What is up with the level of entitlement?

[sofla98]

I’m a seasoned nurse with a lot of years of experience. I work hard to take care of my patients and their basic needs, and then some. But what is up with these newer grads, like in their younger 20’s? The ones who started 2019-2020, bc something is way different. 

We’re all wondering what it is. 

They expect the charge nurses and other nurses to do their tasks/work for them and I’ve seen some actually whine, roll their eyes, etc. when they don’t get their way or they’re a little bit busy. 

It’s really starting to aggravate those of us over the age of 30, especially because if they don’t get their way they go to the manager and say “so and so didn’t help me enough” or “so and so wasn’t available and I couldn’t find them for an hour.”

I think it’s time I leave the hospital, to be honest. They are also incredibly hard to train. They don’t listen, get offended if you try to explain to them why something didn’t go well, or go complain to the manager. 

Our management is tired of it too. Is it the same personalities? Are they really that easily offended? Someone ELI5. Thanx. 

Don’t believe this is an issue? Just wait for the responses! LOL! 

[Davey Do]

On 1/3/2021 at 5:58 PM, Bailey Jones said:

 My research is just trying to figure out the rationale for students going into nursing school and if that makes a difference in staying in the profession. What I found is people that have had a loved one battling an illness or on hospice they have seen the nurse do all different types of care including non-glamorous care. They are well aware of what they are seeking to be a nurse. 

Interesting post and research, Bailey Jones! 

I was being interviewed by the director of the LPN program in 1982 before being accepted. She asked me, "Why do you want to become a nurse?" I told her of a story of a 3 month hospital stay after an MVA in 1976, the behavior of some of the nurses , and relayed that I wanted to be a compassionate caregiver.  The director replied citing a reference to Eleanor Roosevelt, "So, instead of cursing the darkness, you want to light a candle".

I was rather moved by that.

About ten years later, I was working ER in a small community hospital, chatting with a Cracker Jack ex-military male RN when he asked me the same question of why I wanted to become a nurse. Basically, I told him that I wanted to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.

"No, why did you REALLY want to be a nurse?", he asked.

"To meet women", I replied, "why did you become a nurse?"

"I figured if a woman could do it, then I could do it."

 

Disclaimer before I get blasted: He and I were being absurd.

 

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

19 hours ago, GadgetRN71 said:

Yup, some of the biggest princesses I’ve seen are the long haulers. They aren’t ready to retire but don’t want to work anymore. So, they just skate by..and talk about whining. If anyone is “running to management”, it’s been the older ones in my experience. 
 

We have two new grads in my department and they are eager to learn and work very hard. Give me more employees like them any day. 

I have seen both sides from the new grads that don’t want to work to the older employees that don’t want to work, but then I see the new grads that work so hard and I see the older employees that also work hard and efficiently and watch out for their younger coworkers. I guess it just goes to show that age doesn’t always equal work ethic nor does it equal teamwork or quality traits. I have seen amazing traits in every generation and very poor traits in every generation. 
 

I will say that a toxic workplace that I was in for a very short time showed me a very interesting perspective. The small minority of the staff that were very toxic were the older much more experienced staff. I think the problem with staying in a department for too long, especially a high stress environment like the ER is it makes a person very mean, bitter, jaded, and even downright moody. The toxic staff truly were the experienced nurses - they were constantly running to management.....they judged nurses new to the department instead of allowing them to learn.....they threw staff under the bus about things they knew nothing about like callouts (and some of these staff were dealing with very real issues like major health concerns or family deaths).....and they were almost overly invested in the department to the point they couldn’t separate themselves from department issues but then they complained constantly and would be almost irrational.....yelling at their teammates about issues instead of actually problem solving.

Anyway.....the moral to this story is that sometimes being in a department too long can change a person’s personality, appropriate judgment, morals and ethics, and even basic compassion and empathy. 
 

It did for me - I should have left the ER a year sooner. I was so exhausted and burnt out that I don’t even think I can remember anything from my last year. I was so emotionally and physically done. Hence the reason that the great thing about nursing is being able to change specialties and start new and fresh when needed!

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

19 hours ago, GadgetRN71 said:

Yes! Some are great but when I worked screening patients during the beginning of the pandemic ( when surgeries were canceled) the Boomers were the ones getting us grief about not allowing visitors up or asking them to wear their mask correctly, or asking them to take off those stank gloves they’ve been wearing for a week. I found many people talk a great game on social media and amongst their friends about “keeping others safe”..but when these new rules apply directly to them, there’s always an excuse. 

 

That job was horrendous. I was more mentally exhausted after a day of screening than I ever was after a shift of surgeries! 
 

