Old nurses dont want to learn new tricks?

prmenrs, RN · Feb 3, 2006

Let's look @ this from the opposite point of view. (I'll admit to a LOT of bias, here, as a disclaimer.)

"I've been in nursing for all these (20, 30, 40) years and these young hot shots come in thinking they know it all, and that they're going to teach me a thing or 2. They don't want to learn that there is more than one way to skin a cat, or to take care of patients. They don't want to listen to any thing other than what the books and professors pontificated in school. I've kept up my skills, gone to conferences, and I've heard a lot of "new" stuff that gets turned 180 a few years later. Some of their new theories will be, too. What do they think--that I've been sitting here all these years waiting for them to come in and enlighten me?"

OK, that's a bit of exageration. But, you might just want to listen to their "war stories", try it their way a few times. And you might want to explore some theories about "change" psychology.

Tread gently. We're old, not necessarily stupid. JMHO.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 3, 2006

i'll admit to a certain amount of bias, too -- after all, it's not as if the op was entirely objective, is it?

i work in a busy critical care unit. i've not only kept up with the lastest skills, technology and theories, but i teach it to my peers as well. and if there's one thing i just looooovvveeee, it's a brand new grad with two weeks of nursing under her belt trying to tell me that i'm all wrong, my attitude is bad, i'm too much of a cynic, or that her professors wouldn't let her get away with that. work with us awhile -- perhaps you know something i don't, and i'm happy to learn from you. but chances are that i know quite a bit that you don't -- are you willing to learn from me? i've only been doing this for 28 years, and i got along just fine before you came along!!

babynurselsa, RN · Feb 3, 2006

Well said prmenrs. I have only been a nurse for 10 years but figured out really quick that there is always more than one way to achieve the desired goals. I am more than willing to learn new stuff if it is better, qiucker, easier and of added benefit to the pt/nurse.

I have also encountered many a new grad who has come into their first job with that attitude that they learned all they need to know in nursing school and are totally resistant to listening/learning anything on orientation. This is always a difficult/dangerous way to think.

To the OP maybe those persons of which you speak are happy working in their CHOSEN area.

VonnieNICU-RN · Feb 3, 2006

What do they think--that I've been sitting here all these years waiting for them to come in and enlighten me?"

Oh my, I love this! I am going to use it next time I have to precept a new nurse. Seems like over the past few years, new grads feel like they know so much as us "old dogs". I don't get it. When I got out of school years ago (with LPN) I was so very humble and knew that my true knowledge didn't start until I started working.

CCGMatt · Feb 3, 2006

It's true, nurses really do eat their young.

Flame away...

dekatn · Feb 3, 2006

As one of the "old time nurses", personally, I love what I do,(LTC) and do it by choice, I have tried many other areas of nursing throughout my career and this is what I love to do. As far as learning new skills, we have numerous inservices on new products and skills, we in LTC also, believe it or not, have a very rounded age group, that's why it's LTC and not "the old folks home". There are many different acuity levels in our facility. We have had several pt. come to us from major medical centers in our state, and have required intensive nursing care. We do learn new skills, or a new way of doing a procedure or treatment that may have changed. We are required to obtain 30 CEU's for license renewal just like the "young" nurses. As far as "stretching myself" there are some days I am stretched so far, I don't know if this old skin will ever shrink back to normal, ha! ha! And, as far as feeling better about myself, I feel fine about myself, if I didn't I couldn't get up and go every day and face the challenges that we as nurses face. I am comfortable with what I'm doing and I don't plan to change, but that doesn't mean that should a new situation arise, that I wouldn't stand up and face the challenge. I love learning new things and just because I choose to stay in a field that I love doesn't mean that I have stopped growing intellectually. There's nothing wrong with being comfortable with what you do and where you are in life. Don't knock the "older nurses" you can learn alot from us, just like we can learn things from the younger nurses. Respect us for what we know and what we have done, not for what you think we should know or do. Each generation of nurses paves a path of sorts for the next. We can all learn from each other.

Dorito, ASN, RN · Feb 3, 2006

I've also seen the new grads jump in and get as many certifications as they can get, ACLS, PALS

dekatn · Feb 3, 2006

P.S.

Think we could change the title of this post from "old dogs"!!!!!! ha

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2006

It's true, nurses really do eat their young.
Flame away...

First, I see no flames here.

But if anything, given the Title, it is more of a case of a nurse eating the old.

live4today, RN · Feb 3, 2006

...............................................
"i've been in nursing for all these (20, 30, 40) years..................... what do they think--that i've been sitting here all these years waiting for them to come in and enlighten me?".....................tread gently. we're old, not necessarily stupid. jmho.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: prmenrs....you are my kind of woman! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

KatieBell · Feb 3, 2006

Do you in nursing land find that old time nurses, those with many years in the career, dont want to learn new things?- like learning to care for a new kind of patient than they are used to, for instance going from LTC to a more acute setting or rotating from a geriatric unit to a unit with younger, more alert residents, which would require learning new skills?
Ive spoken to a few old timers, and they seem only to want to coast until retirement.
They dont seem to feel obligated to stretch themselves, to maintain and update there skills- wouldnt they feel better about themselves as nurses if they did take on new responsibilities?
Is this the normal course of evolution in the career of nurses?

Some of the MOST valuable nurses we have in our ED are those that have been here for 15-20 years. They know things that those of us who have only been around for 4-5 don't. They have seen all sorts of things. All of our nurses, maintain and update skills, one biggie was everyone going to computer charting...quite an accomplish for some of the older nurses who didn't use them at home, or even own one....

I use these nurses as my resources, an they are often in the charge position, and I think their considerable ED knowledge would be wasted by transferring them to say, NICU, or OB. They seem to feel pretty good about themselves, and provide a great deal of support and information for all of us...

I plan on stayingin the ED for the rest of my career, unless I get an advanced degree. I would surely hope no one would try to teach me new skills by sending me to LTC or a NICU.....

I have met several nurses who do not want to maintain certifications, or skills, but usually they are several different ages.