[ZZTopRN]

Why is backstabbing fellow nurses and "nurses eating their young" called "politics?"

[TNNURSE]

ZZtopRN......looks like there are 2 issues here.
Re:Backstabbing nurses - if by backstabbing they are trying to literally "set you up"....or shine a spotlight on you for some trivial thing.....then usually this is a person that feels threatened by your knowledge base and clinical skills...so...it is usually 99.99% of the time just plain old professional jelousy.This is just from my experience anyway.
Re-Eating their young. I call this "initiation by fire". It is a horrible thing that just sets people up for failure. Nurses....that are not adequately orientated and then even ...beyond thorough orientation....they need to have a mentor nurse whom they feel comfortable with to go ask questions/validate their assessments when they "just need another nurses opinion". So...when they are "initiated by fire" after orientation...and have little back up support......they are being set up for failure.You have to look at these peoples motives.What in the heck are they "gaining from" damaging the credibility of that "young" person.Units that foster this type behavoir...you need to avoid. Often times if...if....this behavoir isnt stopped EARLY...then these nurses have a difficult time later learning ethical professional boundaries.Just from my experience anyway...

Originally Posted by ZZTopRN

Why is backstabbing fellow nurses and "nurses eating their young" called "politics?"

[llg]

They are called politics because that's what it is. Back in my college political science classes, I learned that "politics" is all about power -- getting it and using it to achieve your goals. People who are backstabbing, etc. are using these stragegies to enhance their power by sabatoging the success of others and/or advancing their objectives to gain or maintain control of the social group.

They are political games that unfortunately, hurt us all in the end.

llg

[ZZTopRN]

Thanks for answering. I thought as much. I just couldn't get a handle on the word. Sadly, it so prevalent.

[BamaBound2bRN]

It's because the field is dominated by women.

[nurseinlimbo]

How long does it take to get through the pecking order and what is the quickest way through all the crap? I've tried giving it straight back, ignoring them, not coming in for any extra shifts and just doing my job when I have to be there. It doesn't seem to make any difference. Is this just something that exists and is an everpresent condition on nursing units where there is more than one nurse? Up until recently I worked in areas where I was the only RN, did everything, responsible for everything. Now I'm the "baby" in a unit full of old nurses, and few of them seem interested in accepting me. It makes me not want to go back.

[TNNURSE]

Originally Posted by nurseinlimbo

How long does it take to get through the pecking order and what is the quickest way through all the crap? I've tried giving it straight back, ignoring them, not coming in for any extra shifts and just doing my job when I have to be there. It doesn't seem to make any difference. Is this just something that exists and is an everpresent condition on nursing units where there is more than one nurse? Up until recently I worked in areas where I was the only RN, did everything, responsible for everything. Now I'm the "baby" in a unit full of old nurses, and few of them seem interested in accepting me. It makes me not want to go back.

I am so sorry that you have been made to feel like that.In units where this type of behavoir is not identified and corrected then it really runs amuck.When HR doesnt step in and make the units function "civillaly" then it is a free for all.My best advice is....demonstrate competency....and dont dont dont assimilate to their mentality and "bad mouth" the other coworkers.It is really easy to "find anyones faults".....but it isnt as easy as it should be to publically identify a coworkers gifts...the things they do well.And that is sad. If this keeps on...find another job ...and move on to another better working environment.