So.....I had to say I had a good laugh about this post. Only because every time I see people in the stores with gloves (most are middle aged and older), I just shudder thinking about how many germs are spread by those gloves on everything. Forget covid! Just because germs.....and I am not an overly cautious person about germs at all coming from the ED background LOL!

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

1 hour ago, Davey Do said:

Interesting post and research, Bailey Jones! 

I was being interviewed by the director of the LPN program in 1982 before being accepted. She asked me, "Why do you want to become a nurse?" I told her of a story of a 3 month hospital stay after an MVA in 1976, the behavior of some of the nurses , and relayed that I wanted to be a compassionate caregiver.  The director replied citing a reference to Eleanor Roosevelt, "So, instead of cursing the darkness, you want to light a candle".

I was rather moved by that.

About ten years later, I was working ER in a small community hospital, chatting with a Cracker Jack ex-military male RN when he asked me the same question of why I wanted to become a nurse. Basically, I told him that I wanted to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.

"No, why did you REALLY want to be a nurse?", he asked.

"To meet women", I replied, "why did you become a nurse?"

"I figured if a woman could do it, then I could do it."

 

Disclaimer before I get blasted: He and I were being absurd.

 

Actually DaveyDo.....quite on the contrary....I always enjoy reading your posts with the honesty mixed in with the somewhat dark humor. I understand your perspective with my ER background ?

[Guest856929]

9 hours ago, Davey Do said:

Interesting post and research, Bailey Jones! 

I was being interviewed by the director of the LPN program in 1982 before being accepted. She asked me, "Why do you want to become a nurse?" I told her of a story of a 3 month hospital stay after an MVA in 1976, the behavior of some of the nurses , and relayed that I wanted to be a compassionate caregiver.  The director replied citing a reference to Eleanor Roosevelt, "So, instead of cursing the darkness, you want to light a candle".

I was rather moved by that.

About ten years later, I was working ER in a small community hospital, chatting with a Cracker Jack ex-military male RN when he asked me the same question of why I wanted to become a nurse. Basically, I told him that I wanted to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.

"No, why did you REALLY want to be a nurse?", he asked.

"To meet women", I replied, "why did you become a nurse?"

"I figured if a woman could do it, then I could do it."

 

Disclaimer before I get blasted: He and I were being absurd.

 

Your nostalgic absurdity put a smile on my face

[jeanbeth, MSN, DNP, RN]

This is an interesting post because it reflects what my new grad students say to me when they come back to visit me on campus - in reverse. Last week a newly hired grad texted me, "why don't the experienced nurses want to work with me? I know I need extra help and time but I worked hard to become a nurse. I'll get there!" My students, who I have encouraged to check out this site, have heard all the "Nurse eat their young" stories and I suspect are entering the field with the preconceived notion that they will be unwelcome. A chip on their shoulders and anticipating the worst may be getting in their way from day 1.

[amoLucia]

31 minutes ago, jeanbeth said:

students, who I have encouraged to check out this site, have heard all the "Nurse eat their young" stories and I suspect are entering the field with the preconceived notion that they will be unwelcome. A chip on their shoulders and anticipating the worst may be getting in their way from day 1.

Very astute observation! You may have hit the nail on its head!

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

On 1/3/2021 at 6:20 PM, Bailey Jones said:

 I also caught them using patient care assistant to do glucose checks, change the sheets, bathing, denture care, etc and I stopped that nonsense immediately. 

Then, by law, they're owed a paycheck.  They are not there to work, they're there to learn.  After the first time you change sheets or do denture care, it's not exactly rocket surgery.  People get hired off the street and trained to do it.

Also, a student nurse that knows how to delegate the aide's job to the aides is going to be more valuable than a student nurse who learned "I have to do everything myself."

And I worked as both a CNA and a nurse.  So, speaking from experience, there is NO reason that the nurse should be doing the CNAs job in any regularity.  Now, if you're already in the room or you had downtime, yeah, be helpful.  But your medpass doesn't stop to do someone else's job.  Getting your assessments done for the shift doesn't take back seat to doing someone else's job.  Stop promoting this environment where we have to suck up to our CNAs.  They're there to do their job, just like everyone else in the building.  If they expect the nurses to have to help them do the bare minimum of what's expected from them, then they're working the wrong job.  Now, yeah, in some unusual cases, I've had to ask my nurses for help.  But a good 99% of the time, I was the one on top of my baths, and changes, and toileting, because that was MY job.

[Guest856929]

1 hour ago, TheDudeWithTheBigDog said:

Then, by law, they're owed a paycheck.  They are not there to work, they're there to learn.  After the first time you change sheets or do denture care, it's not exactly rocket surgery.  People get hired off the street and trained to do it.

