Although I do realize it is illegal for an employer to discriminate with regard to age, I was curious as to whether any other nurses out there had faced issues with only new grads/young nurses as co-workers?
Long story short, at 60 years of age, I don't qualify for retirement benefits, and I'm not financially independent. Working is not an option for me, I HAVE to work.
My last employer (where I worked for nine months) was very "youth" oriented as far as hiring. I was the oldest employee at the facility.
Although I gave respect to the DON, ADON, and other Management, I never felt as though I was given any respect in return. New graduates on their first job trying to impress management, young enough to be my children, trying to tell me what and how to do things.
Granted, I have always tried to be gracious, wanting to learn any new or better ways of doing something, but when a new graduate LPN, walks into the room of MY assigned patient, and begins to make a decision regarding their care... 'nuff said.
It became very clear that the facility only wanted the new graduates coming to work there, even going so far as to hiring "graduating classes". They would take a job for a couple of dollars less than what I was paid, I was used to train them, then I was of no further use. The new graduates were the protege's of the DON, ADON, and I suppose "revered" the DON. Maybe this is what they wanted rather than quality and experienced nursing care.
I must also say that I was accurate, never was late, able to do my assigned tasks, worked overtime, all holidays. There was never a question as to whether I was physically able to do the job.
One young nurse, admitted to giving a patient insulin that wasn't even diabetic... didn't report the incident to management. This same nurse gave medications that were d/c'd for over a month... nothing happened to her. She had numerous occasions of temper tantrums in front of other nurses, patients, and visitors, again.. nothing happened. New orientee nurses complained about the hateful attitude she had with them... again, you guessed it. This nurse also takes prescription diet drugs that make her hyperactive, not able to concentrate (known by the DON, and ADON).
This same nurse is a beautiful, blonde with a perfect smile, the doctors loved to flirt with her, but face it.. the experience is not there, mistakes were made and noted by other nurses. She was able to interact with families, laugh.. be everywhere at once. Oh, did I mention that this nurse was and is allowed preferential treatment when it comes to overtime, etc?
Other than looking at their nurses employed there, the majority in their 20's, and 30's, how can I go about proving an age discrimination issue?
As I said, I was the oldest employee at the facility, nursing and non-nursing. It just seems that instead of managment regarding older nurses with years of experience as an asset, we're seen as a liability, when it comes to the bottom line.:sasq:
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I went through this when I was working in acute care. Of course, hospital administrators are smart enough to make it impossible to prove age discrimination, but to this day I'm sure that's what it was........I'd worked at this facility for several years without problems, when all at once it seemed I became unable to do anything right. It was at the same time that all the floor leadership roles started going to nurses under age 40. Suddenly I was too slow, I was too scattered, my co-workers didn't think I helped out enough, my charting was disorganized. I was even accused of taking Demerol from the narcotics drawer one morning when I'd just arrived on the floor and hadn't even taken report, let alone obtained keys.
Well, I may be getting older, but I'm far from useless, and I'm sure as heck not stupid. I saw the handwriting on the wall and got out of there before that administration wrecked my career and what was left of my self-esteem. They say that living well is the best revenge; nowadays I'm a respected member of the community, a leader in my field of assisted living nursing............and I'm working in a job where it doesn't matter if I have gray hair and wrinkles. After all, my residents are on average 25 years older than I am! :wink2:
I'm sorry you have experienced these issues. However I actually get it the other way around .. I became a graduated nursing school when i was 18 years old , @ 26 I still get questions about my age because I look like im 17 they think I just graduated nursing school and it's very hard to get respect from doctors as we'll . I think it just matters the personality of the person interviewing you.
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
I went through this when I was working in acute care. Of course, hospital administrators are smart enough to make it impossible to prove age discrimination, but to this day I'm sure that's what it was........I'd worked at this facility for several years without problems, when all at once it seemed I became unable to do anything right. It was at the same time that all the floor leadership roles started going to nurses under age 40. Suddenly I was too slow, I was too scattered, my co-workers didn't think I helped out enough, my charting was disorganized. I was even accused of taking Demerol from the narcotics drawer one morning when I'd just arrived on the floor and hadn't even taken report, let alone obtained keys.
Well, I may be getting older, but I'm far from useless, and I'm sure as heck not stupid. I saw the handwriting on the wall and got out of there before that administration wrecked my career and what was left of my self-esteem. They say that living well is the best revenge; nowadays I'm a respected member of the community, a leader in my field of assisted living nursing............and I'm working in a job where it doesn't matter if I have gray hair and wrinkles. After all, my residents are on average 25 years older than I am! :wink2: