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?
I find your comments that old nurses don't want to learn/do new things very offensive. I have been an RN since 1969. I have my ACLS, CCRN, TNCC, PALS, working on my CNRN & BSN.
I am always excited and receptive to new ideas, equipment, and treatments as long as they are in the best interest of the Pt. population.
Ive been in nursing for 26 years, taught my fair share of students, precepted lots of new graduates. I have never seen the likes of the postings of Garcia Diego et al until the last 3 years.
WTHIGO?
Firstly, we are NOT old nurses!
Sorry, 45 is not old. and to your dismay, old does not mean tired and bored.
It just means we have seen the likes of you, coming through EVERY year.
You are all young, vibrant and hopeful, just as we were.
And just like you will be, we will be ever grateful to that OLD nurse who keeps us from killing someone.
As I look back on my career,as a new grad, I had things to offer.
Mostly, I reminesce about the times I blundered, stumbled and was saved by someone who knew better. And I was at the top of my class.
it really is just about r-e-s-p-e-c-t. i am 50 'ish and i still to this day can learn a lot from the more seasoned nurses. i am thankful that i had them over the course of my nursing career. i also feel the "newbies" can teach me a thing or two as well. it's about r-e-s-p-e-c-t. something that is sorely lacking in today's society. very sad indeed !:uhoh21:
I think one mistake many new nurses make is to pretend to have more knowledge/experience than they do. For instance, I had a newbie (less than 2 yrs RN) tell me today that Levaquin was an antidepressant. After I corrected her, she argued w/me-- I suggested she look it up, but, hey, I'm not going to argue- eventually those who think they "know-it-all" will look foolish & hopefully figure some things out-- albeit the hard way!
From a newbie's point of view-sometimes it seems as though you can't win when you're a new nurse. If you are quiet and tend to err on the side of caution because you know deep down you still have a lot to learn, some will accuse you of being "timid" or "unconfident" I do a good job and while I don't know everything, I'm fairly knowledgeable. Yet, I've been told to be more aggresive. I'm not excusing anyone for being cocky or rude, but maybe the loud types of new nurses figure the more they strut, the less likely they are to be prey. I've seen it happen time and time again and am considering using this tactic. The nice ones are the first to get eaten, I'm finding...I think that yes, there are older nurses that are complacent or bitter. However, I can look at some of the people I just graduated with and pick out who will be like that in 20+ years. It's not about age, it's about personality. Some people love to learn(I'm a perpetual student!) and others get by with the bare minimum. I've been fortunate enough to have someome act as my informal mentor. Thank God for her and a few others because the cranky ones can really ruin your perspective.
From a newbie's point of view-sometimes it seems as though you can't win when you're a new nurse. If you are quiet and tend to err on the side of caution because you know deep down you still have a lot to learn, some will accuse you of being "timid" or "unconfident" I do a good job and while I don't know everything, I'm fairly knowledgeable. Yet, I've been told to be more aggresive. I'm not excusing anyone for being cocky or rude, but maybe the loud types of new nurses figure the more they strut, the less likely they are to be prey. I've seen it happen time and time again and am considering using this tactic. The nice ones are the first to get eaten, I'm finding...
Sigh...and for every nasty old nurse tale of woe you can tell, I can tell you about cocky newbies.
I am about sick to death of new nurses stereotyping older nurses. Why is it OK to have repeated threads about "mean old nurses" but you never see threads about annoying newbies? Anybody?
but as a fairly new grad (last december) who has completed a 16 week residency in the nnicu and continues to work there....honey, you can catch a whole lot more flies wth honey than you can with vinegar! and while i'll admit that yes, there are some nurses where i am who fit into the category you mentioned....there are far more "old dog" nurses who continue to keep their skills and certifications up and can teach us "young 'uns" a great deal. i look at them as opportunities....i'm never afraid to ask if they are aware of a better way to do something and while i'll admit that i don't always use their way, it's good to know more than one way. in my opinion, nursing school only prepares one to take the nclex and perform basic care, plus learn a little bit about lots of problems....it's up to us as nurses to enhance that knowledge in the area we are working so that we can be the best we can be.
good luck to you.....if you're this vocal at work, you'd better watch your back!
jamie
i could not have said it better. i would be lost without the "seasonsed" nurses that i work with. we all use each other as sounding boards. it all boils down to respect. if you don't know the meaning of the word, you are in the wrong field of work.
