Why are Nurses so mean to each other?

Nurses Relations

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I can't quite understand it. Nursing students, pre-nursing students and Nurses come here for support and advice but unfortunately they are greeted with a bunch of negativity and discouraged by fellow Nurses. We are professionals. I know it makes it easy to say negative things because you're hiding behind your computer but this is childish behavior.

I understand this behavior is not everyone. I would like to thank those who have been supportive of myself and others.

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Can you give some specific examples of what you perceive of as nurses here being unsupportive of you or others? You're painting this site with a pretty broad brush.

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I agree, I've seen a lot of this behavior. It left me somewhat surprised to see the ASN vs. BSN and old nurses VS new nurses kind of thing. I tend to see people very judgmental of people asking "stupid" questions or posting "stupid" answers. I'm slightly scared to post on here due to responses back, we already have to keep our heads down in NS.

Just my opinon.

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Can you give some specific examples of what you perceive of as nurses here being unsupportive of you or others? You're painting this site with a pretty broad brush.

A nurse asking a new Nurse, who just got fired, how did you graduate if your skills suck? This is not supportive but these kind of comments are all over this site. I feel it's uncalled for...kicking others while they are down!

In regards to this comment-You're painting this site with a pretty broad brush.

I stated in my OP that this behavior is not everyone and I thanked those who are supportive.

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Yeah. There's alot of 'one upping' on this site. Kinda sad. But there's a lot of nice people too.

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I agree, I've seen a lot of this behavior. It left me somewhat surprised to see the ASN vs. BSN and old nurses VS new nurses kind of thing. I tend to see people very judgmental of people asking "stupid" questions or posting "stupid" answers. I'm slightly scared to post on here due to responses back, we already have to keep our heads down in NS.

Just my opinon.

I start NS next week and I truly hope the negativity on this site is NOT representative of the field.

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Yeah. There's alot of 'one upping' on this site. Kinda sad. But there's a lot of nice people too.

I agree, I have got a lot of great info/advice off this site. It seems a few bad apples have made some of it slightly scary!

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Specializes in LTC, medsurg.
I start NS next week and I truly hope the negativity on this site is NOT representative of the field.
I know what you mean. I use to feel that I had to be very careful what I said for fear of being 'flamed.' When I first became a member here, I was flamed a few times but I've learned over the years what will and won't get you flamed. Like don't ask for help on homework unless you've made some sort of effort and let that effort be known. you will find that nursing is pretty catty. I work with some great people but there are a few I work with that are very big egos.. I often wonder if it's a control issue, jealously, or whether theyre just mean spirited nurses. I guess I'll never know what makes some nurses so nasty. I just have to remember i work for my patient and i stay out of any gossiping on the floor.Good luck and take care.

To add..... This AN site has been very helpful to me during my career and there have been SOME very nice and supportive nurses. Dont let those few bad apples spoil the whole bunch. :).

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Actually this site is rather tame.

Go over to the pre-med section on the doctor forum and see some posters get beaten down. The theme is :if you show weakness, then be prepared for the full scorn of others for your weakness. One-upping others is a macho sport of the less mature.

I find more support and respect given on this forum.

Just don't expect everyone to agree with you.

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What you see on this message board is a direct reflection of what you'll see in the hospital, as nurses treat each other no better.

Watch a new nurse post an opinion on her own experience and then no more than three threads down you'll have someone say, "I've been a nurse X number of years, etc".

Experience doesn't equal competence.

It only takes a couple of years to start developing your own sense of doing things, your own philosophy, your own beliefs and methods...and just because someone has been doing it longer, doesn't mean they are doing it better.

I'm always willing to listen to more senior nurses...always. If they are respectful and can explain their rationale, I'll most likely take their advice all day long. But when their "advice" comes with a condescending attitude, rudeness, belittling, etc...it doesn't matter what they are teaching...I'm not going to listen.

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Has no one heard the phrase "Nurses eat their young"? Its very true from what I have seen. Not everyone is like that, but it is not completely rare to see it.

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A nurse asking a new Nurse, who just got fired, how did you graduate if your skills suck?

Actually, that was a *student nurse* who posted that.

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