It seems that employees of today need constant compliments, prizes and special recognition to be able to keep their jobs and perform well. As the last of the Baby Boomers retire and the Millennials take over Generation X, now being 80% of the workforce, times have changed.

My Husband, a Trauma Surgeon, got a wonderful letter form the “Higher Up’s” at his Hospital because he did something that he has done his entire working career, he helped out a Peer. The Emergency Room Attending was having difficulty getting a central line in a very sick, septic patient. My husband was just finishing his call shift and saw someone in need of help. So he did the obvious thing, he helped them out; he placed the line and thought nothing of it.

He was flabbergasted when he received a letter this week, signed by all of Administration, thanking him for going out of his way to help a colleague. He now has a shiny “Kudos” pin on his white coat. Sure it made him feel good and he was glad that his boss had to give it to him but he was “just doing his job” as far as he was concerned.

I’m the last of the Baby Boomers, having been a nurse for 37 years, where team work is just part of every day, every shift and every patient load.

Isn’t this what we have done all our Nursing careers:

· Helped each other out

· Worked together as team players.

· Supported one another

· Taught one another
· Learnt from one another

We didn’t expect to be gushed with “Kudos” and certificates or have our name on some recognition wall for all to see. We were rewarded when our patients did well, when our team mates overcame hurdles in caring for sick patients and when at the end of the day you could smile and feel accomplished in giving your best care.

It’s a different world out there I’m just hoping I can still fit in.