Also, a student nurse that knows how to delegate the aide's job to the aides is going to be more valuable than a student nurse who learned "I have to do everything myself."

And I worked as both a CNA and a nurse.  So, speaking from experience, there is NO reason that the nurse should be doing the CNAs job in any regularity.  Now, if you're already in the room or you had downtime, yeah, be helpful.  But your medpass doesn't stop to do someone else's job.  Getting your assessments done for the shift doesn't take back seat to doing someone else's job.  Stop promoting this environment where we have to suck up to our CNAs.  They're there to do their job, just like everyone else in the building.  If they expect the nurses to have to help them do the bare minimum of what's expected from them, then they're working the wrong job.  Now, yeah, in some unusual cases, I've had to ask my nurses for help.  But a good 99% of the time, I was the one on top of my baths, and changes, and toileting, because that was MY job.

Very well articulated. I think she’s an old school teacher whose teaching style is archaic and obsolete. Teachers must adapt with current practice. It is inefficient to insist students do manual unthinking skills that they already learned as aides. Rather, it would be better to focus on critical thinking and the scientific/patho/physiology component of nursing. Long gone are the Nightingale days of nurses being demure and limited to a completing a set of vocational duties. 

[londonflo]

4 hours ago, TheDudeWithTheBigDog said:

They are not there to work, they're there to learn. 

comparison between and among patients with assessment, activity, transfer activity, hygiene care? Who provides guidance to the support caregivers based on knowledge of the patient's strengths and weaknesses?

4 hours ago, TheDudeWithTheBigDog said:

Also, a student nurse that knows how to delegate the aide's job to the aides is going to be more valuable than a student nurse who learned "I have to do everything myself."

So delegate anything you don't know how to do?

4 hours ago, TheDudeWithTheBigDog said:

But a good 99% of the time, I was the one on top of my baths, and

changes, and toileting, because that was MY job.

Quote

 People get hired off the street and trained to do it.

Also, a student nurse that knows how to delegate the aide's job to the aides is going to be more valuable than a student nurse who learned "I have to do everything myself."

You do need to develop a consistent argument.

 

3 hours ago, cynical-RN said:

. Teachers must adapt with current practice. It is inefficient to insist students do manual unthinking skills that they already learned as aides. Rather, it would be better to focus on critical thinking and the scientific/patho/physiology component of nursing.

This is the case method of learning. 

Quote

Case method teaching is an active form of instruction that focuses on a case (your patients) and involves students learning by doing.  Cases are real and involve activities that require analysis and/or decision-making.

Case-based teaching asks students to actively grapple with complex problems. This method of instruction is used across disciplines to promote learning, and is common in law, business, medicine, among other fields. 

 

3 hours ago, cynical-RN said:

Rather, it would be better to focus on critical thinking and the scientific/patho/physiology component of nursing. 

Again, The Case Method involves the focus of critical thinking and other crucial aspects of the practice of professional nursing.

Quote

I think she’s an old school teacher whose teaching style is archaic and obsolete. Teachers must adapt with current practice.

 

I say go for it! Anyone who has attended school, remotely, in-person or via a home school truly believes they know the most about structuring and delivering a body of knowledge until they are totally responsible for their students learning, via  1) curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation, 2) clinical arrangements, contracts and follow through with contract requirements and computer training and entry 3) actual delivery of the curriculum  4) concurrent of the development of clinical activities to support the theoretical content and 5) actually knowing what you are doing with regards to your students' (not just one in the ICU)  education.

 

 

 

[Guest856929]

19 minutes ago, londonflo said:

comparison between and among patients with assessment, activity, transfer activity, hygiene care? Who provides guidance to the support caregivers based on knowledge of the patient's strengths and weaknesses?

So delegate anything you don't know how to do?

You do need to develop a consistent argument.

 

This is the case method of learning. 

 

Again, The Case Method involves the focus of critical thinking and other crucial aspects of the practice of professional nursing.

 

I say go for it! Anyone who has attended school, remotely, in-person or via a home school truly believes they know the most about structuring and delivering a body of knowledge until they are totally responsible for their students learning, via  1) curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation, 2) clinical arrangements, contracts and follow through with contract requirements and computer training and entry 3) actual delivery of the curriculum  4) concurrent of the development of clinical activities to support the theoretical content and 5) actually knowing what you are doing with regards to your students' (not just one in the ICU)  education.

 

 

 

can you make your point laconically and concisely? Thanks

[londonflo]

35 minutes ago, cynical-RN said:

can you make your point laconically and concisely? Thanks

No, If you don't have time to read my full thoughts, read my post later and gather your full thoughts. Thanks,