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.
Everyone has a different experience. My experience is that nurses don't eat their young, but I would discount the experience of someone that says we do. I hate that I belong to a profession that 75% of us have such negative experiences, or if not experience, a negative view of ourselves.
Has every interaction I've ever had with a nurse been positive and supportive? Heck no! But am I going to brand the whole profession and all of us in it? No.
Everyone has a different experience. My experience is that nurses don't eat their young, but I would discount the experience of someone that says we do.
Yeah, I'd bet a lot that it was a typo. Tweets doesn't discount other people's experience.
The other night, I went out of my way to help a new grad whose patient was going downhill and told her how well she handled the situation. I try really hard to do that, because I remember what being a new nurse feels like. After having been a nurse x 7 years, I STILL feel like a noob sometimes. When I have an interaction with another nurse that's less than positive, I try not to take it personally. That person's attitude generally has less to do w/ the fact that they are a nurse and more to do w/ the fact that they are a jerk, and would be whether they were a nurse or a candlestick maker.
Yes we do eat them. Not because we want to, only because we never get a chance to get away for real food. Well, ok, the young ones are tender and do taste good with ketchup.
Now Huck, my ole' hide ain't tender! I guess thats cause I'm an old recycled Social Worker, store owner, factory worker, waitress newly turned Nurse who can be too darn stubborn to leave.
During my first few months off orientation, I generally got 1-2 vents, 3 trachs, 3 tube feedings, 2 isolations and 2 restraints in my assignment. I work IMCU and we always have several patients on vents on the floor and many, many with trachs. We are assigned 3 patients each. It looked to me like someone went out of their way to make sure I got more than my share of "Learning Opportunities" early on. I was at work till 8:30 every morning charting. Then I overheard the ANM telling someone that I was there every morning late. I went to her and told her that I was not there hanging out just for the overtime, but to do my job and take care of my patients, I could not stop and chart! She said she didn't mean to imply that I was "riding the clock" or even slow, just that I was willing to hang in and get the job done. I am not sure to believe her or not, but I have noticed that I stopped getting such a high acuity assignments. The ANM's and the charge nurses all say they don't make the schedule. Now I know better. It is funny how they always point the finger at each other on those disporportionate loads. I rarely ask to have a patient changed, but have asked for a nurse tech to be assigned and got her.
I pride myself on being one to hang in there, but sometimes I think I go too far in that direction and probably should speak up. I believe the practice of giving newbies such a high level of acuity is irresponsible and dangerous. I know I have been over my head many times. Fortunately some of the "good guys or gals" were around to pull me out. A couple of times, I had to go begging when I had unresponsive charge nurses. I have had 2 patients going bad at the same time with a third getting up and running down the hall who happend to be on respiratory isolation, with the stupid charge nurse snapping at me "you need to tell her to go to her room." I have had night ANM come in when I was doing trach care and yell at me because I hadn't updated her book and then the vent alarm started going off and she started yelling over the vent alarm that I "better plug up my computer or it was going to die." Now why in the heck she couldn't have plugged in the computer for me, and asked me to update when I got a chance ? I just don't get these peoples behavior. I learned that there were two charges I liked to work with and two who were jerks, one of which was the night ANM. I just tried to schedule myself to work on the nights that these gals who I liked were charge, but sometimes I couldn't. I have just learned to rely on those who I can rely on when needed. I don't feel like I am drowning too often anymore, but I doubt I ever forget what it feels like to be in that situation.
I have seen the way the latest batch of new nurses are treated by more experienced staff. I have noticed that though only one of the newbies are treated as equals (she was an exceptional nurse tech there for a year) they picked out 2 of the 11 new nurses to focus most of their derogatory comments toward. I was the only new nurse when I came. Maybe these gals have it a bit better in that the crap can be spread out, where I caught it all, LOL! I have made it a point to go out of my way to be helpful to these young women. One of them is really insecure, if the other one is she doesn't show it, but is not liked because she is very "proper" and is seen as a "goody two-shoes" type. I have precepted her and know her to be a bit obsessive compulsive but an excellent hard working nurse. The girl who is insecure, just picks things up a little slower than some, but she doesn't seem overly slow to me. I have been assigned patients next to hers and have helped her out a good bit because I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed.
