young nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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Why is it that at times, especially in the hospital, nurses tend to eat the young? I mean, when I first started working at the hospital it seemed that you would get no help from more experienced nurses. For instance when I was on night shift I may ask a question about a skill i had not had much experience with (ie wound vac) and instead of answering me they would ignore me and walk away. It happened many times.

There are a bunch of threads right now addressing this stereotype of nurses eating their young.

I too dislike that phrase . . . . . people in all walks of life are rude and "nurses" do not eat their young.

Check out some of the other threads . . . here is one.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/why-newbies-such-whiners-199349.html

steph

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

LOL @ EmerNurse...it is hard to think when your brain is "waterlogged," so to speak.

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

We have a nurse educator that is on the floor to only go around and help the new grads. We also have 2 clinical leads that dont have pts either that float around and are avail to hlep new grads. We have a buddy system..I work in the ICU and we have our two rooms and our own desk between the two rooms..the two nurses on either side of you are your "buddies" and help you when they can and vice versa..if they dont have time I get an educator or a clincal lead.

however, the term, nurses eat their young gets old. There are crabby people in all professions not just nursing. Us newbies can be oversensitive at times. If I get snapped at, oh well, ill just stay away from that person, no biggie. Ill learn and someday, t hank goodness, i wont be a newbie any more!

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Specializes in Lie detection.

i have 10 yrs experience but clearly remember what a great orientation i had as a new nurse. i had seasoned nurses that were more than happy to teach a newbie their tricks. i listened to all suggestions/teachings with ears and eyes wide open. i learned and limped along and did fine.

i must also say that not all of the nurses were "my type" as far as personality but they were smart and professional.

so i must agree with those that are sick of the "nurses eating their young" comments. i myself have a very strong personality, i will be blunt and forthcoming but always informative,courteous, and the best backup you'd ever want. somewhere along the line, a newbie might have called me "mean". doesn't mean it's true;)

beez

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But it's true !!! When I went to LVN school I was young (and kind of cute if I do say so myself). I swear a couple of the instructors took an instant dislike to me. They also scared us all on the first day by telling stories of all the students they had kicked out of the program for some minor offense.

The hospital nurses weren't exactly mean, but I could tell that they thought it was a pain in the butt to have a student.

Now that I am going back for my RN, I am older and wiser (and not as cute), so hopefully they won't eat me.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

What does your appearance have to do with anything on this thread? You assumed your instructors disliked you; did you have anything to actually substantiate that?

And it is totally appropriate to be up front from day one and tell students what will and will not be acceptable. It really was not your place as a brand new student to decide what was a major or minor infraction.

The hospital nurses weren't mean to you, but somehow that still constituted being eaten?

It's no wonder so few nurses want to precept anymore, what with comments like these.

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Why is it that at times, especially in the hospital, nurses tend to eat the young? I mean, when I first started working at the hospital it seemed that you would get no help from more experienced nurses. For instance when I was on night shift I may ask a question about a skill i had not had much experience with (ie wound vac) and instead of answering me they would ignore me and walk away. It happened many times.

Be better than them. Do what you need to do. Some day, they'll have a question. Answer them politley and go on your way, Show then how it's done. Don't turn it into a pissing match. I always tell new grads, it's the nurses who don't ask questions of each other you have to watch out for. You'll usually find they are the ones who know the least. Good nurses always ask questions of each other. Heck , after almost 30 years of critical care sometime I just have a brain fart, and can't think of how to do simple things like calculate mcg/kg/min. Even though I do it probalbly 10 times a day. I even ask my orientees questions, it gives them a feeling, that , gee she's not above me , she's just like me.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

Why do nurses eat their young?

Because they are tasty, delicious, cool and crunchy! :D

cheers,

n00bie nurse

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Specializes in Cardiac, Derm, OB.

I believe it is just the personality of whomever you were asking. Even in some private offices there are those who sigh and roll the eyes when asked to teach or help. Then there are those who are willing to show you how ever many times it takes. What everyone seems to forget is not all people learn as quick as other.

I personally am hoping the practice as a MA and tech will benefit me. I have scrubbed surgies, IDL injections, biopsies, as a tech in cardiology specialty we start ALL the IV's. about 8-10 patients or more a day. At least this gives lots of practice. We are also sent for ACLS after enough experience in our position. I hope all this will be good practice and help with confidence when it comes time to be the "newbie" on the floor.

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