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.
Eating the younger nurse does not exist, I hear a lot of drama and little else of substance here.
Obviously you could be one of the nurses in question here. I have never come across a nurse who doesn't say this kind of treatment exists with new nurses. I had a wonderful preceptor here at my first job in the ER but she was still catty and biotchy to me about some of my mistakes. So yes, they eat their young, even the ones like me who slip up occasionally and do it to the new ones, Sorry!
No question is stupid, irrelevant or irritating. I don't care what the preceptor thinks. If you are intimidated by asking her questions, what kind of training is she providing you? Come on guys, quit eating our young! This is why we work so short staffed! Get over your ego's and be supportive!
Eating the younger nurse does not exist, I hear a lot of drama and little else of substance here.
There are nurses out there that eat their young. Sometimes you have to read between the lines, but I'm reading some stories here. But I agree, there is a bit of drama as well. But to say it doesn't exist doesn't help the situation.
Want to make a bet they don't? I knew 2 at my first job, my supervisors. don't get me started!
Is it fair because you knew two (out of how many nurses there) that ate their young to brand the entire profession as a profession that eats their young. (No need to get started, I think you've told your story here already. LOL)
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
obviously you could be one of the nurses in question here. i have never come across a nurse who doesn't say this kind of treatment exists with new nurses. i had a wonderful preceptor here at my first job in the er but she was still catty and biotchy to me about some of my mistakes. so yes, they eat their young, even the ones like me who slip up occasionally and do it to the new ones, sorry!
that's rather unfair -- accusing someone of being a nurse who "eats her young" because she doesn't think it exists. i don't think it exists, either. i know some folks who tend to be somewhat brusque and some who are less nurturing than others, but i think that exists in every field. and i know some newbies who insist they're being "eaten" even though they say that most of their co-workers are nice to them, and they're only having problems with one or two. so now you've come across a nurse who doesn't say nurses eat their young. two of them.
When all their frustrations come beating on your door.
I know that I'm a prisoner to all my father held so dear
I wish I could have told him in the living years.
Crumpled bits of paper filled with imperfect thoughts
Stilted conversations, I'm afraid that's all we've got.
You say you just don't see it, he says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement in this perfect tense.
We all talk a different language, talking in defense
So we open up a quarrel between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future; it's the bitterness that lasts
*Compact Disc cover, Mike and the Mechanics. Atlantic Recording Corporation (1988)
Kupperschmidt (2006) states that "Professional nurses must learn to carefront in order to become the caring professional nurses they purport to be. Provision 1.5 of the Code of Ethics (ANA, 2001), page 9, states that the professional nurse must treat colleagues with respect and maintain a commitment to resolving conflicts with colleagues."
What are your thoughts on this article? What does this mean to you?
I haven't actually read all 1500+ replies to this thread so maybe this has been addressed somewhere else but I would really encourage people to read this article especially if you work in an environment that feels like people are being eaten. I am doing a project about generational conflicts that occur in nursing and I think the biggest problem is not realizing that depending on what generation you are from, you see the world very differently. On some units there are actually 4 generations of nurses working at one time - Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Yers and we all come with something different; we look at problems differently, we solve them differently. The cool thing is that there is a wonderful opportunity to create a really great work environment that makes the most of the strengths of all these different people if leadership is willing to make a commitment to educating their units about this. It would greatly benefit hospitals, patients and nurses alike. There's quite a bit of great nursing research out there about this. I especially like Kupperschmidt's perspective that our nursing code of ethics holds us all accountable for working through this and doesn't place blame on any particular group of people. My !!
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
There are nurses out there that eat their young. Sometimes you have to read between the lines, but I'm reading some stories here. But I agree, there is a bit of drama as well. But to say it doesn't exist doesn't help the situation.
Is it fair because you knew two (out of how many nurses there) that ate their young to brand the entire profession as a profession that eats their young. (No need to get started, I think you've told your story here already. LOL)
Oh my first job with the 2 supervisers who "ate me" continuously were not the ONLY nurses. Want a list?
