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.
Perhaps it is you that needs to look for a different place of employment, that would be something for you to consider.
And I have not stopped teaching since the day that I graduated and do not plan to stop either. But for you to make assumptions about others is just not the thing to be doing here and suspect that you have other issues going on as well.
And since you think that all older nurses need to retire, may I ask you a very important question? Perhaps one that you have never thought of until now:
If you were to suddenly get ill, who would you want to care for you? Someone that has just been out of school for a year, or a seasoned nurse that has much experience? Suspect that you know the answer to this, and are having issues at your workplace.
And guess that you have never considered that you may be your own worst enemy, if you presenting yourself at work as you are doing in this thread, then you can be very sure that others are not going to wish to share their experience with you.
... 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.
If that is the attitude that you display at work no wonder you are meeting resistance. With such a dismissive tone towards experienced nurses you are setting yourself up for the reaction you have been getting at work. The older gals at my workplace can still "cut it" and if you listen to them you will learn plenty that nursing school didn't teach you.
If you were to suddenly get ill, who would you want to care for you? Someone that has just been out of school for a year, or a seasoned nurse that has much experience? Suspect that you know the answer to this, and are having issues at your workplace.
Just wanted to say that I've been out of school for a couple years and I get so much CRAP from several patients/other nurses who take one look at me and tell me I'm too young to be doing this... I am very good at my job and I cannot stand this attitude. I do just a good of job as anyone if not better and I love what I do. Hearing this usually gets me to prove them wrong and I always do. Please do not judge a book by its' cover.
Specializes in Telemetry, Oncology, Progressive Care.
I didn't read all the responses yet as this post is rather long, but, I definitely think that when you hire a new nurse do NOT let these nurses precept anyone. I am saying this from personal experience. In my current position my preceptor was absolutely awful. Had I been a new grad I wouldn't have been able to make it. My preceptor has been a nurse for 27 years (You can't tell her anything cause she just knows it all - I've found several instances where she was in fact wrong. She is negative about everything. I used to think it was just me but I've learned it wasn't just me. Many patients will request that she not be their nurse. She always complains about her assignment until they change it.). I don't know maybe she's always been like this or maybe she has reached the point where she just needs to retire. I wasn't around when she first started but part of me thinks she's bitter about everything in her life.
I'm 40, been working in healthcare for 16 years, and many of my orientees have said that I was their best teacher. I love teaching newbies, students and even orienting new nurses that aren't 'new.' I think that when you work in this field as long as I have, you will see that some people fit your stereotypes, and others don't. I have a feeling LadyJRN hasn't really worked long enough to know that there are many of us 'older' nurses who aren't out there to 'eat their young.' She only has those right in front of her. Hopefully she will broaden her views the more experience she gets. (A lot of what I see, by the way is some younger, insecure nurses fault finding, and pointing fingers. I had one new grad who it was getting back to me was saying stuff about me. Stuff she didn't have the full story about. Over time as she worked more with me, she changed her opinion. Especially after I took care of her grandmother, and I was 'her favorite nurse!)
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.
Good grief, what a disrespectful attitude! This type of youthful arrogance is most disconcerting.
Sorry, some of the older generation still remembers an era when people had manners and respect. I'm sure your attitude has not invited the solicitous mentoring that you crave.
I work with a nurse who is mean & nasty to everybody but the DON. This nurse backstabs & is just plain disruptive, not to mention drug errors that have occured. She is in her 60's and needs to retire. Teamwork is not a part of her vocabulary. I don't know why she is still employed it's not like there isn't another nurse to take her place.
I work with a nurse who is mean & nasty to everybody but the DON. This nurse backstabs & is just plain disruptive, not to mention drug errors that have occured. She is in her 60's and needs to retire. Teamwork is not a part of her vocabulary. I don't know why she is still employed it's not like there isn't another nurse to take her place.
And your point is?
Incidentally, I work with a young nurse who is lazy and shirks work. She sits on her backside as often as she can, and tries her best to 'delegate' any and all tasks to others. She lacks respect for more experienced, older nurses and tries to get away with as much as humanly possible.
My point is I work in LTC with Geriactrics it's also a safety issue after 1700 your it as far as medical emergencies go there is no back up. Other than calling for the ambulance.If you don't have teamwork to back each other up your residents get screwed. A bad attitude can affect the entire workplace. There comes a point when it's time to leave.
This type of youthful arrogance is most disconcerting. 
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
Perhaps it is you that needs to look for a different place of employment, that would be something for you to consider.
And I have not stopped teaching since the day that I graduated and do not plan to stop either. But for you to make assumptions about others is just not the thing to be doing here and suspect that you have other issues going on as well.
And since you think that all older nurses need to retire, may I ask you a very important question? Perhaps one that you have never thought of until now:
If you were to suddenly get ill, who would you want to care for you? Someone that has just been out of school for a year, or a seasoned nurse that has much experience? Suspect that you know the answer to this, and are having issues at your workplace.
And guess that you have never considered that you may be your own worst enemy, if you presenting yourself at work as you are doing in this thread, then you can be very sure that others are not going to wish to share their experience with you.
It works both ways.