I have to say, I can't imagine any one being able to stay in nursing for many years and not be open to new techniques and methods. Gee whiz! The changes that old timey nurses have seen would knock the socks off of most of us!
So, if anything, the old timey nurses have seen so many new tricks come down the pike, they might just have enough sense not to jump on the next bandwagon as fast as some.
In my experience I have seen it both ways. Yes there are some more seasoned nurses who truthfully do not want to learn anything anymore I am working with a few now, but I find them to be in the minority. I actually had a nurse tell me "I am done learning" I call that burned out. This same nurse needed to be shown how to use a morgan lens. I have seen some nurses being really mean to a new grads for no reason just because they can. On the other hand I am seeing a growing number of new grads with such bad attitudes that I am ready to strangle them. They want to start in the ED or ICU because they think starting in the Med surg floor is boring and beneath them but do not even know the basics of Med Surg. I watch them insert the same foley several times and wonder who taught them then when I try to correct them I get "I know how to insert a catheter" yikes. I have seen then give potassium in a much more concentrated form then what is allowed and have them say they do it this way at the other hospital. It used to be if you do not know ask yet I am seeing more and more they are not asking they are just going ahead and doing it wrong. Again though, they are in the minority and some new grads really should start in the more critical units. So you see we really can't generalize.
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.
Hi
I guess I fall into the OLD catagory with over 40 yr's of experience!
This thread makes me so angry! :angryfire I guess I am angry with a young nurse who will group all Experienced nurses into one group and I also am angry with the Seasoned nurses who treat people with less then respect.
I have tried to RESPRCT all of the people I have worked with--young and old alike, RN, CNA, Clerk, MD & anyone else I come in contact with thru the Nite.
I also LOVE to learn new things--weather it has to do with Nursing or anything else! Life is a constant learning experience weather you are young or old. One of my favorite assignments is to Precept & Teach new nurses--new grads or just new hires!
The day that I start treating my fellow workers less then respectfully
Listen everyone I'm not the one slamming old nurses. I responed to this thread several months ago and I can't even remember exactly what I said but I was stating how at least where I work it is the young trying to get rid of the old because they think they know everything. I'm ome of the few old nurses that have tried to hold on, but it get harder everyday.
From a newbie's point of view-sometimes it seems as though you can't win when you're a new nurse. If you are quiet and tend to err on the side of caution because you know deep down you still have a lot to learn, some will accuse you of being "timid" or "unconfident" I do a good job and while I don't know everything, I'm fairly knowledgeable. Yet, I've been told to be more aggresive. I'm not excusing anyone for being cocky or rude, but maybe the loud types of new nurses figure the more they strut, the less likely they are to be prey. I've seen it happen time and time again and am considering using this tactic. The nice ones are the first to get eaten, I'm finding...I think that yes, there are older nurses that are complacent or bitter. However, I can look at some of the people I just graduated with and pick out who will be like that in 20+ years. It's not about age, it's about personality. Some people love to learn(I'm a perpetual student!) and others get by with the bare minimum. I've been fortunate enough to have someome act as my informal mentor. Thank God for her and a few others because the cranky ones can really ruin your perspective.
Grasshopper, cogitate on the difference between "aggressive" and "assertive".
I'll try to be less cranky and critical. Even if I am bitter about the system, I don't feel that way about the profession - wouldn't do anything else.
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mctina_20
76 Posts
everybody must be update, or else health service will be poor