RN Gen Z vs RN Gen X

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I pretty much have almost 10 years hospital experience as an xray tech and been exposed in the hospital setting. I was assigned with a preceptor almost the age of my daughter. She has almost a year experience as a RN and she was assigned to precept me. She approaches it like I am a RN student. 

I decided to take 2 patients out of the 6 patients that she has so I can learn and figure it out on my own. I told her that I would holler at her in case I get into a pickle. I did my job doing my med pass and I started charting. Then she was running behind and asked me if I can do hers. So since I'm a team player I said OK. 

On the next med pass, she went on break and asked me if I can do her med pass again. And I said OK. She hasn't really taught me really quite extra ordinary except the obvious things that I already have learned in RN school. Which makes it redundant to me. 

So change of shift came and I asked her if I can do the SBAR to the oncoming RN so I can get the hang of it again. She refused and didn't even give me a chance. And not only that, she kinda embarrassed me in front of the oncoming RN as well. So I completely shut down on her and just didn't acknowledge her when she asked me if I can do a hand off on our computer charting. In other words, I felt I was her secretary. 

Am I over reacting to this or is it my feeling that she has no clue how to be a preceptor?Thank y'all for the comments. 

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Ooof.

Michael, this sounds dysfunctional. I'm not sure what exactly it has to do with your generational-related title. Many a nurse has been trained by a younger person with more nursing experience.

Maybe you should have started by following her lead a little, or at least letting her have the chance and seeing how she proceeded. Your line, "I decided to take two patients..." so you could "figure it out on [your] own" was interesting. I realize that may work for some people but if it were actually a commonly safe and productive way to train as a new RN then preceptors wouldn't have to waste their time and managers could just assign all the new RNs two patients each for the first couple of days til they get everything figured out. ?

I don't think you're off to a very good start; it's a matter of time before this blows up and you just barely got started. If I were you I would back it up a little and ask to meet together with your preceptor to make a plan together.

??

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JKL33,

I appreciate reading my post and the comment. The generational part title is, I was just emphasizing the age gap. I am aware that there are young nurses who can relate and cannot. It all depends on how they were brought up. Hence I even mentioned that this RN is just as young as my teenage daughter. If you got kids, I am sure you'd relate to what I am saying. 

Also we both decided for me to take 2 patients and she agreed to it. And she even said it was a good idea. 

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I agree that a meeting should happen sooner rather than later to clarify roles and expectations. Unfortunately, very new nurses are now being put into the role of preceptors which is really a nightmare for everyone. They're still developing their own practice and many are (maybe rightfully) concerned that precepting could expose some weaknesses of their own because they weren't fully trainer before they were thrown out on the floor. Some can still approach it in a very collaborative manner, others will easily become defensive and perhaps unwilling to teach. Especially when there are skills that they aren't 100% confident in, but don't want to put that forward to a new orientee. 

It's a difficult time for everyone. I try to assume good intent in people (you may laugh at that sentence if you read my post in the bite my tongue thread), but if they prove to be too much sometimes personalities are just going to conflict. Try not to make it an age thing. I work with some young nurses that are fantastic and some older than me that can't be bothered to get up and provide care for a patient. Good luck going forward. 

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JBMmom,

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you about not making it an age thing. But I gave her the benefit of the doubt and gave her my respects and professionalism. 

But putting me on the spot with other RN's, I have to draw a line there. I would never ever embarrassed anyone. I also forgot to mention on my post that she really had bad bedside manner. I saw her arguing with a confuse patient that all he wanted was to urinate but he was so weak that he can't get up and was embarrassed because we have to give him a urinal. She left the room in frustration but I stayed with the patient and helped him out. 

Now tell me, is it me or she aint ready for the real world?

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Specializes in retired LTC.

MM - welcome to AN as you newly post. I suggest to newbies here that y'all consider anonymous screen names.  Esp if the post might be controversial. Everybody & anybody reads these posts (seriously). Best to be safe under the radar.  

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Specializes in school nurse.

OP: Real (user) name and actual photo? If so, big no-no per countless accounts of posts biting people on the posterior.

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Yikes, OP, getting yourself off on the wrong foot.  I’m a Gen X being precepted by a Gen Z right now.  I literally have zero issue with it at all.  I’m soaking up the knowledge and trying to learn quickly.  If you simply look at the age gap and see her as your daughter, you are screwed.

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Specializes in oncology.
3 hours ago, Michael Manuel said:

I pretty much have almost 10 years hospital experience as an xray tech

 

3 hours ago, Michael Manuel said:

She hasn't really taught me really quite extra ordinary except the obvious things that I already have learned in RN school. Which makes it redundant to me. 

There are a lot of redundant activities in nursing,,,weren't there in the x-ray department? Did you ever precept in the x-ray tech role? 

2 hours ago, Michael Manuel said:

But putting me on the spot with other RN's, I have to draw a line there. I would never ever embarrassed anyone

 

3 hours ago, Michael Manuel said:

And not only that, she kinda embarrassed me in front of the oncoming RN as well. So I completely shut down on her and just didn't acknowledge her when she asked me if I can do a hand off on our computer charting. In other words, I felt I was her secretary.

Glad to hear that you would never embarrass anyone but maybe it wasn't intentional? Can you provide what you think her role and activities should be? 

 BTW being rude to someone who you feel was rude to you isn't justifiable.

3 hours ago, Michael Manuel said:

I saw her arguing with a confuse patient that all he wanted was to urinate but he was so weak that he can't get up and was embarrassed because we have to give him a urinal.

So you thought you and she should have gotten him up, like standing up to urinate?

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Specializes in retired LTC.
15 hours ago, londonflo said:

 BTW being rude to someone who you feel was rude to you isn't justifiable.

 

For lil kinders, I'd call it 'tit-for-tat''

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Okay, I sense a lot of, using your vocab, Michael, "feeling" going on here.

As nurses, we are taught to be objective. "She approaches me like I'm an RN student" is not objective reporting- it is a subjective interpretation.

"she kinda embarrassed me in front of the oncoming RN as well" is another example of a subjective interpretation, without factual information, which is, again, not objective reporting.

"I felt like I was her secretary" is a form of blaming others for feeling the way we do. We are each responsible for how we choose to feel; another does not have the power to make us feel any certain way.

Granted, this preceptor was not nurturing and supportive, but we are nurses who are required to provide services to the patients under our care. The goal was successfully met.

It has been said that we learn as much, if not more, from our bad teachers as well as our good teachers. If we allow others to have power and/or control over us and our feelings, we will never experience the illuminating revelation that we are our own best learners, doers, and teachers.

It's all about perception and attitude.

Go in peace, and the best to you, Michael!

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Having years of experience in the hospital is great, but it is NOT experience as an RN.  It doesn't mean you're truly ready to be on your own w/out oversight yet or "figuring things out of your own."

Your preceptor is only a year out of school herself, so I'd give her a break if she's not a model preceptor yet.  It is very hard to do your own job and oversee someone else, especially as a newer nurse herself.

My advice to you is to put your feelings about your preceptor aside, jump through all the hoops you have to jump through, soak up everything you can from your preceptors and other experienced nurses on your floor.  I would definitely NOT shut down your preceptor's requests to do computer charting - that's part of your job.  You're going to look like you're not a team player and this will get reported to management.

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