The way the patient care techs treat all the new nurses is shameful. With the exception of one or two of them, they will not help the new nurses with changes when needed and the new nurses have to do all their cleanups and changes with one another. The techs just won't come. I make it a point to help them out while the "experienced" nurses set at the desk and chart or surf and gossip. Some read books and others go smoke, while the few of us are working our butts off! This is not true across the board each and every time, but it has been much of the time. I am certainly too busy to know what everyone is doing all the time, but you can't help but notice, when you run to supply room and 6 nurses and two techs are sitting around laughing at the desk and eating pizza or chinese food! Seems like most of them have enough time to eat.
Now Huck, my ole' hide ain't tender! I guess thats cause I'm an old recycled Social Worker, store owner, factory worker, waitress newly turned Nurse who can be too darn stubborn to leave.
During my first few months off orientation, I generally got 1-2 vents, 3 trachs, 3 tube feedings, 2 isolations and 2 restraints in my assignment. I work IMCU and we always have several patients on vents on the floor and many, many with trachs. We are assigned 3 patients each. It looked to me like someone went out of their way to make sure I got more than my share of "Learning Opportunities" early on. I was at work till 8:30 every morning charting. Then I overheard the ANM telling someone that I was there every morning late. I went to her and told her that I was not there hanging out just for the overtime, but to do my job and take care of my patients, I could not stop and chart! She said she didn't mean to imply that I was "riding the clock" or even slow, just that I was willing to hang in and get the job done. I am not sure to believe her or not, but I have noticed that I stopped getting such a high acuity assignments. The ANM's and the charge nurses all say they don't make the schedule. Now I know better. It is funny how they always point the finger at each other on those disporportionate loads. I rarely ask to have a patient changed, but have asked for a nurse tech to be assigned and got her.
I pride myself on being one to hang in there, but sometimes I think I go too far in that direction and probably should speak up. I believe the practice of giving newbies such a high level of acuity is irresponsible and dangerous. I know I have been over my head many times. Fortunately some of the "good guys or gals" were around to pull me out. A couple of times, I had to go begging when I had unresponsive charge nurses. I have had 2 patients going bad at the same time with a third getting up and running down the hall who happend to be on respiratory isolation, with the stupid charge nurse snapping at me "you need to tell her to go to her room." I have had night ANM come in when I was doing trach care and yell at me because I hadn't updated her book and then the vent alarm started going off and she started yelling over the vent alarm that I "better plug up my computer or it was going to die." Now why in the heck she couldn't have plugged in the computer for me, and asked me to update when I got a chance ? I just don't get these peoples behavior. I learned that there were two charges I liked to work with and two who were jerks, one of which was the night ANM. I just tried to schedule myself to work on the nights that these gals who I liked were charge, but sometimes I couldn't. I have just learned to rely on those who I can rely on when needed. I don't feel like I am drowning too often anymore, but I doubt I ever forget what it feels like to be in that situation.
I have seen the way the latest batch of new nurses are treated by more experienced staff. I have noticed that though only one of the newbies are treated as equals (she was an exceptional nurse tech there for a year) they picked out 2 of the 11 new nurses to focus most of their derogatory comments toward. I was the only new nurse when I came. Maybe these gals have it a bit better in that the crap can be spread out, where I caught it all, LOL! I have made it a point to go out of my way to be helpful to these young women. One of them is really insecure, if the other one is she doesn't show it, but is not liked because she is very "proper" and is seen as a "goody two-shoes" type. I have precepted her and know her to be a bit obsessive compulsive but an excellent hard working nurse. The girl who is insecure, just picks things up a little slower than some, but she doesn't seem overly slow to me. I have been assigned patients next to hers and have helped her out a good bit because I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed.
