[SMK1]

What I have found is that when you are "eaten" you knw it for sure. There are no doubts because the behavior is that astoundingly inappropriate. For me at least these experiences (to this point) have been few and far between. There was a CNA who did it when I was a first quarter nursing student, a labor and delivery nurse when I was a 3rd quarter student, and a nurse who did it when I was a 4th quarter student. Now there have been others who were sarcastic or testy at times but they didn't "eat me". The ones who were truly disgusting in word and action are ones I can remember clearly, I remember their faces and their voices. Everyone has a bad day, can get irritable and be less than helpful at times. This is not "eating the young". Eating the young is someone who goes out of their way to purposefully degrade you or make you look bad, or try to get you booted from a program or fired from a job, or takes pleasure in planning an assignment for you in which they know you are doomed to fail in from the start.

[NurseWannabe1129]

This thread has me intrigued so I went out and asked a couple of women who are nurses what they think. One response I got really stood out to me. From a woman who is a regular at my work:

"It's not so much that nurses want to 'eat their young.' It's more like having your children around and you want them to succeed so much that you try to push them hard."

I liked that answer. And I'm going to keep it in mind if I ever encounter a problem.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by NurseWannabe1129

This thread has me intrigued so I went out and asked a couple of women who are nurses what they think. One response I got really stood out to me. From a woman who is a regular at my work:

"It's not so much that nurses want to 'eat their young.' It's more like having your children around and you want them to succeed so much that you try to push them hard."

I liked that answer. And I'm going to keep it in mind if I ever encounter a problem.

Thats a good one. We do want nurses to succeed, but we want them to understand reality....and that's not what's in the book.

[MassED]

Originally Posted by NurseWannabe1129

This thread has me intrigued so I went out and asked a couple of women who are nurses what they think. One response I got really stood out to me. From a woman who is a regular at my work:

"It's not so much that nurses want to 'eat their young.' It's more like having your children around and you want them to succeed so much that you try to push them hard."

I liked that answer. And I'm going to keep it in mind if I ever encounter a problem.

I have experienced, and witnessed, treatment from other nurses that if they were my parents, it would be abuse. I don't agree with that analogy about them wanting us to succeed by pushing them. Some people are just mean. It's nice you want to view it in that way, but we have all encountered people who are nasty for no good reason and don't want the best for you. Of course there are nice, professional nurses out there that truly care, but let's just call it like it is, shall we?

[nurse430+yrs]

Originally Posted by MassED

I have experienced, and witnessed, treatment from other nurses that if they were my parents, it would be abuse. I don't agree with that analogy about them wanting us to succeed by pushing them. Some people are just mean. It's nice you want to view it in that way, but we have all encountered people who are nasty for no good reason and don't want the best for you. Of course there are nice, professional nurses out there that truly care, but let's just call it like it is, shall we?

Very well said, ...I agree...as an analogy......there is a difference between pushing a calf when you want it to feed and simply dipping your finger in the milk and gently yet firmly leading the calf.

[missjubileejamey]

I am a new RN student, I have been working in the hospital setting for a couple of years, and I have personally never seen a nurse mistreat someone else. I must say though, I am scared of what I will encounter after graduation. Yikes.......lol

[aloevera]

don't be scared and go in with that fear.....be yourself, help when you can and LISTEN AND WATCH ....you will be fine....if I had to, I would only estimate about 20% of nurses that are rude, mean, nasty, etc.....
Most of us are willing to help new nurses...just keep in mind that we may be overwhelmed, short-staffed, and very busy..so keep the questions to a minimum if you see this situation..... good luck and Happy Nursing !!

[Butterfly62]

Leighann, I agree with you. The nursing field seems too competetive: who's the smartest, who knows the most, who has the best skills, etc. Part of our jobs as nurses are to mentor those who do not have the skills and/or education for the job they are in. It's called OJT---and we do it in every profession, not just nursing.

[BortaZinTx]

Originally Posted by aloevera

don't be scared and go in with that fear.....be yourself, help when you can and LISTEN AND WATCH ....you will be fine....if I had to, I would only estimate about 20% of nurses that are rude, mean, nasty, etc.....
Most of us are willing to help new nurses...just keep in mind that we may be overwhelmed, short-staffed, and very busy..so keep the questions to a minimum if you see this situation..... good luck and Happy Nursing !!

So, the implication here is that it's better for the new, inexperienced nurse to not ask that question, but rather he should wing it and hope everything works out ok, when the other nurses are overwhelmed, short-staffed and busy? Is that a correct assessment of the situation?

If seasoned nurses are overwhelmed, short-staffed and very busy, and cannot find an occasional second to answer a question from a new nurse, how must a new nurse feel? I fear for the safety of any patients those new nurses are getting. Maybe we're going to have to extend NS a few more years in order for the students to learn all they need to know before they get to the floor.

[josoknow]

I have been an RN for a little over 20 years, and I can still remember when I started as a new nurse the treatment I received! I felt in the way and not informed. The actions that surprised me the most was how I heard the more experienced nurses talking bad about other nurses. I wondered; do they talk that way about everyone or just their own nursing co-workers. Times have not changed much where I work! Nurses are still back biting and undermining each other, especially the new nurses. What a shame! If we are to move forward nurses need to learn from their past actions. Nursing is a profession and takes just as much care and compassion working with each other as the patients do. I wonder if a nurse that treats new nurses bad if he or she treats their new patients the same. Beware bad attitudes are contagious!