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.
That's so disturbing to me that you are encountering this in a Children's hospital of all places
I agree with you and nurseforlife when you both say the bad one's really stand out. And yes, you can set a good example by showing how much you enjoy your job. You're there for the children and the parents. Don't let the one's who are miserable bring you down to their level.
Okay, so I'm having an issue at work that I would love to hear other's take on. I have been working as an LVN the last 6mos at a skilled nursing facility. When i was first hired, they had me on PMs and told me that I would be in an AM position within about a month because they were getting rid of some people. I took the position making it clear that i want to be in AMs and will definitely fill in an AM spot once one becomes available.
Eventually, i was given the AM position when they let go of one of their AM nurses. I have now been assuming the AM nurse shirt for the last few months. A few weeks ago, my DON asked me if i would be willing to go back to PM's because the PM nurse really wants to go to AMs. I was very clear with her that i did not want to go to PMs again and that I had made it very clear when i was hired that i wanted an AM position. The DON went ahead then and asked the other full time AM nurse (we have two LVNs on duty per shift) if she would be willing to go to PMs. She said she would not.
A few days later the schedule gets posted for June and the other AM nurse and I see that the DON has us switching every two weeks to do PMs while the initial girl who wanted to have AMs is scheduled all month in the AM on my station. When i confronted the DON about it, she said that she put that nurse on AMs not only because shes wanted the AM position but because they have had a lot of complaints about that nurse from the CNAs who work on PMs and the residents. I was completely baffled! This nurse gets the schedule she wants and DON doesnt care that she's screwing over two other nurses to make this one nurse happy who has had numerous written complaints made against her, one of which included her leaving the facility unattended without any licenced nurses on the PM shift.
I have never worked for a company that would allow a worker to take another persons shift without consent by that party no matter how much senority they had. If a person wants a specific shift, they should have to wait for one to become available or work for another company. I mean, is it just me or is this completely unfair!!!!
Wow, this really does sound unfair to you and the other AM nurse, but here's the thing...
it sounds to me as if your DON has a very good reason for doing this. She may be putting that other nurse on the day shift to observe her very carfully due to the complaints and abandoning her patients by going off campus.
Try not to look at it like your DON is playing favorites with giving this other nurse an all day shift schedule. She very well may be out the door sooner than you think. It's not easy to fire a person; a lot of "dirt" must be gathered on this nurse before a dismissal can legally happen. Back to the abandonment of patients...
this is grounds for immediate dismissal and in some cases, the loss of one's license, but if the DON lacked proof that this happened, she can't do much about it, YET.
Unfortunately, you and the other nurse have to suffer for it, but it may be a temporary situation.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
okay, so i'm having an issue at work that i would love to hear other's take on. i have been working as an lvn the last 6mos at a skilled nursing facility. when i was first hired, they had me on pms and told me that i would be in an am position within about a month because they were getting rid of some people. i took the position making it clear that i want to be in ams and will definitely fill in an am spot once one becomes available.
eventually, i was given the am position when they let go of one of their am nurses. i have now been assuming the am nurse shirt for the last few months. a few weeks ago, my don asked me if i would be willing to go back to pm's because the pm nurse really wants to go to ams. i was very clear with her that i did not want to go to pms again and that i had made it very clear when i was hired that i wanted an am position. the don went ahead then and asked the other full time am nurse (we have two lvns on duty per shift) if she would be willing to go to pms. she said she would not.
a few days later the schedule gets posted for june and the other am nurse and i see that the don has us switching every two weeks to do pms while the initial girl who wanted to have ams is scheduled all month in the am on my station. when i confronted the don about it, she said that she put that nurse on ams not only because shes wanted the am position but because they have had a lot of complaints about that nurse from the cnas who work on pms and the residents. i was completely baffled! this nurse gets the schedule she wants and don doesnt care that she's screwing over two other nurses to make this one nurse happy who has had numerous written complaints made against her, one of which included her leaving the facility unattended without any licenced nurses on the pm shift.
i have never worked for a company that would allow a worker to take another persons shift without consent by that party no matter how much senority they had. if a person wants a specific shift, they should have to wait for one to become available or work for another company. i mean, is it just me or is this completely unfair!!!!
it sucks, but it has nothing to do with nurses eating (or not eating) their young.
In my experience nurses I have worked with have been the most EVIL people on the planet!! I have been a lpn for 2yrs now and let me tell you it has been the WORST experience of my life! I was so excited to be a nurse I studied so hard and made excellent grades ending up on the deans list 95 percent of the time and even graduated in the top ten of my class! I put so much time an effort into my education to find out that no matter how good I am at my chosen profession it does not seem to matter. I am ridiculed by the other nurses and often over thrown in my positon. I have had other lpns lie cheat and steal to get me into trouble in the work place! I even had one nurse who put extra pills in a pill box and claimed I did it! mind you this was an assisted living home and the facility was allowing the pills to be pre poured!! I stated my case of the unlawful pre pouring but it fell on deaf ears anyhow!! I could go on for days telling you about the EVIL i have experienced in 2yrs but it gets me no where anyway. I know in my heart that I am an excellent nurse and I strive to rise above it each day!! I hope that one day it wont be this way for nurses..I now am returning to school to get my RN I am hoping maybe it will work out better for me!! I just thought I would let you all in on my experience hope it helps you!!
I have to say that I know how it feels to be double crossed in the workplace!! It seems that the facility does whatever they want no matter how fair or unfair it may be. Trust me!! I also got bumped out of a day shift positon and one facility I worked at when the other nurse did not renew her license I filled her spot then the facility wanted me to give the positon back to the other nurse when i said no, the fired me 2wks later for no reason!! So, I feel ya, and Im sorry it happend to you!! Good luck to you...
You know whats funny, the facility i work for has hired a new girl for on call outta no where now almost like theyre getting ready for one of us to quit! Ive only been an LPN for 6 mos and im not loving my job! Im hoping i feel this way because of this particular facility and not because of the job itself. Im also in school now to get my RN. I dunno, maybe bedside nursing isnt for me?? Ahh it stresses me out thinking about it...
I am also a nursing student working as a PCA, I love my job but I must say some nurses do eat their you. For the most part I have encounter this with nurses who have passed that novice stage and have been in the nursing field for a few years (maybe they are still excited) however most mature older nurses, that have been in nursing for 10+ years, these are the best nurses to work with IMO.
I am learning to deal with things, I just looked at it as a Rights to Passage for becoming a nurse. I for the most part am not a confrontation person but I am learning to speakup for myself
....doesn't mean I can't try to be positive...for as
Katie91
79 Posts
mrskellrd,
That's so disturbing to me that you are encountering this in a Children's hospital of all places
I agree with you and nurseforlife when you both say the bad one's really stand out. And yes, you can set a good example by showing how much you enjoy your job. You're there for the children and the parents. Don't let the one's who are miserable bring you down to their level.
:flowersfo