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.
Whoa! Let's remember the advise of the all powerful editor, the one who can make any changes without consequence. We should think positive, ignore the facts... simply believe that what we would like to believe is true. Positive thinking, all these examples are simply isolated events. We should ban the phrase, deny that it is real, in fact, let's wear white scrubs and white caps, that way everyone will believe that nurses are pure white. Marilyn chambers and Ivory Snow, just another example of negative thinking and over generalization.
Specializes in telemetry, medsurg, homecare, psychiatry.
Whoa! Let's remember the advise of the all powerful editor, the one who can make any changes without consequence. We should think positive, ignore the facts... simply believe that what we would like to believe is true. Positive thinking, all these examples are simply isolated events. We should ban the phrase, deny that it is real, in fact, let's wear white scrubs and white caps, that way everyone will believe that nurses are pure white. Marilyn chambers and Ivory Snow, just another example of negative thinking and over generalization.
Let's not deny the phrase of "zero harassement tolerance"
Specializes in telemetry, medsurg, homecare, psychiatry.
:hlk:
Ok, I guess i caused an uproar!!!!Good!!!!which is exactly what I intended to do. You see, somehow nursing has turned me into a "pitbull" who won't take any bull.
I believe in fairness, and equality in the workplace. I believe in treating others with respect. Nothing is more upsetting than seeing a nurse demean another. Unfortunately the world isn't alwayscotton candy and cherry blossoms. But this doesn't mean that you should deserve to be mistreated or stick it out. I've heard of the power of intention, of positive thinking, and the term overgeneralization. But abuse in the workplace is real, and hurtful, and should be taken seriously rather than dismissed. It happens alot in our profession, especially under stressful conditions. This is still no excuse to endure.
Ok, I guess i caused an uproar!!!!Good!!!!which is exactly what I intended to do. You see, somehow nursing has turned me into a "pitbull" who won't take any bull.
I believe in fairness, and equality in the workplace. I believe in treating others with respect. Nothing is more upsetting than seeing a nurse demean another. Unfortunately the world isn't alwayscotton candy and cherry blossoms. But this doesn't mean that you should deserve to be mistreated or stick it out. I've heard of the power of intention, of positive thinking, and the term overgeneralization. But abuse in the workplace is real, and hurtful, and should be taken seriously rather than dismissed. It happens alot in our profession, especially under stressful conditions. This is still no excuse to endure.
I too noticed the response to your honesty. By the reaction it is obvious that there is truth to what you are saying. I have been saying this for years. In the last job I had, when I would mention the punitive approach to our peers or questioned the long term effect on the individuals of our profession, I was asked, always, if I had a personal problem at home. The practices that have been utilized and encouraged were never question.
From what I am reading, what I have witnessed and experienced, is prevalent in the profession regardless of location. The question I have asked through the years are...........Why is the approach to the learning such a negative method? Why are nurses not taught to work as a cohesive group? Why are we not able to recognize ourselves in each other, as healers of the wounded race of man?
The answer is always the same. Our profession functions by the same rules our government does. Control! We as a nation have been taught to live by antiquated rules, all to "fix" the problems to a goal of the appearance of perfection and to make money! We have rules in this profession that are of this same nature. There is minimal consideration through tokenism to keep us in line but mostly we have been taught that we are separate from all that we perceive. This is what we have been taught under the guise of survival in the chaos that is rapidly increasing, as the world we have become accustomed to is falling away.This attitude allows us to compete and judge one another, fostering the separation, rather than approaching each other with a common goal of cohesiveness. The effect of these rules, policies, are overlooked in the outcomes of empirical living. The intelligent minds that have perpetuated this narrow view would then have to admit that something needs to change. We humans don't do change easily though it is the only constant in our lives.
I honor your courage to tell the truth of what you feel. If we all look at how we support the profession, with honesty, within ourselves, change will happen. In the current flows of energy this is what we must do to continue to assist in the transformation of our world to a place that ALL are included and valued, equally.
