My experience as an endoscopic nurse and as a baby boomer had convinced me that a "Generation Xer" had nothing to offer me or the department. But after much deliberation and thought, I decided I would give two of them a chance to prove me right. After all, I knew about endoscopy, so what could they teach me? Endoscopy is part of my life.
When these two Generation X staff members first arrived in the department at 7:30 a.m. on a Monday morning, with smiles on their faces and a bounce in their step, I wanted to roll my eyes and say "whatever." But being in charge, I knew I had to make them feel welcomed, so I just smiled and thought "we will really show them." There were many things we could teach them, but what did they have to offer us?
After their first week of orientation, I was still wondering if I had made the right choice. They seemed bored and not as enthusiastic as I knew I had been when I first came to endo. What was wrong with them? Didn't they realize I had given them a wonderful opportunity? How many other young nurses are able to get a position in endo with great hours and lots of call?
I had heard that Generation Xers were likely to get bored easily and move on to another area if they weren't praised and encouraged all the time. Great!! Not only was I responsible for the schedule, staffing, and disgruntled endo physicians, but now I had to praise these wet-behind-the-ears Generation X nurses for doing a great job when all they had done was follow my experienced nurses around and ask lots of questions. What was with this attitude of praise, better salary, and flexible shifts when my generation used to be told we should be happy to have a job?
Well, after a couple months of watching these Generation Xers, I realized that not only did they have a lot to offer, but I was actually starting to understand some of what they thought and felt. It was refreshing to see someone run to the computer after a procedure to search the Internet for more information on a disease they had just taken part in diagnosing (we baby boomer nurses avoid computers like we do call). The interaction I saw between these nurses and physicians was great. No giving up their chairs from these girls!!
Maybe there is something these Generation X nurses can teach me!! It is wonderful to see these young people get excited over a "watermelon stomach." I'm beginning to find myself running out of a procedure room and saying "Hey, come over here and see this huge polyp!!" I get excited again when I hear the word "bleeder!!"
They have brought back enthusiasm to the department, something one loses by thinking he or she has done and seen everything. I have even started looking at different diseases on the computer to keep up my education. Not only do they show enthusiasm and energy, but they also offer tips on how to improve the department. "But this is the way we have always done it" is no longer in my vocabulary.
Yes, there definitely is a generation gap between us baby boomers and Generation X, but what a great way to continue the excitement and challenge of endoscopy. I am grateful I have had the opportunity to encourage, teach, and coach this group of nurses to keep our endoscopy department the top-notch department it is today. And besides that, they have given me a much needed makeover!!