nurses will "eat thier young"??

U.S.A. Georgia

Published

i'm a nursing student working as a PCT at a hospital just outside of atlanta. i took my first patient care job about 6 months ago. i have experienced the "eat the young" standard that seems to be a problem in this field. most "old" or long time nurses are just wonderful and then there are the bad apples. to top it off, the younger nurses that just graduated within a couple of years are treating me like dirt! working nights and weekends i'm working with the younger croud of nurses. i want to pull my hair out! i thought i was suffering silently but my boss has called me in twice because of "complaints" that were so mean spirited.

anyone have any thoughts to share with me or to give me some encouragement? if nursing is a loving and giving field, why are they not taking care of their own?

You have raised a topic that has had a lot of discussion here, so I don't know how much response your thread will get.

The board does include a search feature. I did a key word search for "nurses eat young" and did a titles only search and found the threads below.

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41387

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19079

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19216

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2292

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=637

If you do the search with the same key words but do not click to search titles only you will come up with MANY more as it will find all posts where the phrase is used, this might be more overwhelming than helpful.

Again, Welcome.

Originally posted by bchas01

i see her making mistakes that put the lives of patients in danger but i dont dare say anything because i was told it was "not my place".

I'm just a student, too, but this doesn't seem right. You have a moral obligation to report this to a superior if a patient is being put in danger.

Nurses, please correct me if I am wrong. What should she do in this situation?

thanks for your reply.

I am sorry people are treating you like dirt. Since you are a student you should be encouraged and given opportunities to learn. Hopefully you can learn from this experience and choose not to be like this to co-workers and students when you are a nurse.

Good luck in school and in your job. Don't let the nasties get you down.

Sorry your going through this kind of thing. It happened to be also by a few nurses when I was in school. I thought of reporting it, but I knew in a small hospital it would just make it worse. But come to find out they treated alot of the nurseing students that way too.

Good Luck..

Please dont let it stop you from your career choice...

You should have a preceptor with you for your orientation as a new nurse...she or he will show you the way into your new role as a nurse in a non threatening evvironment. You always have your resource nurse too.If other younger nurses are causing chaos, they are probably insecure about them selves and their ability. Ignore the ones that cause you grief, and know who you can trust. believe me...i have worked with people who were unstable...crazy and they tend not to stick around too long.

Unfortunately you are catching Young Nurses when they know everything, ask them, they will tell you.

Older Nurses who have been around the block have seen everything, there is a big difference. In forensics we call it an arrogant phase. Humility will eventually come, I just hope not too late.

I don't know if a student has a complete grasp of whether patients are in danger or not.

Talk with the Licensed Professional you trust the most, they will guide you.

There are jerks everywhere and in every field. At one hospital I work at, all the nurses LOVE nursing students...after all...it's decreasing the workload! Yet another hospital 14 miles away, the nurses are just plain mean. One LPN class refused to go back this year to this one particular hospital. I think it's just the grumpies that aren't nice to anyone...let alone new employees/nurses. At this hospital, there is a secretary that has been there for 24+ years andshe has run off many RN's...Frankly, I don't know how management can allow this especially with the RN shortage...

linda:)

My hubby says..."if your nice to me, i'll be nice to you...if you are mean to me, I'll ignore you." My advice is to be nice in SPITE of the nasties...Maybe your good behavior will illuminate how nasty they are behaving...

Hi Everyone,

As for nurses eating their young , it is my feeling that

a behavior will continue just as long as it is tollerated.

Nurses in general are very smart bunch of people, we have to

be. By including our young nurses and their energy we can

improve our own practices. True, it takes valuable time to stop and share information, but safe patient care is everyone's goal.

Young or new nurses, if someone has been a brat to you,

do not allow it! Ask, "Are you OK?" or "Are you having a bad

day?" or "I know mentoring me isn't easy, but if we work together on this I think you and I might become quite good

friends."

I was eaten alive at 42 on my first nursing assignment. I

was older than my preceptor, and smarter, but of course,

a baby when it came to experience. I never got any encouragement. This changed me so much that now many

new nurses WANT to preceptor with me. I am not easy,

but I am fair and they LEARN. By the end of their preceptor-

ship they are ready to handle full assignments and feel confident

about good quality patient care. Maybe my experience was

a blessing in disguise. Who knows? Jan

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