The way the patient care techs treat all the new nurses is shameful. With the exception of one or two of them, they will not help the new nurses with changes when needed and the new nurses have to do all their cleanups and changes with one another. The techs just won't come. I make it a point to help them out while the "experienced" nurses set at the desk and chart or surf and gossip. Some read books and others go smoke, while the few of us are working our butts off! This is not true across the board each and every time, but it has been much of the time. I am certainly too busy to know what everyone is doing all the time, but you can't help but notice, when you run to supply room and 6 nurses and two techs are sitting around laughing at the desk and eating pizza or chinese food! Seems like most of them have enough time to eat.
Well I've vented enough this morning!
Mahage
You give wonderful examples of helping your fellow nurses. There are those of us who also do the same. Perhaps that is why the generalized statement of " nurses eating their young" can seem offensive. There are many of us who do not do this, who try and be good examples, and help everyone no matter who are what their title or experience might be.
It is this role model which I think we should stand behind and support. I believe we teach others how to treat us best , by setting good examples.
Specializes in med surg, geriatric, clinical, pool.
hi.....
i just passed my test this past sept 2008 and started at a nursing home within 40 minutes of my residence. at first i thought the place was ok, but saw right away it lacked strong management direction and also saw some lpn's and cna's get away with a lot of things. i also saw some people being put into management positions because simply "they were there".
so recently a fellow lpn employee put a bug into the don's ear that when she opened the lock box to count the narc's, the fantanyl patches flung out of her hand, she then goes to the don and insinuates that i was not concerned at all when two patches could not be located. i was the one who got down on the floor to find them. so the don says, well that is a problem, you were the one who found them and not her. so i say: "i was the one who got down on the floor cause i was worried about it... she couldn't be bothered".. long story short: no investigation. this lpn is so nasty and condescending, i wound up quitting, well i had already put in my resignation because i found another job and start next week.
but here is the kicker.... i am told: nurses eat their young
so this statement is supposed to condone all the nasty behavior some nurses put out on others, especially a new nurse??
sorry but if that is the game, then nursing really sucks!. i thought someone would welcome another helping hand and be part of a team to get the work done and help the residents.
oh wait a minute? isn't it about the resident's in a long term care facility? oh i am so confused? here i thought it was about the resident's and now i'm learning its about the lpn that stomps her foot louder than the others, acts like a 2 year old not getting her way and they give in to her!! what a crock of ****!!!
well.. i hope this new place is a lot different.. plus it's a county job and i know they follow the rules and from what i have heard all over town is, it's a good place to work..
shame on all those lpn's who treat other people like **** especially new grads!
nurses eat their young is a dumb saying and brings me right back to school when we learn how the nursing profession was before florence nightingdate took over. nursing was a bunch of women that were whore's and drunks. and maybe some of them were good people, but the nursing profession is getting a bad rap because of these rude nasty lpn's.
so there i vented.. i do feel much better.. :typing
please let me know there are wonderful places out there and wonderful managers!!
let me know if you heard this saying and agree its a dumb thing to say to a new grad!
for those of you that are wonderful lpn's, congrats to you for being such loving human beings and making it about the residents!!!
have the best holiday ever!
looking forward to learning the complete job and contributing to the wellbeing of our baby boomer's!!
honey you are just beginning to see the light of what nursing is all about. i could never go to work and just "do my job" without some creep or irresponsible nurse not doing their job. it was always a battle. i am an lpn, but i know my job and its not giving "lasix iv push" as one rn wanted me to do!
i got out of nursing for many reasons: one lpn took the phone out of my hand and hung it up, saying "cancel call". i was repaging the dr. who had given me a new order for another insulin, well, i didn't have any and couldn't find any either. she had no right, this was my pt. i was so upset and no one tells you in nursing school that some day (and i am not a new nurse) you will be faced with such nonsense, which is a nice way to put it, but nursing schools should really teach this! after all when other nurses act this way they are really putting you out there on a limb and have no intentions of taking up for you, so you license is always hanging out there for someone to grab and take it away. and you know you are a good nurse, but most other nurses don't care about that and for what reason i don't know, i am still trying to figure it out.
with the economy being so bad and my husband not getting any work i might just have to go back to this mess, but i surely don't want to!
