I supervise 2 nurses that I really feel are past their prime. These two nurses are older and have a lot of experience(none of which they would share with a new nurse today:cry:) But I think that 25 years ago, they were just as mean and nasty as they are today.
One nurse is the RN 11p-7a supervisor( I dscribe her as "Sour and bitter" and the other is a 3-11p direct patitent nurse. I am old enough to be their daughter or granddaughter. And in the past they have been very disrespectful to previous DON's and ADON's. I have spoken to each about improving patient care, internal and external customer service. These are also long time employees of the company. I do believe that they are valued employees but they are very resistant to change.
I hold all nurses accountable for their work and in the past they were not held to any standards. OLD habits are very hard to break but I have to think about quality patient care(Which can become poor or lacking when not checked).
I am very mindful about the nasty nurse types and I want to do what I can to get rid of that stereo type. But are some nurses just past their prime?
Does anyone work with nurses that are simply just Grumpy and Nasty ALL of THE TIME!
How do we help these nurses? Are they beyond help? We have begun progressive dicipline actions and re education with all nurses. I believe in rewarding those that are a team players. I just don't want the negative attitude to continue to spread.:typing
There comes a time in an older nurses career when he/she just can't cut it anymore, but they are too prideful to get out of the business therefore making it ultimately miserable for newer nurses to grow in their careers. I wish there was an age limitation on nurses to either have to quit or be removed from the workforce when they continue to be crabby and mean to the other staff. I contribute the older nurses causing the younger newer nurses not to stay in nursing because of the way they are treated thus assisting the nursing shortage. The older nurses should help and teach the newer nurses the ropes instead of being mean and nasty. It is intimidating when you have an old nurse breathing down your neck and not willing to help you learn especially when you are a new kid on the block.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
there comes a time in an older nurses career when he/she just can't cut it anymore, but they are too prideful to get out of the business therefore making it ultimately miserable for newer nurses to grow in their careers. i wish there was an age limitation on nurses to either have to quit or be removed from the workforce when they continue to be crabby and mean to the other staff. i contribute the older nurses causing the younger newer nurses not to stay in nursing because of the way they are treated thus assisting the nursing shortage. the older nurses should help and teach the newer nurses the ropes instead of being mean and nasty. it is intimidating when you have an old nurse breathing down your neck and not willing to help you learn especially when you are a new kid on the block.
what an attitude!
you think experienced nurses owe you something -- we should just help you do your work and teach you the ropes without you having to be responsible for anything? and then we should just get out of your way so you can "grow in your career?!"
honey, it's people like you who are responsible for the nursing shortage. and while i can't believe that every experienced nurse is "mean and nasty" to you, i can certainly understand the temptation.
you think experienced nurses owe you something -- we should just help you do your work and teach you the ropes without you having to be responsible for anything? and then we should just get out of your way so you can "grow in your career?!"
honey, it's people like you who are responsible for the nursing shortage. and while i can't believe that every experienced nurse is "mean and nasty" to you, i can certainly understand the temptation.
grow up, baby.
thank you, sister ruby. :cheers:
i was going to bite her head off but realized my dentures were on the sink.
There comes a time in an older nurses career when he/she just can't cut it anymore, but they are too prideful to get out of the business therefore making it ultimately miserable for newer nurses to grow in their careers. I wish there was an age limitation on nurses to either have to quit or be removed from the workforce when they continue to be crabby and mean to the other staff. I contribute the older nurses causing the younger newer nurses not to stay in nursing because of the way they are treated thus assisting the nursing shortage. The older nurses should help and teach the newer nurses the ropes instead of being mean and nasty. It is intimidating when you have an old nurse breathing down your neck and not willing to help you learn especially when you are a new kid on the block.
l
lady jane.. i am shocked at how presumptuous your post is... i just cannot believe you think older nurses are standing in the way of the younger nurses... getting ahead... i am not old, but i have been a nurse for 23 years and still have alot to give, i work with many younger nurses who i love dearly and they ask me for help when they need it ... i also work with a nurse who is 70 ,, and she is wonderful .. she runs rings around the young chicks on our floor and we are a busy med/ surg unit..
if the younger nurses are scared away by older nurses , then they weren't suppose to be nurses.. they need to toughen up and stick with it when the going gets rough.. if the younger nurses feel that threatened .. they need to go sell avon or work in a dept store...
older nurses need to eat and have bills to pay .. just like the younger girls and there needs to be a tolerance with all age groups working together.. if a nurse can do the job .. she keep the job.. if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen,,, some of my best friends are older nurses .. and i love them.. just as much as the young nurses...
someday all the younger nurses will be old like me .. and it comes quick .. life is short .. you'll be me someday... sooner than you think...
It is the part about them not wanting to share their knowledge with new nurses that bothers me. Maybe they are afraid they will lose their jobs if the new nurses learn what they know. Ageism is everywhere in society, but has no business in the medical arena. Patient care is most important, as well as team work and accountability. They say seasoned nurses eat their young. That's really too bad. They have so much to offer.
it is the part about them not wanting to share their knowledge with new nurses that bothers me. maybe they are afraid they will lose their jobs if the new nurses learn what they know.
seasoned nurses don't want to share their knowledge?
afraid we'll lose our jobs???
bobrob, just watch us in action.
we lead by example.
they say seasoned nurses eat their young. that's really too bad. they have so much to offer.
it would be most helpful for you, to not believe everything you hear.
