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 never met such mean women in my life! One dropped dead, so go figure.
It is often as they say..what you send out will return in spades...especially if someone is really damaged for no good reason at all.
I would imagine the experiences have caused you to be more understanding and certainly kinder to others. You seem to have won in the important way anyway.. You are successful...am glad for you. And being precise in your job is not in itself a sign of eating anyone for no good reason...but that would be tempered by your past pain...to not pass it on.
These is a new nurse on my floor who claims that I'm a meanie and a young eater. He is an obnoxious pest who, even when I am obviously swamped with work, will try to come up and initiate small talk. He'll start talking about stuff like how tired he is, and even more obnoxiously tell me to smile. Even if I tell him that I am busy, he persists and calls me grumpy. I've had to flat out tell him, "If it does not pertain to work, don't bother," because he can't take obvious hints. Luckily, I've only had to work with him a couple times. I hope that he grows up and learns some social skills, as well as a sense of prioritization. I've seen some real young eating, and young eating I am not.
Sadly, I've seen a few like this who see themselves as victims just because their socially inept ways aren't so kindly taken. In nursing, there are many more important things at hand than idle chitchatting, and some people never learn.
I don't feel that nurses eat their young. I wish that statement could be abolished. What I think happens is that when a nurse who is having a bad day, people will remember that because people tend to focus on the negative, instead of the positive. Remember when we were all in school, way back when? Well, didn't we always remember the teacher that we thought was the most unfair, gave the most homework, and gave the hardest tests? Yes, that is what we remember! So, I think nurses are like everyone else; we have good days and bad days. So, please give us a break and remember, we do this because we love our profession, but it is tough out there and there is such a shortage of us, that we are ALL overworked and underpaid.
These is a new nurse on my floor who claims that I'm a meanie and a young eater. He is an obnoxious pest who, even when I am obviously swamped with work, will try to come up and initiate small talk. He'll start talking about stuff like how tired he is, and even more obnoxiously tell me to smile. Even if I tell him that I am busy, he persists and calls me grumpy. I've had to flat out tell him, "If it does not pertain to work, don't bother," because he can't take obvious hints. Luckily, I've only had to work with him a couple times. I hope that he grows up and learns some social skills, as well as a sense of prioritization. I've seen some real young eating, and young eating I am not.
Sadly, I've seen a few like this who see themselves as victims just because their socially inept ways aren't so kindly taken. In nursing, there are many more important things at hand than idle chitchatting, and some people never learn.
I absolutely HATE when someone walks up to me and says "smile!" with a silly grin. Sorry but I'm going to eat you if you say "smile" to me.
I also hate when someone cries "nurses eat their young" when it's really something else.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
These is a new nurse on my floor who claims that I'm a meanie and a young eater. He is an obnoxious pest who, even when I am obviously swamped with work, will try to come up and initiate small talk. He'll start talking about stuff like how tired he is, and even more obnoxiously tell me to smile. Even if I tell him that I am busy, he persists and calls me grumpy. I've had to flat out tell him, "If it does not pertain to work, don't bother," because he can't take obvious hints. Luckily, I've only had to work with him a couple times. I hope that he grows up and learns some social skills, as well as a sense of prioritization. I've seen some real young eating, and young eating I am not.
Sadly, I've seen a few like this who see themselves as victims just because their socially inept ways aren't so kindly taken. In nursing, there are many more important things at hand than idle chitchatting, and some people never learn.
Yes, I must agree....I have had to walk away or just ignore the incessant talkers....I am not at work to hear about someones life stories/problems...sorry but work is not the place to discuss this....This is NOT "eating our young"....
I think that nurses do eat their young. I think it is human nature to look at the bad qualities in people before we look at the good. It easier to point out qualities we dont like than to recognize the qualities we do like about other people. I think that young or new nurses have to prove themself to other nurses and while they are doing this they get eaten up. I will not be a nurse that eats their young when I am out their in the work place.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I absolutely HATE when someone walks up to me and says "smile!" with a silly grin. Sorry but I'm going to eat you if you say "smile" to me.
I also hate when someone cries "nurses eat their young" when it's really something else.
I had a horrible day last month. Our beloved dog had just died, and I was back at work for the first time since calling in sick to take her to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic. So of course, people were offering their condolences on the death of our pet. Then I got a phone call from my husband (who was off that day) telling me that his sister had died that morning. (The one who was in ICU during Gustav -- we didn't know whether or not she'd been evacuated.) I had just hung up the phone with my husband and one of our new orientees (a man -- why is it often a man?) walked up to me and said "You really should smile -- what could be so awful?"
Why be sorry, Tweety, if you're going to "eat" someone who says something so clueless? The guy deserved it when I told him "I find that statement both offensive and ignorant. If you actually gave a **** about me or about what could be so awful, it would be one thing. But since you obviously don't, it's quite another. Back off, Bozo." I went home right after I talked to my charge nurse.
The guy is probably still talking to his friends about what a nasty ***** I am, and how he's been "eaten." When I came back to work 10 days later, he heard his preceptor offering condolences on the death of my sister-in-law. He didn't apologize for his clueless statement.
I, too wish we could eliminate the phrases "Nurses eat their young" from the English language. All too often, the "young" who complain the loudest about being "eaten" covered themselves with butter and salt and offered themselves right up for munching.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
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.
Hate to burst your bubble, but in my case they really did seek me out. I had witnesses to their behavior and a warning from another RN from another floor. I know I could not believe it either, I just thought their behavior was just something I had to endure as a new nurse. But they never picked on the other new nurse who graduated with me.
There are just some people who have that kind of personality to be butts! No big mystery. They probably acted like this all of their lives.
I had a horrible day last month. Our beloved dog had just died, and I was back at work for the first time since calling in sick to take her to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic. So of course, people were offering their condolences on the death of our pet. Then I got a phone call from my husband (who was off that day) telling me that his sister had died that morning. (The one who was in ICU during Gustav -- we didn't know whether or not she'd been evacuated.) I had just hung up the phone with my husband and one of our new orientees (a man -- why is it often a man?) walked up to me and said "You really should smile -- what could be so awful?"
Why be sorry, Tweety, if you're going to "eat" someone who says something so clueless? The guy deserved it when I told him "I find that statement both offensive and ignorant. If you actually gave a **** about me or about what could be so awful, it would be one thing. But since you obviously don't, it's quite another. Back off, Bozo." I went home right after I talked to my charge nurse.
The guy is probably still talking to his friends about what a nasty **** I am, and how he's been "eaten." When I came back to work 10 days later, he heard his preceptor offering condolences on the death of my sister-in-law. He didn't apologize for his clueless statement.
I, too wish we could eliminate the phrases "Nurses eat their young" from the English language. All too often, the "young" who complain the loudest about being "eaten" covered themselves with butter and salt and offered themselves right up for munching.
Sorry about your dog and your sister in law...I hope you get a break for a while...
As to Mr. Clueless, sounds like he will have a rough row to hoe in this life till he learns to be more discreet...and when he steps in it...how to applogize.. as to any negative comments he may say... I doubt if anyone at work that matters will let him say much. Bet he will make just as mindless a comment to the wrong patient..or worse a patients family.....and they will will BBQ him..Pray he learns tact and observation soon.
nursesail
80 Posts
I'm a nursing instructor and I have had occasion when staff "ate the young" before they were "born.":no: