[semstr]

O yes, we eat our young, our old, our fat, our thin, our smoker, our sick, our different............
look on this BB, we eat each other!!

Bon Appetit, Renee

[havok]

yup.

I've seen it happen and I'm not even a nurse yet. (3/4 there)
Almost happened to me, but thankfully I had an instructor there to back me up.

[cherloomis]

I have read the replies to the question posted and really appreciated all the opinions expressed.I do believe and agree with Nightingale 1998,that it is a people issue,not a nursing issue.But,given the arena where we encounter it most frequently,it is easy to return to the old cliche.When I worked as a clinic nurse,I was belittled because I didn't work at the hospital.When I worked at the hospital,it came from within nursing's internal structure.Now,I'm a school nurse,and believe me,the lowest on the food chain according to most nurse's opinions I encounter.As women,we are nurturers, and yet we witness daily, our sisters negative behaviors with regards to each other.For myself,outside validation is nice,but being centered as a person,helps me best.I practice good self-care,provide good care in my practice as a nurse,look for opportunities to be the best mentor I can be, and let the rest fall where it may."Nurses eat their young" only if on a personal basis,we willingly participate.

[Mel3K]

When I saw this poll, I thought it said "HOW do nurses eat their young?"

All I could think was--"With relish!"

Gotta get those eyes checked,
Mel

[Stargazer]

I in fact tend to freak out too far the other way and actually left a young-eater crying once. It was a really bad day.

Ooh, fergus--details, please!!

[RNFROG3]

I had never heard this saying before but I have seen it and felt it in action. For thoses in the situation now --have faith and look around there has to be someone one the unit that is receptive -find them. As for us older nurses- we may know what is going on on the floor but the new grads have all the new knowledge; try to learn from each other. New nurses please hang in there we need you so deparately and the pieces will come together, I promise!

Originally posted by leighann757
to catlady,
There are a few good nurses out there that will be a mentor to new nurses but they are few and far between.

LeighAnn, I am sorry you have had experience that causes you to feel that way. When I started out as a new nurse (still am, just 10 months!) I was nurtured and supported. I still am actually, although now things are a little different as I know people a little better and am aware of problems between staff members. But that is a personality issue, not a nurse eating young issue.

I don't think supportive, nurturing nurses are few and far between at all. I DO believe that our profession is a little different than most as lives can depend on our actions, and our mistakes must be pointed out. But I can't think of a mistake I have made that, if I didn't pick up on it, was pointed out to me in anything but a constructive way.

Maybe I am just lucky and most hospitals aren't like this?

Oh wait!! I did work in a dr's office for about a MONTH and left there because the nurses were SO nasty that I was miserable from day one. I blame that on the doc though, cause he didn't tell the other nurses I was going to be there until I showed up!

[fergus51]

Originally posted by Stargazer
Ooh, fergus--details, please!!

Does this mean that you are as mean as I am if you would have enjoyed it? I have always had a BIG mouth and it has gotten me into trouble more than once.

I just stepped in and let an older nurse who was bullying a younger nurse know exactly where she could stick it and pointed out what a bitter old has-been she had become. I got mean and pointed out specific examples of her incompetence (quite loudly and in front of another nurse) and the fact that she was obviously attacking this young nurse because she was so insecure (and rightfully so because I wouldn't let her care for my dog if she went into labor). I then used some language that I can't share with you all here. Then another nurse joined in with some less than kind words.

This is the short version (the long version would take me bout 15 minutes to type and a lot of it would be bleeped out). The hag then burst into tears and left the unit, and so it was decided I had to take her patients because I was the one who scared her off. I was VERY busy after that, but I didn't miss her a bit and the new grad helped me because she was very grateful, but she started crying too when she was thanking me. It was quite the awkward moment. I feel kind of bad about making the hag cry, but at the same time, I think that nurse should've retired a long time before because she makes everyone miserable and I am not putting up with that type of bs at work. EVER.

[projectangel]

NURSES DO EAT THEIR YOUNG CATWOMAN IS EITHER A PLANT TO ILLICIT A REPSONSE, OR OUT OF TOUCH. AND IF SHE IS A NURSE A REMINDER TO HER THAT NURSES ***NURSE/NURTURE*** PEOPLE. IT IS THE NATURE OF THE JOB. AND YES, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT COME WITH THE JOB OF BEING A NURTURER.... I AM NEW TO MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING AND I MUST SAY THAT I AM SHOCKED AT THE NUMBER OF NURSES WHO SAY THEY REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE "NEW AT THIS" BUT BEHAVE LIKE DEMONS WHEN DEALING WITH US NEWBIES. I AM NOT NEW TO THE NURSING FIELD BUT I AM NEW TO ACUTE CARE. AND I WILL SHARE THAT I ALMOST LOST MY RELIGION, SO TO SPEAK, IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS C/O HOW I RESPONDSED WITHIN TO COMMENTS MADE AND THE "TONE OF VOICE" OF SOME OF MY CO-WORKERS. AND I AM A PERSON WHO IS NOT EASILY PUT OUT OF SORTS. AT LEAST NOT BEFORE I TOOK THIS JOB.... I HAVE BEEN PAYING DEARLY, AT THE COST OF MY SPIRIT, IN EXCHANGE FOR THE KNOWLEDGE I DESIRE....KUDOS TO THE THE MALE NURSE WHO SPOKE UP ABOUT DISCRIMINATION (I TRY TO KEEP OUR GROUP AWARE WHEN I HEAR COMMENTS AGAINST MEN). YES, I HAVE SPOKEN UP TO SOME STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN NASTY TO ME, AND IN A KIND BUT EFFECTIVE MANNER. I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL ADULT ENOUGH TO CHOOSE OUR METHODS OF COMMMUNICATION. BUT IT GETS TIRING AFTER AWHILE AND I'D RATHER PUT MY ENERGY INTO PATIENT CARE. SO NOW, I TOO, HAVE CHOSEN THE SURVIVAL ROUTE, IN A WAY. ... I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEW NURSES THAT LEFT THEIR JOBS AS A RESULT THEIR EXPERIENCES OF BEING EATEN ALIVE. ....I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT I WAS THE 'ONLY ONE' WHO HAD THOUGHT ABOUT QUITTING (WAS I KIDDING?)AND I AM, HISTORICALLY NOT A QUITTER. BUT I FINALLY WENT FROM ASKING MYSELF WHY I FELT THAT WAY TO SIMPLY STATING OUT LOUD, IN PRIVATE, THAT I HATE MY JOB AND FINALLY ACCEPTING IT...BUT REALLY, WHAT IT IS, IS THAT I REALLY JUST WANT MORE KNOWLEDGE, THE NIGHTS ARE LONG [12 + HOURS], WE ARE UNDER STAFFED IN A SMALL TOWN FACILITY, AND SOME OF OUR NURSES DON'T SEEMS TO REALIZE THAT THEY'LL GET MORE MILEAGE OUT US LESS SEASONED RN'S IF THEY DON'T VERBALLY ATTACK WHEN WE ARE IN OUR 13TH HOUR OF WORK. I MEAN DOES PATIENT CARE NOT COME BEFORE CONCLUDING OUR PAPERWORK? ESPECIALLY DURING THOSE LAST FEW HOUR'S OF MURPHY'S LAW EVENTS AND EMERGENCIES THAT SEEM TO COME IN THREES LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT? IS IT A CRIME THAT SOME OF US HELP EACH OTHER IN THAT LAST HOUR WHEN A CONFUSED 300 POUND PATIENT DECIDES TO GO FOR A WALK WITH THEIR IMAGINARY FRIEND, NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY JUST HAD SOME SORT OF RLE SURGERY AND THEIR MORPHINE JUST KICKED IN? THEN WONDERS HOW THEY WOUND UP ON THEIR KNEES ON THE FLOOR? IN SPITE OF ALL LEGAL PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TAKEN. AND ALL OF THIS AFTER ANOTHER SERIES OF MURPHY'S LAW EVENTS HAD JUST TAKEN PLACE.....AND WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK OF THIS? I ACTUALLY HAD A NURSE WHO FORGOT TO GET HER PATIENT'S SURGERY CONSENTS SIGNED A WEEK BEFORE, LOUDLY STATE THAT I SHOULD HAVE ETC. ETC. WRITTEN DOWN WHEN I HAD AN INSULIN NEEDLE IN MY HAND ON MY WAY TO A ROOM. WHAT HAD I DONE WHEN I DISCOVERED HER MISTAKE? I GOT THOSE PAPERS SIGNED AND MENTIONED IN REPORT WHERE THE NEXT SHIFT COULD FIND THEM. PERIOD. AND THAT NURSE, WHEN SHE ARRIVED JUST LAUGHED AT HER FORGETFULNESS AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN IT AWAY....LISTEN, THOSE OF US THAT ULTIMATELY BELONG IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF NURSING WILL GO THERE AFTER WE HONE IN ON OUR SKILLS AND THOSE OF US THAT DO NOT BELONG IN NURSING AT ALL WILL LEAVE ALTOGETHER, SO DON'T WORRY. BUT IN THE MEAN TIME, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT PUTTING OUR PATIENTS IN DANGER BUT RATHER STILL LEARNING, PLEASE BACK UP YOUR CLAIMS ABOUT HOW YOU REMEMBER HOW IT WAS, AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO FEEL AND BE PROFICIENT. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A NOVICE AND AN EXPERT ARE HUGE AND WORTH RESEARCHING. AND HOW MANY OF OUR SHORT STAFFED PLACES CAN AFFORD TO LOSE NURSES ON THE RISE?.....MY SOLUTION, FOR NOW, IS NOT TO QUIT BUT TO CUT BACK ON HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK I AM AT THE HOSPITAL - AND TO RETURN TO MINISTERING TO PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT HONORS **MY** BELIEF SYSTEM. THAT WAY, I WON'T HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH TO RECLAIM MY INNER CALM. AND PERHAPS WITH THAT, I WILL BE BETTER FOR MY PATIENTS AND HAVE MORE STRENGTH TO DEAL WITH PERSONALITIES THAT ARE, FRANKLY, QUITE UNBELIEVABLE RE: THEIR BEHAVIOR, DEMEANOR OR MANNER OF COMMUNICATION. AND MY PROMISE TO ALL OF THE MEAN-SPIRITED PEOPLE OUT THERE: WHEN MY YEAR OR SO OF MED-SURG EXPERIENCE IS UP, BARRING SOME EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY THAT MAY PRESENT ITSELF BEFORE THEN, I WILL BE OFF TO AN AREA OF INTEREST THAT IS MORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH MY TRUE NATURE....UNTIL THEN, BE PROFFESSIONAL IN HOW YOU DEAL WITH NEWER NURSES OR MANY OF YOU MAY FIND YOUR WORKLOAD GROWING DUE, IN PART, YOU YOUR OWN CONTRIBUTIONS OF ATTITUDE.
SENDING A BIT OF TOUGH LOVE, BLESSINGS AND MAY GOODNESS PREVAIL

[P_RN]

Welcome Angel. Please no caps...terribly hard to read.

Is it a requirement that you stay in med-surg that you obviously dislike? I wish you well.