This vile expression implies that experienced nurses do not treat new nurses kindly. My first problem with the statement is that it’s a generalization implying that all nurses are like that. Interestingly, whenever I hear someone utter the expression, I always say, “I don’t do that. Do you?” The person making the statement always says, “Oh no, I don’t, but many others do.” I’ve never heard even one nurse own up to doing this, although some nurses are willing to indict the entire profession. Every time that statement is repeated, it causes harm and casts a dark shadow on every nurse. Say anything enough, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Please note that by moderator consensus some of the "Nurses Eat Their Young" posts will be referred to this thread where there can be an ongoing discussion, rather than several threads saying the same thing.
To students and new grads that are having problems with nurses, please take a moment to read the above link. Is it really the entire profession, every single nurse, or do you need help with one or a few nurses? We will be glad to help you in dealing with those people, but let bury the phrase "Nurses Eat Their Young".
To experienced nurses who claim our profession eats it's young, please take a moment to read it as well and think about it. Also take time to teach, be friendly and nurturing to the new nurse and students on your unit.
I think students and new grads should be warned that they may come across a nurse or nurses that like to eat young. They should be taught skills in how to deal with these people.
Only came across 1 nurse like this during school. During my last semester. She had a rep as being "difficult to work with" on the floor and you could see the other RNs avoiding her whenever possible. Only had 2 years on the job. Anyway, we used her for practice in dealing with nasty personalities. We were only there for 7 weeks in that rotation, so it was an interesting experiment.
Was she nicer when we left. Not a chance, but nobody took anything she said personally. What worked in dealing with her? Nothing.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
Only came across 1 nurse like this during school. During my last semester. She had a rep as being "difficult to work with" on the floor and you could see the other RNs avoiding her whenever possible. Only had 2 years on the job. Anyway, we used her for practice in dealing with nasty personalities. We were only there for 7 weeks in that rotation, so it was an interesting experiment.
Was she nicer when we left. Not a chance, but nobody took anything she said personally. What worked in dealing with her? Nothing.
In my many years working I have found that the best way to deal with these people is to ignore them. I don't have time to try and figure out ways to deal with them. I have much better ways to spend my time off, and when working am too busy to be concerned with it. You have validated my theory exactly.:nuke:
Oh, I gave up and moved on after 10 years, still an "outsider". I no longer expect much from co-workers. People are people. I do think women tend to be passive aggressive, political types. They are more comfortable maneuvering behind the scenes than directly addressing an issue. An awful lot are insecure and really think trashing someone else elevates themselves. I am a yard sale-ing, homeschooling bookworm and they were into fashion, new cars, new clothes, etc. I was rather weird and icky to them I'm afraid. LOL! My problem is that I should have gone into management years ago and tried to make things better but I don't have the stomach for the politics and pettiness toward the staff. So I do the best I can for my patients and the LPNs I do supervise and try to be the kind of supervisor I would want....one that doesn't hide when there is a code, "delegate" my own work and will do the staff nurse gig when there is a call off (like all the time!!). I'm a boomer nurse so I don't have that many more years.
Just from talking to advisers in the nursing school program I'm applying for - I've talked to instructors and nurses (in my LT facility, other hospitals) who have been extremely negative to me.
I understand that some of it is to prepare me and weed out the weak. But, some of it seems kind of hilariously overblown to a persons own perception of themselves. Fact is, some people have to feel like what they're doing is so unique and difficult to justify who they are and they resent someone else coming onto the "turf." Yet, we hear so much griping about staffing issues.
I know that at a rehab hospital I worked at relatively briefly as a CNA, a lot of RN's (some were some of the best most inspirational and encouraging nurses I've ever met) would heavily resent the RN's who had BSN's compared to their Associates. "She thinks she's hot **** for having that degree," etc.
I think it all boils down to who you are yourself and how you perceive your profession. I could care less, honestly, about what Jane Doe thinks of my schooling, mannerisms, or whatever. I'm coming onto the "turf" for my own reasons. Jane isn't coming home with me to walk my dog at night and watch Roseanne reruns.
I've heard it enough, though, so I can relate to these types of situations. "Oh honey, you're just an aide, you don't know what real work is." etc. etc. I just assume, in some ways, they're right. I do not know what the work they do means to them. Vice versa. So, I usually just smile and nod and move on. To come up with a snarlier comeback would seem to add fuel to a dull and useless fire.
The only thing that ever manages to irk me is the discrimination put on single people in the workplace - be it hospital or grocery store.
There's a lot of non-sense when it comes to what a single person should be able to do (or more willing to do) compared to a person who has a family, etc. Just as much as it was a decision for that person to create a family - it's a decision for me not to (at this time, anyway). I don't think there should be any special treatments on that issue.
