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.
Those responders who have indicated "not all" nurses fit the description are correct, however, the public does not separate one bad apple from the collective "nursing Profession" and as a result, we all get the bad rap. What the float nurse did when she confronted the poor player was great and is a great starting place for the rest of us who embrace the future nurses and have not forgotten what it was like to be a student or a new nurse in an organization.
When we are silent and make excuses for the bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies" we a condoning the behavior and yes we to are demonstrating a negative image for our profession. Good professional behavior and manners should be the norm for ALL professional nurses, whether over worked or not.
Those responders who have indicated "not all" nurses fit the description are correct, however, the public does not separate one bad apple from the collective "nursing Profession" and as a result, we all get the bad rap. What the float nurse did when she confronted the poor player was great and is a great starting place for the rest of us who embrace the future nurses and have not forgotten what it was like to be a student or a new nurse in an organization.
When we are silent and make excuses for the bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies" we a condoning the behavior and yes we to are demonstrating a negative image for our profession. Good professional behavior and manners should be the norm for ALL professional nurses, whether over worked or not.
Nanacarol
And I submit the the reverse is true. When we allow new nurses to paint the entire group of experienced nurses as "young eaters" based on their experiences with a few nurses, it fosters discouragement among those of us who aren't like that. It is just as harmful as nurses who are unkind to new nurses. Why precept if you have to fear that the least bit of criticism is going to be turned into a full-blown "nurse eating" story?
When we are silent and make excuses for the bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies" we a condoning the behavior and yes we to are demonstrating a negative image for our profession. Good professional behavior and manners should be the norm for ALL professional nurses, whether over worked or not.
Nanacarol
I agreed with most of your post except the above quote.
I don't remember reading anyone saying we should be silent about bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies".
Most of the responses are against stereotyping an entire group with the actions of a few. Not about being silent about those few who cause the stereotyping.
Those responders who have indicated "not all" nurses fit the description are correct, however, the public does not separate one bad apple from the collective "nursing Profession" and as a result, we all get the bad rap. What the float nurse did when she confronted the poor player was great and is a great starting place for the rest of us who embrace the future nurses and have not forgotten what it was like to be a student or a new nurse in an organization.
When we are silent and make excuses for the bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies" we a condoning the behavior and yes we to are demonstrating a negative image for our profession. Good professional behavior and manners should be the norm for ALL professional nurses, whether over worked or not.
Nanacarol
You raise an interesting point. As a profession with a code of conduct, we are to some extent held accountable for the conduct of every member of our profession. In school, after the news of the incidents at Abu Gharib, I wrote a paper for one of my classes on the idea that a soldier who disgraces his uniform disgraces every other soldier who wears the same uniform. The point I was trying to get at was that if other soldiers excuse, condone, or cover up that behavior, they are willingly accepting that disgrace, whereas honor requires them to condemn it and do whatever they can to prevent it. It's kind of a harsh standard, but it's one that applies to us, too.
With that in mind, if we see a colleague being abused, I think we have a duty to intercede, even (especially?) if the abuser is a fellow nurse.
Standing by and watching our young being eaten is morally equivalent to eating them ourselves.
On the other hand, that same standard of professional conduct requires us not to tolerate incompetence, indifference, or inappropriate care for any patient. New nurses make mistakes. Old nurses make mistakes. We can't just shrug those mistakes off. Clearly, not every little error is reportable to the BON, but a case can be made that every little error needs to be corrected. If an experienced nurse were to tell me as I was preparing to start a Foley that I needed to re-glove because I let my hands drop below waist-level for a moment, would that nurse be eating her young, or doing me a favor?
It seems to me that our goal should be to balance our pursuit of perfection with an attitude of tolerance toward each other for our human imperfections--to hate the sin, but not the sinner, as my grandmother would have put it. And, really, that has been my experience--if one is honestly trying to do the right thing, one's failures are met with constructive criticism and encouragement. There are a few nurses who will berate a newbie for the fun of it. There are probably rather more whose style of instruction may be a bit harsh, because that's how they were taught. But in my admittedly limited experience, the vast majority of nurses I've seen are caring and compassionate people, and it shows in their treatment of patients, visitors, and colleagues--even newbies. However, there aren't many nurses who are willing to turn a blind eye toward gross incompetence or worse, negligence, and that's as it should be.
I'm lucky to work with a crew almost entirely made up of "Type 13" nurses. The great thing about that type of nurse is that they recognize their own kind, at any level of experience, and when things get ugly, they pull together.
We seem to miss the point. The public does not separate the "good nurse from the less than good" a nurse is a nurse is a nurse in the eyes of the public. New nurses and student nurses are the marketers of the professions. When I referr to the silence, it is the silence that most nurses endure when the negative behavior is exhibited. Let's be honest, the majority of nurses don't speak up, especially to our peers when inappropriate behavior manifests itself.
I am not a negative professional, but I do speak up immediately about less appropriate professional interactions focused on students and new nurses. I do this ALWAYS and without exception. I am not the most sought after nurse in my facility but I am respected as a no tolerant professional.
I agreed with most of your post except the above quote.
I don't remember reading anyone saying we should be silent about bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies".
