Content area
Full Text
KEYWORDS: GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY, BULLYING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP, COLLABORATION, MENTORING
ABSTRACT
The phrase "Nurses Eat Their Young" is an expression that is all too familiar within the nursing profession. Intergenerational differences can exacerbate pre-existing tendencies to put new nurses through their paces or orientate them using 'trial by fire methods' that were experienced by older nurses experienced when beginning their careers.1 With four generations present in the workplace, and widely different approaches to work ethics, it is important to gain an understanding of these differences and to learn how to work efficiently and effectively together. Embracing and valuing each generation for its strengths and recognizing generational diversities in the workplace will help create a dynamic, rich, engaging, and fulfilling work environment in which all nurses feel valued and supported by their team. Nurse managers and leaders have a pivotal role in creating professional workplaces that attract and retain staff. They do so by defining the culture of the nursing unit, and the organization as a whole, through modeling behaviour that communicates, to the entire team, what is considered acceptable behaviour and displays zero tolerance for bullying. Effective mentoring can also cultivate understanding of generational differences in nursing while facilitating productive learning and fostering effective working relationships.
INTRODUCTION
In today's clinical nursing environment there are four generations of nurses working together. This creates new and unique challenges for managers, educators, and organizations. Nurses from the generations (labelled as veterans, baby boomers, generation X, and millennials) have their own distinctive worldviews, values, and ideas that result in divergent generational perspectives regarding work ethics, differing attitudes relating to authority, and varied expectations on what makes for a successful workplace.2 These differing views play a pivotal role in creating generational tension and misunderstanding within the nursing clinical practice setting.2
When viewing generations as a whole there are certain generalized trends - it is not the author's intention to imply that there are no exceptions to these rules. But they have been shown to apply to the significant majority of these generations as a result of their shared experiences.
Veterans are generalized as hardworking, cautious, and willing to sacrifice for the common good. They value loyalty and expect the same in return. Baby boomers are considered to value collegiality and...