Here goes:
a)2 RNs at my first job.
b)One RN who told me to "wing it" by that she meant, me being the only nurse working the 11-7 shift on 2 different floors, a long-term and a subacute floor, and things did happen that night. I had a man on liquied O2 which I knew nothing about, and a woman with a fresh pacemaker that did not kick in, luckily her daughter came in that morning to feed her and this happened 8 yrs after the first 2 nurses.
3)Oh I forgot the 3 nurses in between all at the same nursing home. One hung up the phone for me, she said "cancel call" when I was repaging a doctor who had given me an order for an insulin I didn't have anywhere on the floor. And the dear head RN who didn't help me while I was getting papers together to send a pt out to the hospital, she was smoking and didn't answer my page! Later she made the statement "you could have given her Lasix IV push". I am an LPN and its against the law for us to do that in FL. And the DON there who only wanted me to give that pt insulin, guess it didn't matter which kind to her, but it did to me. Was I wrong?
And so.....it goes. That is why I did quit nursing. Not because of anything I did , but all of those who could have cared less whether I went by the rules or not. None of them would have ever stood up for me in a court, you think?
I thought and was taught that nursing was a "team effort", but it seems I see much of that. some of my best nursing teachers on the job were LPNs.
I am going through something like this right now. senior nursing student, graduating in May 2009 (hopefully) but I tell you the clinical instructors I have had so far haven't been bad at all. This is my semester from hell, I have a totally cold, weird, strange person for clinical she is probably the most self centered, cruelest person I have ever met. If these are the people in nursing I am beginning to wonder what I am doing to myself and why I am putting myself through all of this. It is very discouraging.
hang in there....you are almost done and do not let your clinical instructor discourage you. Know that he/she has issues and you should not allow it affect you because this will make or break you. If nursing is your passion, you should focus and take every day as a new day. Remember, it is your career and no one else can take ownership of that but you. Our graduating class (Dec. 2008) all had all sorts of difficult and bully instructors. We started with about 130 students and down to 70. This is the survival of the fittest but if you really want to be a nurse, anything is possible, you have the power to achieve anything and don't let a cold, self centered instructor get in the way of your dreams.
I will take your advice to heart, I just have to keep my head in the right place and stay focused, I am going to try to keep her out of my head, I really love nursing or being a nursing student, and I am going to finish this come hell and high water, Thanks again, your post just brought home what I knew in my head, I needed that
i am a senior nursing student. last spring i was so discouraged. Keep your chin up. i suggest getting a internship with a hospital. it gave me back my confidence. Also, remember your profs are not the reps for the entire field. if you want it bad enough, you can get it. remember, its not how smart you are, it how hard you are willing to work for it. keep your head up...
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
I am going through something like this right now. senior nursing student, graduating in May 2009 (hopefully) but I tell you the clinical instructors I have had so far haven't been bad at all. This is my semester from hell, I have a totally cold, weird, strange person for clinical she is probably the most self centered, cruelest person I have ever met. If these are the people in nursing I am beginning to wonder what I am doing to myself and why I am putting myself through all of this. It is very discouraging.
It doesn't get much better either...only telling you the truth. The best time I ever had in nursing is when I was a pool nurse. I was never on any one staff so politics did not come into play..and the nurse whose shift I took was always glad to see me. I loved it, but as soon as I got back on staff it started all over again, with nurses playing me. It wasn't worth it to me.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
mb1949,
hang in there....you are almost done and do not let your clinical instructor discourage you. Know that he/she has issues and you should not allow it affect you because this will make or break you. If nursing is your passion, you should focus and take every day as a new day. Remember, it is your career and no one else can take ownership of that but you. Our graduating class (Dec. 2008) all had all sorts of difficult and bully instructors. We started with about 130 students and down to 70. This is the survival of the fittest but if you really want to be a nurse, anything is possible, you have the power to achieve anything and don't let a cold, self centered instructor get in the way of your dreams.
!!
Hilinenursegrl
96 Posts
Obviously you could be one of the nurses in question here. I have never come across a nurse who doesn't say this kind of treatment exists with new nurses. I had a wonderful preceptor here at my first job in the ER but she was still catty and biotchy to me about some of my mistakes. So yes, they eat their young, even the ones like me who slip up occasionally and do it to the new ones, Sorry!