Ok, I guess i caused an uproar!!!!Good!!!!which is exactly what I intended to do. You see, somehow nursing has turned me into a "pitbull" who won't take any bull.
I believe in fairness, and equality in the workplace. I believe in treating others with respect. Nothing is more upsetting than seeing a nurse demean another. Unfortunately the world isn't alwayscotton candy and cherry blossoms. But this doesn't mean that you should deserve to be mistreated or stick it out. I've heard of the power of intention, of positive thinking, and the term overgeneralization. But abuse in the workplace is real, and hurtful, and should be taken seriously rather than dismissed. It happens alot in our profession, especially under stressful conditions. This is still no excuse to endure.
Huh? Did you read my reply to your quote of my post? Anyway, cool. You are right, zero tolerance by not allowing mistreatment, not by denying the phrase, or by using positive thinking to replace positive actions.
Harrassment is a serious charge. If you're going to "write someone up" and fire off letters to administration, you must be prepared to go the distance and make official charges. No one should be putting up with abuse and I agree with a zero tolerance for harrassment and abuse.
Most of what we're talking about in this thread can be handled without formal charges, or even with getting administration involved, if only people would stand up for themselves and confront people constructively.
"write up" may be extreme, depending on what you that means. Many of the situations written here are examples of harassment. A verbal warning in firm, but polite, language complimented with personal documentation may solve the problems described. On the second occasion, an incident report combined with your earlier documentation, may put a stop to further incidents. The third occasion requires a formal complaint to HR along with the incident report. After that, contact a lawyer. Each step is just the necessary force. If you were over-reacting, you will be gently, to the degree you reacted anyway, corrected. Learning early that you have a "thin skin" is a valuable lesson. Correcting the rampant eating of nurslings, in its early stages, .....priceless.
Funny thing about confrontation. The nurse (LPN) who seems to have an attitude toward me shown basically by her tone worked with me one night this week. I was prepared for confrontation. I had to do Accuchecks on all 3 of my patients. At the beginning of shift I grabbed a glucometer, rounded on my 1st patient, did her accucheck and was finishing up with her meds. This nurse came and asked if I was through with the glucometer, I told her that I was through with this patient, and she could take it and give it back when she finished her patient. She still had not returned it when I was going to my second patient. I passed her room as she was useing it. I asked if she was almost through with it. She said "No, all my patients have accucheks!" I said well I need it back as soon as you finish this one, because mine all have accuchecks and what is fair is fair." She had not sounded rude, but definately presumptuous. She got her reading, pulled out her strip and handed me the G-meter. I thanked her and went on my way. We had no negative interactions all night. Was it because I asserted myself with her or was it because she was in a good mood, who knows?? I just thought it odd that the night I was geared up for confrontation of her demeaning tones (as you had advised me ) something different happened. I will see how things continue.
I am speaking from a student point of view. I truly think that some nurses try to eat their young. I have had a couple of bad experiences as a student nurse. The one that I really remember is, one of my patients med wasn't in the refrigerator, so I called pharmacy and this nurse told me, since another patient with the same med was in the refrigerator and she told me to use it. I refused to because in my mind I didn't think it was right. This same nurse told me, she just wanted to see if I would use this med and then she said, if I did use it, she was going to tell my instructor. Talk about trying to hurt a future nurse.
She had not sounded rude, but definately presumptuous. She got her reading, pulled out her strip and handed me the G-meter. I thanked her and went on my way. We had no negative interactions all night. Was it because I asserted myself with her or was it because she was in a good mood, who knows?? I just thought it odd that the night I was geared up for confrontation of her demeaning tones (as you had advised me ) something different happened. I will see how things continue.
Woodenpug, BSN
734 Posts
Whoa! Let's remember the advise of the all powerful editor, the one who can make any changes without consequence. We should think positive, ignore the facts... simply believe that what we would like to believe is true. Positive thinking, all these examples are simply isolated events. We should ban the phrase, deny that it is real, in fact, let's wear white scrubs and white caps, that way everyone will believe that nurses are pure white. Marilyn chambers and Ivory Snow, just another example of negative thinking and over generalization.