"I am very mindful about the nasty nurse types and I want to do what I can to get rid of that stereo type. But are some nurses just past their prime?"
It's pretty apparent from your choice of vocabulary that YOUR stereotype of a 'nasty nurse' is a person of a certain age...about 25 years older than you!
"I am old enough to be their daughter or granddaughter."
What exactly does your being 'old enough to be their daughter or granddaughter' have to do with any management problems they pose for you?
"I think that 25 years ago, they were just as mean and nasty as they are today."
...and your point is...that these aren't YOUNG mean and nasty people but MIDDLE-AGED mean and nasty people???
'Grumpy', 'mean', and nasty'. Those are personality assessments, not identifiable behaviors in need of improvement.
If these women need to develop their communication skills with their subordinates, then you need to identify specific instances describing how what was said and/or done came across to you, the negative effects it had that were unacceptable, and what exactly it is they need to work on...AND...do so in a collaborative, coaching-minded manner.
As others have already pointed out...there's a tone to your post that I too find rather off-putting...kind of like "these OLD people are a pain in the %$#". If we're all reflecting such a perception back to you, it's likely the people you supervise have picked up a similar vibe coming from you.
you think experienced nurses owe you something -- we should just help you do your work and teach you the ropes without you having to be responsible for anything? and then we should just get out of your way so you can "grow in your career?!"
honey, it's people like you who are responsible for the nursing shortage. and while i can't believe that every experienced nurse is "mean and nasty" to you, i can certainly understand the temptation.
grow up, baby.
my attitude is just fine and thank you for your concern. i am and will never be responsible for the nursing shortage. i will say after reading most of these entries that if you look the younger generation of nurses feels the same way i do - that it is time that older nurses who can't cut it anymore need to step aside and let the younger ones in to start their careers. i will never apologize for stating the truth and other nurses feel the way i do.
I deal with these issues on a daily basis and yes some nurses that are seasoned are burned out and can not retire and are too afraid to change and grow. I have been a nurse for almost 30 years and am always learning and growing and love the new generation of staff. Please know that many of these nurses are unhappy in their lives in general and maybe with their kids (in their 20s or 30s). What needs to happen is when horizontal violence is occuring in the workplace, management needs to take a stand and not tolerate it. If this is allowed to continue, our new generation of nurses will leave and there will be no good nurses to care for us. There is a lot of work about dealing with generational issues. Do a literature review and also I think AACN has done some work on this too. Hang in there!!!
My attitude is just fine and thank you for your concern. I am and will never be responsible for the nursing shortage. I will say after reading most of these entries that if you look the younger generation of nurses feels the same way I do - that it is time that older nurses who can't cut it anymore need to step aside and let the younger ones in to start their careers. I will never apologize for stating the truth and other nurses feel the way I do.
ok, i knew i've dealt with you before...
ruby, read lady's posts...
you'll immediately realize that her issues go far beyond us oldies.
we seasoned nurses don't have the market cornered when it comes to crabbiness, bitchiness and just plain bad attitudes. we do owe the young nurses (not speaking of age here) teaching them how to be good nurses. it's a job i very much enjoy. but there are plenty of younger girls who not only don't appreciate it but come with their own bad attitudes. i cannot and willnot accept the responsibility for their bad behavior. i am a seasoned labor and delivery nurse and as i stated previously, love teaching. it sounds as though you think we continue to owe you something. you owe us respect for the time, dedication and caring that we have put into helping you build your career. remember, as we age, the bodies that we have battered through our careers may not be able to keep up with the physical labor as well. however, you still need our experience.
It is the part about them not wanting to share their knowledge with new nurses that bothers me. Maybe they are afraid they will lose their jobs if the new nurses learn what they know. Ageism is everywhere in society, but has no business in the medical arena. Patient care is most important, as well as team work and accountability. They say seasoned nurses eat their young. That's really too bad. They have so much to offer.
And have you actually worked with an "older" nurse that did not want to share with you? Find that hard to believe.
Most of us oldies love to teach and share, and I have been doing it throughout my career and still do it every day at work.
Please do not consider us older nurses that old and need to be put out to pasture just yet. And what are you referring to as old? There are actually many new or recent grads that have just started and they are in their mid 40s and 50s.
LadyJRN1
65 Posts
There comes a time in an older nurses career when he/she just can't cut it anymore, but they are too prideful to get out of the business therefore making it ultimately miserable for newer nurses to grow in their careers. I wish there was an age limitation on nurses to either have to quit or be removed from the workforce when they continue to be crabby and mean to the other staff. I contribute the older nurses causing the younger newer nurses not to stay in nursing because of the way they are treated thus assisting the nursing shortage. The older nurses should help and teach the newer nurses the ropes instead of being mean and nasty. It is intimidating when you have an old nurse breathing down your neck and not willing to help you learn especially when you are a new kid on the block.