Why do We eat our young?

Nurses Relations

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Why do you think we eat our young or even our own? Why do you think there is bullying in nursing? Why do you think we almost act like we are out to get other nurses?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I am deleting my post. As a Guide, I should behave better.

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Specializes in ICU.

Because they taste so good :yes:

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I am deleting my post. As a Guide, I should behave better.

I'm sorry I missed it.

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Timmie's closes at 2100.

Vending machines are iffy. The young? Fresh food!

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Specializes in PICU.

OP: Could you please tell us what happened that prompted these questions? I really don't think the eating other nurses applies today, maybe 30 years ago, but I see very little if anything that could come close. I have seen nurses speak in "harsh tones" but usually it is due to preventing an error, patient harm, or sometimes someone's natural tone. As far as bullying, I am thankful that I have not seen any in my 11 years as a nurse. Disagreeing with someone or having someone be "mean" on one day is not bullying.

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Specializes in ED, psych.

As a new nurse, I haven't been munched on yet.

And I work evening shift ... dinner time :dead:.

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

I don't think nurses eat their young. New graduate nurses entering the work environment are entering challenging and stressul work environments and may perceive it as such. I graduated in 1988 from a Diploma program, with weekly clinicals in the hospital. I had the opportunity to see and experience hospital nursing so I was not as surprised when I started working as an RN. I knew to expect short staffing, challenging personalities and working under stressful conditions. One quickly learns that theory and reality is different and assertiveness skills are just as important as caring. It's believed that warm caring people make great nurses and so it may be, but the reality is that there are so many other characteristics that are equally important. I sometimes wonder why people expect when they become nursese. Add to this, a nursing presceptor with their own set of patient's and yours and its not the ideal situation for new graduates to learn. Our customer driven healthcare enviroments only add to the challenges and stress. It's not only expected that we care for the ill, but now we provide customer service to patient's and guest. I'm sure there are some evil nurses out there and I'm sorry if your a victum of bullying. Taking advantage of someone's inexperience is not cool. However, most times, if you look at your environment and your coworkers response and actions, you will find that most nurses are not eating their young, their reacting to stressors in their environment. This is not an excuse for the behavior, but it may help you to understand this and not take things personally in the workplace. If you want to succeed, develope some emotional skills to help you cope with situations before they occur and how you will respond appropriately. What will you say and do when an angry pt. tells you that you don't know what your doing, when someone criticizes your report, when the oncoming shift ask why something is not finished. Sometimes, scripting, expecting the unexpected will help you cope better in difficult situations.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

As others have pointed out, you need to clarify what you are referring to as it's not unusual for nurse to claim various forms of appropriate feedback, critique, scolding, etc are "bullying" or lateral violence.

That doesn't mean it doesn't exist in nursing, I've worked a number of jobs that are hardly known for being warm and fuzzy including commercial fishing, construction, and explosives work, fist fights were not unheard of ways to settle disagreements between peers, despite that those jobs don't compare to the targeted hostility I've come across in nursing which is due to a small group of nurses, but it most certainly exists.

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Bullying, when it actually happens, happens in every field. It's not exclusive to nursing, or even the medical field. People can act like jerks in any setting.

However, I find the term most misapplied and over-used. You'll have to be more specific if you want real feedback.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
Why do you think we eat our young or even our own? Why do you think there is bullying in nursing? Why do you think we almost act like we are out to get other nurses?

Because Im around you people for 12 hours a day, I lose my temper and start munching.

There is bullying in nursing because you weaklings make it so easy.

We ARE out to get other nurses. They want my job.

/s

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Specializes in ED, psych.
Because Im around you people for 12 hours a day, I lose my temper and start munching.

There is bullying in nursing because you weaklings make it so easy.

We ARE out to get other nurses. They want my job.

/s

So, new nurses ... we just need to be careful and stay away from THAT GUY :cautious:. Easy peasy.

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