I know that at a rehab hospital I worked at relatively briefly as a CNA, a lot of RN's (some were some of the best most inspirational and encouraging nurses I've ever met) would heavily resent the RN's who had BSN's compared to their Associates. "She thinks she's hot **** for having that degree," etc.
Interesting you say this. I have absolutely no idea who among my co-workers has an ADN and who has a BSN. None. I only know which are diploma grads because they've been at it so darned long and have talked about their schooling. But there's absolutely no differentiation between us at the bedside, in assignments, who does charge, ANYTHING, so it's hard for me to even picture "a lot" of RNs behaving this way!
Interesting you say this. I have absolutely no idea who among my co-workers has an ADN and who has a BSN. None. I only know which are diploma grads because they've been at it so darned long and have talked about their schooling. But there's absolutely no differentiation between us at the bedside, in assignments, who does charge, ANYTHING, so it's hard for me to even picture "a lot" of RNs behaving this way!
Ok, carry on :)
That's really great that you don't have to deal with that.
It's usually amongst the women who have been there more than a few years talking about new hires and "agency" or "contract" nurses. A lot of aides that worked there immediately began asking me what I made on my first night of floor training. So maybe it was just a nosy place.
Oh, I gave up and moved on after 10 years, still an "outsider". I no longer expect much from co-workers. People are people. I do think women tend to be passive aggressive, political types. They are more comfortable maneuvering behind the scenes than directly addressing an issue. An awful lot are insecure and really think trashing someone else elevates themselves. I am a yard sale-ing, homeschooling bookworm and they were into fashion, new cars, new clothes, etc. I was rather weird and icky to them I'm afraid. LOL! My problem is that I should have gone into management years ago and tried to make things better but I don't have the stomach for the politics and pettiness toward the staff. So I do the best I can for my patients and the LPNs I do supervise and try to be the kind of supervisor I would want....one that doesn't hide when there is a code, "delegate" my own work and will do the staff nurse gig when there is a call off (like all the time!!). I'm a boomer nurse so I don't have that many more years.
I want you as my preceptor. I like you already!! LOL! One would think that in nursing you wouldn't have time for the petty stuff -- isn't patient load, short staffed nursing situations enough to keep one busy and not dwelling on the politics and silly things.
It's usually amongst the women who have been there more than a few years talking about new hires and "agency" or "contract" nurses. A lot of aides that worked there immediately began asking me what I made on my first night of floor training. So maybe it was just a nosy place.
Yeesh! That kind of stuff, as in "who's agency" or "who has a new contract" does get discussed. People are nosy that way. But as to who is ADN or who is BSN, really doesn't come up. I think sometimes we're just happy to see a new RN face, period!
Specializes in ICU,HOME HEALTH, HOSPICE, HEALTH ED.
It does where I work--not in a question form...like "...there are ASN nurses here...did you know?...though only BSNs were hired for this job..." BLAHBLAH
Yeesh! That kind of stuff, as in "who's agency" or "who has a new contract" does get discussed. People are nosy that way. But as to who is ADN or who is BSN, really doesn't come up. I think sometimes we're just happy to see a new RN face, period!
We may not be aware of doing it but yes we are guilty to this charge. Admit it or not at some point you have mistreated a fresh grad, a new nurse in the unit, or a more intelegent student than you are. It is being human. It threatens our teritory because of unfamiliarity. It is our instincs that drives us to behave that way. You cant say that you have never uttered any negative comment, feedback, to a new nurse in the unit. It is part of our interaction and process of getting to know them. Havent you ever wonder why there is a fast turnover of nurses in the unit. It is not just the stress from the job but also from who is doing the job.
There's very few that are saying it doesn't exist in nursing. The sad thing is that it does. I think students and new grads should be warned that they may come across a nurse or nurses that like to eat young. They should be taught skills in how to deal with these people.
However they should not be told that "nursing is a profession where nurses eat their young", because that insults me personally and the overwhelming majority of us doing our jobs to the best of our ability under tough working conditions and whom treat each other decently.
I think that a course on surviving the dining habits of the sharks on two legs should begin in middle school..and repeated at every level.....along with all the help a parent can give.....there are just too many times and places where the unwary are eaten by someone for whatever reasons...This goes through all industries I know of....some years ago I witnessed this between some executive secretaries....it was really unpleasant to watch and be around....
One would think that in nursing you wouldn't have time for the petty stuff -- isn't patient load, short staffed nursing situations enough to keep one busy and not dwelling on the politics and silly things.
emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B
2,942 Posts
Only came across 1 nurse like this during school. During my last semester. She had a rep as being "difficult to work with" on the floor and you could see the other RNs avoiding her whenever possible. Only had 2 years on the job. Anyway, we used her for practice in dealing with nasty personalities. We were only there for 7 weeks in that rotation, so it was an interesting experiment.
Was she nicer when we left. Not a chance, but nobody took anything she said personally. What worked in dealing with her? Nothing.