Nurses Past Their Prime

llg, PhD, RN · May 25, 2008

Perhaps if you thought of them as "people" instead of as "old timers" it would help you find a way to relate to them and find a key to unlock their behavior.

Just as you would help a new nurse to improve her performance, you need to find a way to help these experienced nurses to improve their performance.

Perhaps if you talked to them a while about their careers, what they like about nursing and their jobs (if anything) and got to know them a bit, you could establish a more productive relationship with them. You might be able to find some ways to show that you respect their opinions and value their contributions. That might help them feel a little more positive about their work and the "young whipper-snapper managers" ... which might improve their morale ... which might help them to want to cooperate with the changes that they need to make.

There is no guarantee that such an approach would work ... but it may be the only way to succeed. Simply pressuring them to change and forcing them out of their jobs will probably only make them retreat further into themselves and away from productive work relationships that could lead to improvement. It would be a sad end for nursing careers that probably included many positive contributions to your employer and the patients they served for many years.

suanna · May 25, 2008

If anyone comes up with a way to help these nurses please post it-I could benifit from the cure. I'm one of the "past thier prime" nurses and let me tell you, I would like to be happier. Unfortunately, 20 years ago nursing was a growing career with wide eyed optimism about the great places our profession was going. As the nations health care providers have felt the pinch of managed care and a shrinking profit margins nursing as a profession as been placed in the catagory of a necessary expense that hospitals have to minimize in order to get by. The more I am treated like an overpriced luxury that is draining the hospitals resources rather than a valuable asset that is vital to the recovery of the patients the more bitter I become. After 24 years in nursing I can't start over with a new career so I just hold on and *****&moan through each day. It's us old timers who remember how good it could be from the past and are the most defeated about the way things are going now. If you want to make them better find a way to make them feel that they matter. Start simple- ask thier opinion about a piece of equipment, or policy you are considering. Don't expect them to jump into a grand project with the energy of youth- we have been told we don't matter for so long it will take a bit of convincing before we will jump on the bandwagon, but we would love to be some part of the solution again.

dialysis12041999 · May 25, 2008

Thanks for your reply.

Your response is our current plan and we are giving this plan some time. We understand that we are all getting to know each other and building a new trusting relationship. But I am really concerned about the next nursing generation that are working under very negative conditions. I know that nursing eats its young, I just dont want the next generation of nurses to become discouraged or repeat the same negative behaviors that they are seeing. Their are so many wonder things that I am looking forward to rolling out for all of the staff. I am looking for very strong, motivated nursing leaders that take pride in the Art of Nursing .

dialysis12041999 · May 25, 2008

Thanks for your reply and thanks for your view! I am encouranging all of the nurses that I supervise to be empowered to make changes. I encourage them to do so. I truely believe in nursing power. Perhaps I am still young, but I really am pasionate about my profession. But todays patients are more complex and they are living much longer. Today's patients are physically and emotionally draining on the nursing staff.

Thank you for your thoughts and I will continue to try to increase our communications between nurses and management. For example, I have started monthly nursing meetings to improve communication between all nurses and shifts. A week before each meeting I ask the entire nursing staff to contribute any questions that they want to discuss or any additional training idea that they may have. I get very little replys or replys from the same nurses.

I know that I have to keep a positive attitude and motivate all of the staff. We are starting to make change but its a slow process.

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 25, 2008

Moved to the General discussion forum

ERbunny · May 25, 2008

WELL......I think the OP said it in first post, that these people may have been mean even when younger. Please do not attribute their attitudes to age alone. You seem to be a thoughtful person and supervisor, so I hope you are not really guilty of ageism.

I will celebrate/mourn (LOL) 40 years of nursing this summer. I work full time 7p-7a in one of the busiest EDs in my state, and yes I do indeed keep up, and often outwork, my younger peers.

Precepting and oienting have been one of the most rewarding aspects of this long career. Our department has had an internship program for many years, after management realized we would have to "grow our own" ED nurses. Over the years I have worked with many nurses as they advance from secretary or tech to RN. One is now a shift supervisor, one is my clinician. If I can take even a small amount of credit , I am amply rewarded.

I must also say, gray hair does NOT generate respect--I run across several people who seem to think they have to tell me things I have known forever. I have been blessed with wonderful health , and am far from my dotage.

Best wishes y'all.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · May 25, 2008

Don't attribute this to age.

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 25, 2008

I have come across some great seasoned nurses who enhance changes if it makes their work life easier and have seen new nurses who have refused to accept any changes. I don't think age comes into it but more how someone is open to change

futurecnm · May 25, 2008

I really don't think it is an age issue or being "past their prime". I think it is probably just a couple of crabby people who chose to be that way. I think there are probably many 20 something RN's who are like this as well, plus many older RN's who are awesome (I have met many). So, to attribute it to age is probably wrong. And for the poster who choses to ***** & moan each day I feel really bad for you. You should not have to go through each day feeling that way. I hope you can try to make it a positive situation rather than a negative and possibly be an example to younger new RN's how to handle a difficult situation with grace.

emmycRN · May 25, 2008

I'm not an older nurse, and yet I find your "past their prime" comment pretty offensive. Have you heard of ageism? To attribute their issues to their age is discrimination and as a manager I think you should check yourself and your attitudes toward older nurses.

Maybe it would help to read up on what it takes to be an effective leader. There are some great resources out there. From what I've read I have learned that leaders inspire their followers to do their best through mutual and respectful relationships. If the attitude you displayed in your posting comes through in your interaction with these individuals it should be no surprise you aren't winning their cooperation. Also, try to keep in mind how much YOU could learn from these individuals instead of focusing on how much THEY could learn from you. From my own experience, older nurses are vessells filled to overflowing with wisdom and clinical insight you could NEVER in a million years learn in the classroom or through your own limited experience. Good luck to you.

leslie :-D · May 25, 2008

I'm not an older nurse, and yet I find your "past their prime" comment pretty offensive. Have you heard of ageism? To attribute their issues to their age is discrimination and as a manager I think you should check yourself and your attitudes toward older nurses.
Maybe it would help to read up on what it takes to be an effective leader. There are some great resources out there. From what I've read I have learned that leaders inspire their followers to do their best through mutual and respectful relationships. If the attitude you displayed in your posting comes through in your interaction with these individuals it should be no surprise you aren't winning their cooperation. Also, try to keep in mind how much YOU could learn from these individuals instead of focusing on how much THEY could learn from you. From my own experience, older nurses are vessells filled to overflowing with wisdom and clinical insight you could NEVER in a million years learn in the classroom or through your own limited experience. Good luck to you.

great post, emmy.

i agree with everything you said.

and i too, have worked w/older, 'crusty' nurses.:):)

i have found that if you approach them in hopes of learning, seeking information and going to them for guidance, their response is usually receptive and positive.

seek these nurses for what they have to offer.

use their knowledge base and embrace it and them.

if you need to critique them, do it in a way where they'll reflect on their own time, rather than get defensive.

gain/earn their trust.

these nurses will sense any type of ambivalence, reluctance from the brass.

their instincts are unsurpassed.

you need to use these nurses as examples of leadership.

only when they feel respected, will there be any chance of polishing their patina and making them shine.

until then, they're going to sense your disapproval and hold on tightly to their own perceived sense of self-worth.

it takes a savvy manager w/a boatload of people skills (and life experience), to manage all kinds.

past their prime?

i think not.

leslie