The management at my place of employment recently hired a group of nurses who are all youngish, slim, and physically attractive as a response to declining patient satisfaction scores. Is the solution working? We can only wait and see.
My workplace, a freestanding specialty hospital owned by a for-profit corporation that operates multiple facilities across the United States, has been having recent troubles with low Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores. This does not bode well in an era where patient satisfaction scores are tied to Medicare reimbursement rates.
Patients typically complain on the survey forms about random issues such as the food, the semiprivate rooms, their loud roommates, and the aloof manner of some of the physicians. Some mention that nursing staff failed to keep them informed. Once in a blue moon a patient comments that the hospital employs too many 'foreign nurses' or has staff who cannot 'speak English.' Whatever.
To combat the chronically low patient satisfaction scores, the managerial staff implemented a mix of interventions which they believed would make patients and families feel more 'cared for.' Hourly rounds, bedside rounding at the change of shift, more scripting, and more smiles have been put into action without much positive effect on the Press Ganey scores.
"What was management's next solution?" you're probably wondering. Administration announced they were hiring good people who were more friendly, skilled, positive, and indicated during their interviews that they actually wanted to care for patients. Well, the latest new hires have initiated more questions than answers.
Where do I start? They are all youngish, ranging from early 20s to early 30s. They are all fairly slim, nicely shaped, and physically attractive. The most experienced new hire has about six years of nursing experience, while the remaining nurses have anywhere from one to three years under their belts. The majority have no acute care experience and are learning certain procedural skills for the very first time: starting peripheral IV access, administering blood, performing wound care, operating feeding tube pumps, and so forth.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not an 'old nurse' who is 'eating the young.' I am 32 years old with seven years of experience, and I had no acute care experience prior to taking a job at this facility several years ago. The new hires all have good personalities and are seemingly pleasant to work with. In addition, we all must start somewhere.
However, they are not necessarily more skilled or more eager to care for patients like management said they would be. Several of these nurses remain seated at the nurses station while staring into a smart phone as call lights are ringing. A few walk into patient rooms without employing basic relational skills such as knocking, introducing themselves, or explaining what they are planning to do. I'm not complaining; I'm merely observing.
Here are my thoughts on this issue. Rather than hire a mix of highly experienced and relatively inexperienced nurses, the managerial staff opted to save on labor costs by hiring younger nurses with a certain attractive look that patients and families might find appealing. They hired no new grads because, I assume, they did not want to spend the staggering amount of money on 3-month orientation periods. They hired no one with 15, 20, 25, or 30+ years of experience because human resources would be forced to offer highly experienced nurses a significantly higher rate of pay per the wage grid. They hired no nurses who were badly overweight, gray-haired, or outwardly appeared to have health problems that would drive up insurance costs. To presumably get the most bang for their buck, most of the new hires have between one and three years of experience.
How is this experiment turning out? We shall wait and see.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
BTW, its been real entertaining to see those who have taken this thread so personally. If you are young, thin and pretty, good for you. If you are also a good nurse, all the better. A wise person would understand that this thread has not been about generalizing. Not all cute, young, thin new grads are simpering fools who sit at the nurses' station playing on their smart phones, who have no manners, etc. What does make you look like a fool is coming online and bristling and getting defensive about it. 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much!'
. . .and let it be said that young and inexperienced does not equal *perky*, either! My 23 year old daughter regards text message spelling, smartphone obsession and perkiness with equal disdain, lol. Good kid.
. . .and let it be said that young and inexperienced does not equal *perky*, either! My 23 year old daughter regards text message spelling, smartphone obsession and perkiness with equal disdain, lol. Good kid.
^Yes!!!
As a gen Y, sometimes referred to the generation that was taught the "everybody wins method" (Which I was NOT), usually 1979-1981 to 1999-2000, there are a lot of us who distain, um..."flakiness"....and abhor BS.
Some of us when you are referring to that generation are in our thirties...maybe young at heart but enough experience in our minds and mileage in our life to "get it"...:)
As a gen Y, sometimes referred to the generation that was taught the "everybody wins method" (Which I was NOT), usually 1979-1981 to 1999-2000, there are a lot of us who distain, um..."flakiness"....and abhor BS.
Some of us when you are referring to that generation are in our thirties...maybe young at heart but enough experience in our minds and mileage in our life to "get it"...:)
Even if it the industry were biased toward the young and beautiful, is that such a bad thing? It works this way in all walks of life. Getting bent out of shape over some people being prettier than you is somewhat petty. Everyone has their own specific flaws that they have to overcome. The young and beautiful applicant might have a personality defects that puts them a bigger disadvantage than the applicant who is a fugly dog. Worry about yourself.
