Second, there are no nurses under 30 on my floor. I don't know if that was a deliberate hiring decision by management, but I do know that the classmates I graduated with in their 30's mostly seemed to find jobs, and many of the twenty-somethings remain unemployed. However, I don't know if that has to do with generational attitudes or the simple fact that the 30 something's all had prior career histories and previous bachelor's degrees while the 20-somethings did not.

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

I'm 56. I like people who show up on time, ready to work,critical thinking caps on, good independent decision makers. Don't care how old.

Oh, I do hate the texting and the texters. It seems so disrepectful of the work and the profession. I don't think it is because I am old. I think it is because I am right. I'm talking about texting while working, not on breaks or off time. Then, I couldn't care less.

[NayRN]

How conventient-I am just starting a research paper on ageism in the workplace, and you guys are my first resource. So, this exists not only with co-workers, but with patients-how many of you would (in general) rather get a 70 year old with a COPD exacerbation rather than a 40 year old woman with abdominal pain? What is your most dreaded patient?

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I'm 56. I like people who show up on time, ready to work,critical thinking caps on, good independent decision makers. Don't care how old.

Oh, I do hate the texting and the texters. It seems so disrepectful of the work and the profession. I don't think it is because I am old. I think it is because I am right. I'm talking about texting while working, not on breaks or off time. Then, I couldn't care less.

Wow, such a boomer comment. What makes you right? Because you grew up with black and white TV and a phone that actually dialed? Well me too, but life is different today and you should be more accepting. Texting while at work requires good judgement which not everyone has- unfortunately, but is not evil in itself. These are the same people that took extra long smoking breaks back in the day. Each generation has different values, and different strengths and weaknesses.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I don't think young people get much credit and appreciation. I'm pretty much in awe of the "younger" workers...they work their way through school, but in order to get to school in the first place, they have to have a 4.0 in pre-reqs, wait for years, and really want to be a nurse. They graduate with massive debt, then begin to work, buy homes, get married and have children, while juggling long stressful 12 hour days.

I don't think older nurses get much credit or appreciation either. We've worked for decades under nearly abusive situations, fought long hard battles to make things better for ourselves and the next generation of nurses, we've been flexible to see tremendous changes technologically and we adapt to that technology with ease, in fact embrace it.

We have much to learn from one another.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Wow, such a boomer comment. What makes you right? Because you grew up with black and white TV and a phone that actually dialed? Well me too, but life is different today and you should be more accepting. Texting while at work requires good judgement which not everyone has- unfortunately, but is not evil in itself. These are the same people that took extra long smoking breaks back in the day. Each generation has different values, and different strengths and weaknesses.

And let the judgements and misunderstandings fly.

It's against most policies in workplaces around the country, hospitals included to stop work to text which is what the person you quoted was talking about. I've been giving a patient a bedbath when the tech helping stopped the bedbath in front of the patient and looked at her phone, and texted back. She was in her early 50's and addicted to her phone. She made her husband leave his job to bring her phone when she forgot it one day. May she rest in peace. Another example was a new grad in her early 20's I was precepting that was constantly look at her phone while I was talking/teaching would look at her phone.

I don't think the poster was saying taking extra long breaks was right either. But I do agree that each generation has different values and different strengths and weaknesses.

It's may be a "boomer comment" and I'm not sure what "makes me right" other than decency and respect, but so be it. Texting and working is wrong and I'm right about that. LOL

All that said, nothing wrong with when your not involved in patient care or interacting with other staff, to answer your phone or look at it quickly, such as when your charting or walking down the halls. Just be respectful about it.