Most of the responses are against stereotyping an entire group with the actions of a few. Not about being silent about those few who cause the stereotyping.
steph
Right, if we sit quiet and say "well nurses eat their young" then what good does that do. Bad behavior should be nipped in the bud. Part of it rather than telling new nurses that "nurses eat their young" they should be taught how to deal with the bad nurses out there. We experienced nurses also shouldn't allow our peers to give newbies a hard time in any fashion.
You and I both are aware of the difficulty involve in voicing our concerns in the work place about negative behavior and as such many of us are quiet about it. We go along to get along. We step up to the plate and try to make it better for the student and/or new nurse and don't say anything to the perpetrator so it continues.
We were discussing this issue at work recently and identified some of the issues we faced as students and new nurses from our various early work places and it is true that muxh of the attitude from nurses is one of silence and the "I paid my dues, so you have to pay yours" is insidious in the nursing arena. Of course there are nurses who don't ascribe to this attitude, but it does exist and the profession is tainted by the implications of a few.
I'm sorry to any nice nurses out there... but where are you???
PLEASE TEACH!!!!
As a nursing student I was almost eaten alive and it drastically altered my outlook on the entire nursing profession. Even now in my graduate studies I find it hard to believe my professors because I have been pecked to death in the past by nurses in the same positon. Many of my classmates and young coworkers experienced very similar circumstances.
I BEG YOU!!! If you are not a cannibal please consider teaching our young and reversing this vicious cycle.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
I teach. And I don't stand by and let others pick on the newbies, etc. I can't stand bullies.
I actually had it out with a Dr. the other day, because she yelled at my students- in front of a patient. My students were not expecting anyone to stand up for them, which is sad. They were grateful for it, but the lesson I hope they glean from that whole episode is to not let any one treat them with disrespect like that, whether it's another student, a nurse, or a Dr. with a chip on her shoulder.
I am a new nurse....yeah we talked about the term in school, however this does not happen where I work. (A huge teaching hospital).
Most nurses come up to me multiple times in a shift and offer help. Almost all have told me to ask questions or for help whenever I need. Maybe two or three have stayed silent....
I CANNOT imagine entering this career without the support I have recieved.
Must be dependent on unit/hospital....I know I will offer huge support to the new nurses who may come after me.
If you are not recieving support...perhaps look elsewhere for employment...there are absolutely awesome units who work as a TEAM.
Well, it is a tiring topic, and it's getting better I think, but I went through things no one should have to endure.
As a new nurse, when I asked two of the most senior nurses a question, they most generally said either "call the doctor" or some stupid blow-off answer. And now knowing what I know now, they were deliberately dumping me.
And it went farther so that as soon as I was almost out of earshot they would exclaim to each other "she should know that by now." I was only two or four months a nurse!
And it went even farther, night after night I would find my charts racked with orders on them. And my med sheets would disappear. Things like that! I really did think I was losing my mind and I wanted to quit so badly because I thought I was so bad.
Finally, a couple of other co-workers confided to me that they were witnesses to me being sabotaged. They were tired of watching the whole sham and told me about it. One of them had their tires slashed afterward, they didn't live far from the hospital. They didn't and still don't have the courage to come forward.
But when the tires were slashed and the police became involved, I went to the director. Especially when I found some nursing notes hidden between two books of a bookshelf after I had searched for them far and wide.
I don't know what my director ever did or said to anyone but a CNA was fired and nothing else.
I eventually learned what I needed to know. And probably damaged my reputation for life because if I even thought I might need to call about anything, I called the doctor, and yes, I called in the middle of the night.
The meanest of the nurses has gotten a lot better. But she still singles people out and harps about them endlessly behind their backs and goes to the director every day with every tiresome issue. But some things she reports are necessary and she really knows how to get action. She's like a watchdog.
And I wanted to change places of employment desparately but I rationalized that if it was so horrible where I was at a faith-based hospital, it must be even worse somewhere else.
So, I kept reminding myself that I had graduated top of my class and breezed the NCLEX and I would be okay. Now, I am a senior nurse and a preceptor and we make it a point of pride to nurture the new nurses. And I have been approached at least three times by at least three different new nurses who were discouraged and felt "all chewed up" and was able to encourage them appropriately and now they are doing very well. They are smart and good nurses but were about to quit.:heartbeat
I agree with Tweety, I wish I had been taught in school how to deal with nurse eating behaviour as I do believe it occurs in many places and knowing how to deal with it makes all the difference. I also know that this type of behaviour occurs in other occupations too. My spouse went through it when he became a supervisor, he has had his locker vandalized and car handles smeared with grease, but he didn't quit and this stuff has ended. So it isn't just nursing, with issues. On the other hand, there are lots of good people out there.
nanacarol
162 Posts
Those responders who have indicated "not all" nurses fit the description are correct, however, the public does not separate one bad apple from the collective "nursing Profession" and as a result, we all get the bad rap. What the float nurse did when she confronted the poor player was great and is a great starting place for the rest of us who embrace the future nurses and have not forgotten what it was like to be a student or a new nurse in an organization.
When we are silent and make excuses for the bad and inappropriate behavior of nurses who "don't like students or newbies" we a condoning the behavior and yes we to are demonstrating a negative image for our profession. Good professional behavior and manners should be the norm for ALL professional nurses, whether over worked or not.
Nanacarol