This has certainly been an interesting topic. However, some people completely missed the point, and took it too personally, when the OP was merely making an observation, based on the trend in her workplace, which is becoming more and more common. Doesn't mean it's fair.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
As a gen Y, sometimes referred to the generation that was taught the "everybody wins method" (Which I was NOT), usually 1979-1981 to 1999-2000, there are a lot of us who distain, um..."flakiness"....and abhor BS.
Some of us when you are referring to that generation are in our thirties...maybe young at heart but enough experience in our minds and mileage in our life to "get it"...
I was born in 1981, so I am smack dab at the beginning of the Generation Y cohort. And yes, the oldest members of Generation Y are currently in their early 30s.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Even if it the industry were biased toward the young and beautiful, is that such a bad thing?
You asked a good, thought-provoking question. In my opinion, nursing units are best staffed by a mix of young, middle-aged, and older employees. The 'young and beautiful' certainly have the educational attainment and credentials to provide care for patients, but any unit or floor can become a downright scary place when staffed with only relatively inexperienced nurses being led by house supervisors who only have one or two years of experience themselves.
It works this way in all walks of life.
This is true.
Getting bent out of shape over some people being prettier than you is somewhat petty.
People, including many of my patients and their family members, have described me as 'the pretty one.' I am not bent out of shape over anything I've mentioned. I'm simply making observations and conjectures. The problem results when certain respondents take things far too personally and interpret the written word in a manner that will conjure up arguments to meet their own personal agendas.
Everyone has their own specific flaws that they have to overcome. The young and beautiful applicant might have a personality defects that puts them a bigger disadvantage than the applicant who is a fugly dog. Worry about yourself.
You delivered some sound advice. I also urge you to take your own advice and worry about yourself. I sincerely thank you for the comments you've contributed to this discussion, because without the input of certain touchy members, this thread would have never ballooned into a nearly 300-response epic.
I know who I would want for a nurse for myself or a loved one and it isn't the nurse who think bedside nursing is just a stepping stone to something "better". I want someone who has developed life skills such as critical thinking, multi tasking, decision making, for example ColoradoRocky.
Seriously, if I hear one more new grad at work yapping about how soon they're going to run back to school to get their NP so they can work at Minute Clinic I'm going to flip out.
Honestly? If the current crop of children whose feelings can't be hurt by such things as letter grades and keeping score in soccer turn out to be the way I think they will, the older generations shouldn't worry about getting edged out of their jobs by these soon to be overgrown brats. Who will want to hire them?
Seriously, if I hear one more new grad at work yapping about how soon they're going to run back to school to get their NP so they can work at Minute Clinic I'm going to flip out.
Honestly? If the current crop of children whose feelings can't be hurt by such things as letter grades and keeping score in soccer turn out to be the way I think they will, the older generations shouldn't worry about getting edged out of their jobs by these soon to be overgrown brats. Who will want to hire them?
Hey now, not all NP hopefuls want to work in a Minute Clinic. I HATE clinic/office work! Bedside for me as long as I.can!
I was born in 1981, so I am smack dab at the beginning of the Generation Y cohort. And yes, the oldest members of Generation Y are currently in their early 30s.
^So was I...
I had to bring that up because I truly believe this fabled "everybody wins generation" was born across several factors and generations: people who constantly feel as though life is unfair; people who constantly worry and state "what about me???" and the ones who may have been emotionally changed by parents who were emotionally barren, and transferred those experiences on to them, and have spread it across generations. And on AN as well.
Honestly? If the current crop of children whose feelings can't be hurt by such things as letter grades and keeping score in soccer turn out to be the way I think they will, the older generations shouldn't worry about getting edged out of their jobs by these soon to be overgrown brats. Who will want to hire them?
^This!!!
I think people have to reflect whether that has made them passed on for opportunites and jobs, or the one when they are laid off, is in the first or second round to be called to go...
There are previous generations who had their share of "Overgrown brats"...gotta love the "generational curse"! Flying the red flags of neediness and potential meltdown at any turn!
nursel56
7,122 Posts
. . .and let it be said that young and inexperienced does not equal *perky*, either! My 23 year old daughter regards text message spelling, smartphone obsession and perkiness with equal disdain, lol. Good kid.