Working with Gen X/Y Healthcare Professionals

Working with Gen X/Y Healthcare Professionals Focus Conference May 16, 2014 David Chang Professor Cardiorespiratory Care University of South Alabama

Top 50 Internet Acronyms Parents Need to Know: 420 KPC MOS PAW WYCM

Top 50 Internet Acronyms Parents Need to Know: 420 (marijuana) KPC (keep parents clueless) MOS (mom over shoulder) PAW (parents are watching) WYCM (will you call me)

Contents • Generations Defined • Characteristics of Generations • Information-Age Mindset • What Healthcare Providers Want • Implications on Workplace • Educational Strategies • What Healthcare Providers Say • Generation X/Y Healthcare Providers

Generations Defined • Traditionalists (Gen T/Veteran Gen) WW1:1914-18 1922-1945 • Baby Boomer (Sandwich Gen) WW2:1939-45 1946-1964 • Gen X(Latchkey Kids) Vietnam War 1962-75 1965-1980 • Gen Y(Millennial/Gen Next/Net Gen/Echo Boomers) 1981-1999 • Gen Z (Gen M/Gen C/Net Gen/Internet Gen) 2000-now

Baby Boomer as HCPs • Born 1946 to 1964 (50 to 68 year-old) • Retirement of baby boomers (may be delayed)

Baby Boomer as HCPs • 50 to 68 year-old • Empty nester • Single parent • Sandwich generation • Family responsibilities • Education to re-enter workforce • Education for career change • Optimistic, ambitious, loyal, “workaholic”

Gen X as HCPs • 34 to 49 year-old • Two earners • Raised in single-parent home • Work and family responsibilities • More tech savvy than their BB parents • Education for job or career change • “What’s in it for me?”

Gen Y as RCPs • 15 to 33 year-old • Single or newlywed • No children • Tech savvy • Multi-tasker • Instant answers • Information overload • Expect flexibility • Likely to change employers (or majors in college) frequently

Information-Age Mindset • Different generations – different degree of mindset • Computers and multitasking are part of life • Information at the speed of thought (or click of mouse) • Internet is better than TV and conversation • Reality (on internet) is not real • Doing is more important than knowing • Learning by trial and error • Texting is better than calling or writing • Stay connected and zero tolerance for waiting

Use of Internet • Study published in 2003 • 94% school research • 81% stay in touch with friends and relatives • 78% school work • 70% instant messaging (IM) • 56% prefer internet over phone • 41% IM or email to find out about schoolwork • All of the above = 100% in 2014?

Cell Phone Ownership • Study published in 2010 • 90% Gen Y • 90% Gen X • 85% Boomers (younger) • 80% Boomers (older)

Use of Text Messages • Study published in 2010 • 85% Gen Y • 70% Gen X • 55% Boomers (younger) • 35% Boomers (older)

What Therapists Want • Baby Boomer therapists . . . • Hardworking, confident, self-reliant • Resourceful and strive to make a difference • Motivated by position, perks and prestige • Believe X/Y therapists should pay their dues and conform to culture of work

What Therapists Want • Gen X therapists . . . • More ethnically diverse and better educated than their parents • Independent, resourceful and self-sufficient • Value freedom, responsibility • Dislike being micro-managed • Eager to learn new skills • Less committed to one employer

What Therapists Want • Gen Y therapists . . . • Wired to technology 24/7 • Confident, ambitious and achievement-oriented • Prefer texting and electronic technologies • Prefer play over pay • Crave attention in forms of feedback & guidance • Appreciate being kept in the loop, praises and assurance • Benefit greatly from mentors

What Therapists Want • Consumerist attitude • Clear instructions • Keep it short and sweet • Stimulating learning experience / materials • Learning by doing • Active learning • Frequent feedback & positive reinforcement

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information • Instant information discourages critical thinking

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information • Instant information discourages critical thinking • Short attention span affects patient care and learning in a group environment

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information • Instant information discourages critical thinking • Short attention span affects patient care and learning in a group environment • “Use” does not constitute “understand”

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information • Instant information discourages critical thinking • Short attention span affects patient care and learning in a group environment • “Use” does not constitute “understand” • “Multitasking” is a quantitative measure

Implications on Workplace • Information overload hinders discrimination between relevant and irrelevant clinical information • Instant information discourages critical thinking • Short attention span affects patient care and learning in a group environment • “Use” does not constitute “understand” • “Multitasking” is a quantitative measure • Misuse of internet and technology • Incorrect or incomplete information

Educational Strategies • Retirement of baby boomers • Training and mentoring of new RTs are needed

Educational Strategies • Retirement of baby boomers • Training and mentoring of new RTs are needed • Respiratory therapists are often involved in education and training • Patients (e.g., instructions, classes) • Students (e.g., preceptors) • Peers (e.g., new employee orientations) • Medical and nursing staff (e.g., in-service programs)

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals • Develop learning objectives (3 domains)

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals • Develop learning objectives (3 domains) • Develop teaching / learning activities

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals • Develop learning objectives (3 domains) • Develop teaching / learning activities • Prepare materials and resources

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals • Develop learning objectives (3 domains) • Develop teaching / learning activities • Prepare materials and resources • Presentation

Educational Strategies • Determine learning gap • Set learning goals • Develop learning objectives (3 domains) • Develop teaching / learning activities • Prepare materials and resources • Presentation • Outcomes assessment

Educational Strategies • Keep it short and sweet • Don’t talk too much • Don’t cover too much materials

Educational Strategies • Keep it short and sweet • Break concepts into 10- to 15-min blocks • Make materials easy to understand • (books, Power Points, assignment)

Educational Strategies • Stimulating learning experience / materials • Creativity (e.g., games) • Demonstrations

Educational Strategies • Stimulating learning experience / materials • Supplement “lecture” with appropriate audiovisual materials (e.g., oral thrush picture, surfactant replacement video)

Educational Strategies • Learning by doing • Lab and clinical parallel with “lecture” whenever feasible

Educational Strategies • Promote active learning

Educational Strategies • Active learning Passive learning • Discuss Look • Clinical rounds Hear • Case study Talk • Problem solving Read • Hands-on learning • In-service education • Research activities

Working with Gen X/Y Healthcare Professionals