You give wonderful examples of helping your fellow nurses. There are those of us who also do the same. Perhaps that is why the generalized statement of " nurses eating their young" can seem offensive. There are many of us who do not do this, who try and be good examples, and help everyone no matter who are what their title or experience might be.
It is this role model which I think we should stand behind and support. I believe we teach others how to treat us best , by setting good examples.
I totally agree about standing behind and supporting the positive role model. I think most reasonable people know that generalizations are usually based on some reality that though it might be frequently found, could not possibly apply to all the nurses all the time. I just believe that behaving like a jerk toward new nurses or even those who don't fit the mold or culture of the unit, is far too common in our profession. That is why I believe speaking up about it and acknowledging it is a good thing, not anything to be offended over.
The way it is phrased is not a big thing to me, but the behavior the phrase describes is. I think it is our responsibility to help one another out, and I personally can't sit idly by when someone else is drowning. I couldn't feel good about myself if I did that. Don't get me wrong, I take care of my patients first and I have had to tell someone it would be a bit before I could help them, but I always show up. My paperwork is important, but not more important than helping with a heavy lift or giving information someone needs! Respect is always important and should be shown in the way we interact with one another experienced or not.
Anyway, I am a nurse totally because I choose to be. I had an established career, but wanted something else. I sure wouldn't stay in nursing if I didn't want to, because it was definately and uphill climb for the first few months and even now, sometimes I think "What the heck have I done to myself?" I like challanges. Sort of like climbing Mt. Everest I think. I do it because it is there. I have kept my Social Work License and my Social Work malpractice insurance and still do a little contract work and am considering doing some therapy again, but I am energized by nursing and am starting my FNP program in Jan.
I believe that nurses do "eat their young." I've learned how to avoid it just by attending clinicals.
1. Treat others as you want to be treated.
2. Have confidence in yourself.
3. Work on a floor that needs your help!
I took a job on the Trauma unit at a local hospital. They were in need of help and they have taken me under their wing like I'm their baby. I love it!!
Honey you are just beginning to see the light of what nursing is all about. I could never go to work and just "do my job" without some creep or irresponsible nurse not doing their job. It was always a battle. I am an LPN, but I know my job and its not giving "lasix IV push" as one RN wanted me to do!
I got out of nursing for many reasons: one LPN took the phone out of my hand and hung it up, saying "cancel call". I was repaging the Dr. who had given me a new order for another insulin, well, I didn't have any and couldn't find any either. She had no right, this was my pt. I was so upset and no one tells you in nursing school that some day (and I am not a new nurse) you will be faced with such nonsense, which is a nice way to put it, but nursing schools should really teach this! After all when other nurses act this way they are really putting you out there on a limb and have no intentions of taking up for you, so you license is always hanging out there for someone to grab and take it away. And you know you are a good nurse, but most other nurses don't care about that and for what reason I don't know, I am still trying to figure it out.
With the economy being so bad and my husband not getting any work I might just have to go back to this mess, but I surely don't want to!
Sounds like you had a really bad experience at the place you work. I hope that when you go back, things are better for you!!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
respect, if you want some, give some. don't expect "elders" to jump through hoops to make it easy for you. but do expect them to mentor and help you on your way. but you need to show a bit of respect if you want it to happen.....
it's a two way street. i see a lot of "old" eating too....
Well, ok, the young ones are tender and do taste good with ketchup.
and started at a nursing home within 40 minutes of my residence. at first i thought the place was ok, but saw right away it lacked strong management direction and also saw some lpn's and cna's get away with a lot of things. i also saw some people being put into management positions because simply "they were there". 
is a dumb saying and brings me right back to school when we learn how the nursing profession was before florence nightingdate took over. nursing was a bunch of women that were whore's and drunks. and maybe some of them were good people, but the nursing profession is getting a bad rap because of these rude nasty lpn's. 
congrats to you for being such loving human beings and making it about the residents!!! 
aloevera
861 Posts
so 75% of nurses polled are wrong or lying?????? all these examples on this forum are confabulation?????
don't think so.....well, maybe not just their young, their old, too....