Here is my take on the new nurses today. Not all new nurses do this but, at the facility where I work - 80 percent have the following behaviour:
Consistently late to take report (20 minutes average).
Bring their "luggage" to work - fight with kids, husband, lover, married lover, most of the shift - don't these people sleep??
Show no respect to the patient, the experienced nurse and/or doctor.
Spend 90 percent of their time on the computer - and - as soon as the day shift leaves, the IPod or MP comes on either with or without earphones.... so they NEVER hear call lights, telephones, telemetry alarms.
Discuss their business or another staff member's business in the patient's room.
Hold the experienced nurse to public ridicule.
Make fun of this disabled nurse's disability (just happened this past weekend) AND the hospital is sweeping it under the rug.
Sorry you have some bad experiences with new, young nurses, but like everyone else I have to point out that I am 23, and graduated a little over a year ago. I arrive to work thiry minutes before my shift, my i-pod at home on the charger, and run my tail off for 12 hours providing the best care that I can. I have the upmost respect for my older, more experienced co-workers (the one's that deserve respect, that is).
Wow, what a vent. I think you should have chosen your words a bit more carefully. You just offended a LOT of people, and started the whole "nurses eat their young" debate again.
I'm on the "old end" of being a new nurse (if that makes any sense), and I don't even OWN an iPod. I really, really don't like it when people stereotype ANY group. If you have a problem with these nurses, it's time to invite your manager to pop in unannounced some night to let her/him see what is really going on.
Also, being in my 20s, I can tell you that a lot of people my age have no work ethic at all. But a lot of us bust our butts daily. I have seen new grads do a fantastic job, and I have seen older nurses get yelled at by management for being late every day for 20 years. Some people are just selfish jerks who think they are entitled to a paycheck without having to do any work. Some people have absolutely no empathy, and therefore can't understand why they should have to clean up Mrs. Smith when she has an accident. But some people are wonderful, kind, and caring, and do a fantastic job every day. People of all ages fall into both categories, and there are a lot more in the middle of the two.
Also, the comment about parents being to blame for a lot of stuff is right on! I can't believe what some parents let their kids get away with! In fact, some people shouldn't even be allowed to have kids! It makes me so angry to see young kids (probably around 6 or 7) in my neighborhood riding their bicycles down the middle of the street and NOT MOVING OUT OF THE WAY WHEN A CAR IS COMING! They stay right where they are! I have no idea where they live or where their parents are. One of these days, someone is not going to see them until it's too late, and then I'm sure it will be the driver's fault for not looking out for the kids. Seriously, I see stuff like that every day, and it makes me SO MAD!!!!! Okay...sorry...off topic. Rant over!!!!
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
WOW to the OP, You must have got a group from the same school where they had poor instruction... .I can't imagine that there are that many new grads with such disrespect for their job and co-workers !!!!! I see this with a few new AND a few old nurses....I would rather have a new nurse acting that way...at least we can talk to them....than an older one...there is no talking to her !!!! And I have seen this behavior in both....
But not to the extent that you are saying....oh, my....
Specializes in Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab.
Here is my take on the new nurses today. Not all new nurses do this but, at the facility where I work - 80 percent have the following behaviour:
Consistently late to take report (20 minutes average).
Bring their "luggage" to work - fight with kids, husband, lover, married lover, most of the shift - don't these people sleep??
Show no respect to the patient, the experienced nurse and/or doctor.
Spend 90 percent of their time on the computer - and - as soon as the day shift leaves, the IPod or MP comes on either with or without earphones.... so they NEVER hear call lights, telephones, telemetry alarms.
Discuss their business or another staff member's business in the patient's room.
Hold the experienced nurse to public ridicule.
Make fun of this disabled nurse's disability (just happened this past weekend) AND the hospital is sweeping it under the rug.
Text message all night long.
Wow.... :sofahider It was not that long ago that I was a new nurse (4 years ago). I worked in a fine facility.... the nurses worked very hard. We loved the patients in our little hospital and they'd come back to thank us after discharge. We reported to work on time.
And as for ipods.... I've never owned one... ... and that may be true of many nurses who are from the same generation as I am.
I think the things you mentioned could be applied to not just some new nurses... but to folks who have been around awhile as well.
That's awful that they made fun of your disability! Sounds like there is a major management problem where you are and that you had a really awful day. Hopefully you have a receptive Director of Nursing or Nurse Manager who will listen to the issues you have mentioned.....
I was not aware that nurses were allowed to walk around with earphones.... in any facility.
Sounds like you could use a hug:kiss and possibly a new job where the nurses treat their patients and others with respect.
I respect my elder nurses even if I think at times they are wrong
I act professionally at work in the presence of my peers
I do not listen to my MP3 player or blare loud obnoxious music in any patient care areas
I don't spend most of my shift on the computer or discussing my private personal business
I don't ridicule nurses who have diabilities
Maybe you're experiencing that with the "new" nurses you work with but not all new nurses act inappropriately.
In the future, it would be best to pull the person with whom you have a problem with, aside and point out their behavior. If they don't change it, then you need to speak to management. If management does not do anything about it, its time for a new job.
Pretty unfair to lump all new nurses into the same category. Sorry you have encountered some bad examples. I would NEVER say that all "old" nurses are rude and burnt out just because I have experienced several like that.
I think it is unfair to say all new nurses act this way. I personally do not, and know fellow classmates that do not. The same can be said about the experienced nurses, I worked in ER admitting for 5 yrs prior to becoming an nurse and just about all of the nurses that had years of experiece exhibited the behavoir of the OP( 3-4 were the exception). I found most that I worked with were callous, rude and down right mean to the pt's and family. I swore to myself that I would never be like that, and while I am still a new nurse so far I have upheld my promise to myself.
I'm glad my father taught me what work ethic is. And, when I do become a new nurse, I will apply the same hardworking ethic that I have carried with me throughout life.
Then in my opinion the 1st line of the statement " Here is my take on the new nurses today. " should have been left off. I personally read that and did not pay much attnetion to the second line as the 1st impression was already rearing in my head.
to the OP, You must have got a group from the same school where they had poor instruction... 
.I can't imagine that there are that many new grads with such disrespect for their job and co-workers !!!!! I see this with a few new AND a few old nurses....I would rather have a new nurse acting that way...at least we can talk to them....than an older one...there is no talking to her !!!! And I have seen this behavior in both....
Sounds like there is a major management problem where you are and that you had a really awful day. Hopefully you have a receptive Director of Nursing or Nurse Manager who will listen to the issues you have mentioned.....
RN1982
3,362 Posts
I think a psych consult should be mandatory for admission to nursing school. Just my opinion