Generations In Healthcare

With the consistent rise in culturally diverse populations in the United States, it is expected that the healthcare field will continue to become more diverse not only in its patient population, but the health care provider population as well. Diversity in the workplace involves both understanding, and relating to people who differ from one another. Not only is the nursing workplace composed of individuals with diverse cultural beliefs, but it is also composed of a mixture of generational cohorts that has an impact on the creation of this diverse network (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Diversity provides many benefits in healthcare care including improved quality of care, enhanced cultural competence, and improved health and health care research (Murray,

Pole, Ciarlo, & Holmes, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to define and describe the four generations including the name, timeframe, and a description of the group’s characteristics.

Furthermore, I will choose the group in which I belong to and explain how I think that I fit with the assessment of that generation. Lastly, I will choose another group that I do not belong to and explain how those from my group can learn from the other group, and explain how that group can learn form mine.

Four Generations

A generation is defined as an identifiable group of people who share birth years, age, location, and experience the same significant events within a given period of time (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Each distinct generation shares similar experiences and their values and attitudes tend to be homologous. There are four main generational cohorts including the veterans, the baby boomers, generation

x, and the millennial’s. The first generational group is the veterans and encompasses the years 1925 to 1945. Nurses who belong to this group experienced much hardship during these years including the great world wars and economic hardships (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Moreover, the next group is the baby boomers which includes the years 1946 to 1964. This generational group grew up in a much different period of time. During these years, it was a time of economic prosperity and free expression where people were driven and motivated, especially in their workplace (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Furthermore, following the baby boomers, generation x came next during the years 1965 to 1980. Unlike the motivational groups before them, the people in this group are very individualistic and value outcomes rather than the process itself (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Lastly, the most recent generational group is the millennial’s that consist of people that were born from 1980 to present time. This group thrives on maintaining a balance between work and home, change, and challenging assumptions (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Regardless of the generational group, each composes different characteristics that has the possibility to make a positive contribution in the nursing profession.
My Generation: The Millennial’s
The generation, the millennial’s, differs much from previous groups. This generational cohort enjoys strong peer support and team work and focuses on getting large amounts of information quickly and efficiently (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Another major characteristic of this group is that they are extremely proficient in the use of technology. This generation tends to gear towards working on things that are going to make a difference (Price, McGillis, Angus & Peter, 2013). They understand that the nursing profession is one of high honor and is known to be highly rewarding and motivating. I feel that I fit in very well with this generation. I am a driven, goal oriented individual, and I have put much time and effort into not only my educational background but into my career as well. As I mentioned earlier, the Millennial’s are interested in making a difference, which is why I choose to pursue the nursing profession. My brother was diagnosed with cancer when he was only ten years old. Being in the hospital so frequently, I witnessed first hand the positive affect that nurses had on not only my brother, but my entire family. From that moment on, I was driven and motivated to be able to make an impact on other’s lives just as they had an impact on mine.
Generation X
Moreover, generation X is composed of many different characteristics than those of the millennial’s.

Generation X does not focus on teamwork; however, individuals that belong to this group like to manage their own time, set their own limits and complete their work independently (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). With being so different, there are things that the millennial’s are able to teach generation X, and things that generation X can teach the millennial’s, especially in the workplace. A major characteristic that the millennial’s can teach to generation X is the positive outcomes of working as a team. Individuals from generation X tend to diverge from the thoughts of teamwork; however, there are many known benefits that come along with working as a team. Communication, especially in the healthcare field, is one of the most important aspects that is involved in patient care. The patients that we care for each day rely on us to formally communicate information across the array of teams that are caring for them, and to work efficiently together to improve their health. Team work reduces safety risks, improves patient care, and increases patient satisfaction when everyone is working collaboratively together which is something that the millennial’s excel in (Price, McGillis, Angus & Peter, 2013). In comparison, generation X can teach the millennial generation the importance of independence. Individuals in generation X excel in independence whereas the millennial’s often rely on not

only others, but the world of technology as well. With the millennial population excelling in technological advances, individuals are constantly relying on other sources other than their own which decreases their drive for independence. Having the characteristics of individuality enables individuals to become more confident in their own abilities which I feel is an important value to have in the nursing profession. Although both teamwork and independence is of vital importance, I feel that these two groups are able to teach each other essential skills to share a happy medium between the two to ensure both safe and effective patient care.
In conclusion, with the population becoming more diverse and the recognition that health disparities exist, healthcare agencies recommend that cultural competency become a goal in the provision of health care (Engebretson, n.d.). With the acknowledgement of different generational characteristics, the ability to strengthen communication techniques, motivation, and ethnics of nursing decreases the gap between these different generations and increases cohesion in the workplace (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). With the proper encouragement, nurses from different generational groups will learn to support one another and promote collaboration which leads to efficient health care to all patients hospital wide.