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 have often heard the phrase of Nurses eating their young. I have not dealt with it first hand, however, I will do my best to never take part in that kind of behavior, when I become a veteran nurse. We need all the good nurses we can find out there working, and do not need to eliminate good nurses that just need some mentoring. There are so many jobs to fill, it would be to our benifit to help any new nurses straight out of nursing school, get on the right track and learn all the skills they can in a nurturing environment. Its to all of our benefit.
Wow.. Glad Im not the only that thought this was true. The older nurses at my job are not that nice... It seems that the younger nurses are closer and more helpful to one another than the elder..
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
First off, I want to say that I love working with new nurses and student nurses, helping them explore this career that I love so much.
My question is when is a "new" nurse no longer a new nurse? I have a coworker who has been a nurse for about two years now but when we bring up difficulties with him, our manager says "give him a break, he's a new nurse" BALONEY!!
Unfortunately, he just isn't able to multitask so the rest of us are left to pick up the pieces on the floor. He's a smart guy, older, second career. I like him and everything but he's gonna get paid the same as the rest of us because he's an RN, not necessarily that he can do the job the same way as the rest of us can. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING.!!!!!
Just wanted to add my two cents
Maybe he should try working in nursing homes as an agency nurse. That is what I had to do after I lost my first job working in a hospital after truly being set up to fail. Even other nurses who worked with me said so, but they would not come foreword unless subpoenaed. I did go to a lawyer, guess what she said? "If your skin was a different color I could help you." The lawyer was a black woman, I am a white woman.
Anyway I said my prayers and got back on the horse. I loved working in nursing homes, not all of them, but for the most part the "good" ones do let you be the boss and you do have to learn to call the shots. I liked that, especially since I am an LPN. I do have my RN prequeqs, but missed passing by .3 of one point, again, someone wanted me out of the program. The truth.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
Maybe he should try working in nursing homes as an agency nurse. That is what I had to do after I lost my first job working in a hospital after truly being set up to fail. Even other nurses who worked with me said so, but they would not come foreword unless subpoenaed. I did go to a lawyer, guess what she said? "If your skin was a different color I could help you." The lawyer was a black woman, I am a white woman.
Anyway I said my prayers and got back on the horse. I loved working in nursing homes, not all of them, but for the most part the "good" ones do let you be the boss and you do have to learn to call the shots. I liked that, especially since I am an LPN. I do have my RN prequeqs, but missed passing by .3 of one point, again, someone wanted me out of the program. The truth.
I live in FL too and the same age you are! Did you get your license in 1971? So did I! I quit nursing 6 yrs ago to help my husband in his business. I live in Central FL. U?
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
OK to expect impatience once in a while, but how sad for you to think you should expect MEANNESS (SP?)...NEVER, NEVER have I ever been mean to a student and as a student would not accept that kind of treatment...:redbeathe
I flunked out of RN program by .3 of a point, passed the LPN with a breeze, went on to be an agency nurse, was working at a hospital 7-3 in the same little hospital my RN nursing instructor gave me such a hard time, & here came the RN students that AM. I was explaining to one of the students how to access a pt. The nursing instructor was listening and I turned to her and said, "oh maybe you would like to do this." She said, "You are doing fine, keep going." Funny, that is not what my nursing instructor would have said.
But here's the thing about being new. Take the best(ideas, tips, experience) from the best(nurses, whoever they are). That same assessment procedure came from my LPN instructor who graduated from the same RN program I was in. You just never know who is going to be the best nurse wise.
I went on the be charge nurse on a subacute floor. I told my manager I didn't like the position, but he said, "you are one of my best nurses!" "Better than most RNs" now that was a compliment! Wish my old nursing instructor could have heard that. I had RNs working under me.
Like my husband once said, "they just don't have any idea how picky you are," meaning it better be done right to me.
I have been a nurse for a year now and I am glad to say that from the first day I started, all the other nurses on my floor was very sweet and nice to me. They answered all my questions without any attitude or negativity (sometimes it is probably the same question asked over and over again). Most of them even went out of their way to teach me or show me something new. Now, I feel very lucky and blessed to be placed in such an accepting environment. We do get in each others' throat or get in each others' way sometimes but we rarely stay mad at each other long.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I have been a nurse for a year now and I am glad to say that from the first day I started, all the other nurses on my floor was very sweet and nice to me. They answered all my questions without any attitude or negativity (sometimes it is probably the same question asked over and over again). Most of them even went out of their way to teach me or show me something new. Now, I feel very lucky and blessed to be placed in such an accepting environment. We do get in each others' throat or get in each others' way sometimes but we rarely stay mad at each other long.
You don't know how fortunate you are. These sad memories are with me forever. Only because I know I should not have been treated so hateful, but that was by my supervisors, not my peers.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I have been a nurse for a year now and I am glad to say that from the first day I started, all the other nurses on my floor was very sweet and nice to me. They answered all my questions without any attitude or negativity (sometimes it is probably the same question asked over and over again). Most of them even went out of their way to teach me or show me something new. Now, I feel very lucky and blessed to be placed in such an accepting environment. We do get in each others' throat or get in each others' way sometimes but we rarely stay mad at each other long.
I have never met such mean women in my life! One dropped dead, so go figure.
Nurses young and old are involved in chewing up and spitting out their own. Everyone has probably done before without even knowing they had. We get so busy in our day and routine that we forget to take a step back and think if we are treading all over somebody. For the majority of us out there I don't think we intentionally seek out the novice nurse and pick on them. For those who do have a problem with the novice nurse please remember we were all new at one time and had the feelings of insecurity.
I am curious, what nursing environment you work in? Is it ortho, peds, ICU, etc. I have found in my travels that there are certain departments that are much tougher with each other than other areas (i.e., ICU, ER). I'm glad you're having such a positive experience. Unfortunately, you're in the minority in our field. I like nana nurse's philosophy of standing up for each other. If more of us did that, perhaps we could break the cycle?!?
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
I am curious, what nursing environment you work in? Is it ortho, peds, ICU, etc. I have found in my travels that there are certain departments that are much tougher with each other than other areas (i.e., ICU, ER). I'm glad you're having such a positive experience. Unfortunately, you're in the minority in our field. I like nana nurse's philosophy of standing up for each other. If more of us did that, perhaps we could break the cycle?!?
I am older and I can get away with some things...I refuse to allow any of my coworkers to treat another human being mean....when I see it, I call them aside, alone, and tell them how awful their behavior is to mistreat some poor new or old nurse that is just trying to learn and do her job. There is no excuse for this type of behavior, in my book. If they have a problem with them, they need to talk to them in private....that is my no. 1 peeve, when a nurse scolds another nurse in front of coworkers/patients.
Yes, we should all take up for each other and help one another..we have enough to deal with all the stress of management, pts, families, etc....
lilgal2001
1 Post
I have often heard the phrase of Nurses eating their young. I have not dealt with it first hand, however, I will do my best to never take part in that kind of behavior, when I become a veteran nurse. We need all the good nurses we can find out there working, and do not need to eliminate good nurses that just need some mentoring. There are so many jobs to fill, it would be to our benifit to help any new nurses straight out of nursing school, get on the right track and learn all the skills they can in a nurturing environment. Its to all of our benefit.