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.
....but her actions humilated this nurse - and made her feel so inadequate.
This nurse was wrong and I hate to hear these stories. I hate when a shift comes in and makes a judgement when they don't know what they are talking about. I hate when they don't allow new grads to be new grads.
I also hate how the new grad took the chewing out and owned the feelings of humilation and inadequacy. Hopefully this experience will teach her not to allow anyone the make them feel anything be it humilation, inadequacy or anything.
Perhaps the next time she can catch her breath and hold her head up high and approach this nurse that her behavior is inappropriate, that she did the best she could, etc. etc. Another person shouldn't have the power over how another person feels. We can own our own feelings and decide how to feel.
Part of the reason nurses eat their young is because they allow it. They own these feelings of humilation and cry in the parking lot and then ignore it and don't proactively advocate for themselves because God knows no one is going to fight the battle for them.
Again, let me say that the experienced nurse was wrong.
I also hate how the new grad took the chewing out and owned the feelings of humilation and inadequacy. Hopefully this experience will teach her not to allow anyone the make them feel anything be it humilation, inadequacy or anything.
Perhaps the next time she can catch her breath and hold her head up high and approach this nurse that her behavior is inappropriate, that she did the best she could, etc. etc. Another person shouldn't have the power over how another person feels. We can own our own feelings and decide how to feel.
Part of the reason nurses eat their young is because they allow it. They own these feelings of humilation and cry in the parking lot and then ignore it and don't proactively advocate for themselves because God knows no one is going to fight the battle for them.
Again, let me say that the experienced nurse was wrong.
That is great advice and the next time I work with her I'm going to let her know that she should walk away from this learning something and not taking this kind of behaivor again. She's of course about 20+ yrs younger than the nurse who did it to her - that nurse wouldn't dare do it to me because I wouldn't take it and I'm closer in age - this new bright RN needs to find her backbone and stick up for herself like she would her patients....
thanks again....I now know what I'm going to say to her when I do see her again.
That is great advice and the next time I work with her I'm going to let her know that she should walk away from this learning something and not taking this kind of behaivor again. She's of course about 20+ yrs younger than the nurse who did it to her - that nurse wouldn't dare do it to me because I wouldn't take it and I'm closer in age - this new bright RN needs to find her backbone and stick up for herself like she would her patients....
thanks again....I now know what I'm going to say to her when I do see her again.
It's really a tough thing to ask of a new grad. But honestly crying doesn't help, irgnoring it doesn't help, reporting to the management doesn't help, but standing up assertively does.
Imgaine if every new nurse did this, would we still be a profession that we ourselves brand as one that eats our young?
Do Nurses Really Eat Their Young? Maybe it's the young nurses that are eating the new nurses. I never heard that expression when I was a student. My husband learned it his first week in school. Would I ever be mean or condescending to a new graduate? No ,because it's not in my nature to be mean or condescending to anyone. Have I seen it done to new graduates...absolutely. Often I saw it done by younger, relatively new nurses to more recent graduates. Sad to say, I have also seen a trend to target older new nurses. When I was a supervisor. I always found it ironic the ones who repeatedly scared away staff were often the first to complain about staffing. "Eating" ranges from the roll the eyes " well look who the nurse was ",exclusion from the many cliques , to complaining they are too slow or stupid. Yes there are those who will go to any measure to "get rid" of a nurse they don't like. Last year, I entered a room to do recreation activities for a quad. vent. pt. A new graduate was struggling to get him in bed with a hoyer. She was a pleasant woman in her late 50's. I had often heard other nurses complain about her. Unlike other nurses who paired up , she was often left to do 2 person jobs solo. I put down my papers , helping her get him in bed. She thanked me saying "not many people offer". She said she heard she was " too old and too slow" behind her back. It didn't bother her because, she knew she was giving good care. Yet, her voice cracked and her eyes welled up betraying her words. Her pain was actually caused by those who pledged to ease pain. Maybe they felt after a year or two under the belt, they were obligated to live up to that old adage. Maybe we just live in a self serving society that places too much emphasis on youth and beauty. It could be nursing is just the most obvious example to showcase a me generation. After all, what could bring the point home more, than showing lack of caring in the "caring "profession itself ?
Do Nurses Really Eat Their Young? Maybe it's the young nurses that are eating the new nurses. I never heard that expression when I was a student. My husband learned it his first week in school. Would I ever be mean or condescending to a new graduate? No ,because it's not in my nature to be mean or condescending to anyone. Have I seen it done to new graduates...absolutely. Often I saw it done by younger, relatively new nurses to more recent graduates. Sad to say, I have also seen a trend to target older new nurses. When I was a supervisor. I always found it ironic the ones who repeatedly scared away staff were often the first to complain about staffing. "Eating" ranges from the roll the eyes " well look who the nurse was ",exclusion from the many cliques , to complaining they are too slow or stupid. Yes there are those who will go to any measure to "get rid" of a nurse they don't like. Last year, I entered a room to do recreation activities for a quad. vent. pt. A new graduate was struggling to get him in bed with a hoyer. She was a pleasant woman in her late 50's. I had often heard other nurses complain about her. Unlike other nurses who paired up , she was often left to do 2 person jobs solo. I put down my papers , helping her get him in bed. She thanked me saying "not many people offer". She said she heard she was " too old and too slow" behind her back. It didn't bother her because, she knew she was giving good care. Yet, her voice cracked and her eyes welled up betraying her words. Her pain was actually caused by those who pledged to ease pain. Maybe they felt after a year or two under the belt, they were obligated to live up to that old adage. Maybe we just live in a self serving society that places too much emphasis on youth and beauty. It could be nursing is just the most obvious example to showcase a me generation. After all, what could bring the point home more, than showing lack of caring in the "caring "profession itself ?
Thanks! What a thoughtful and thought provoking post on this subject. I commend you for helping out that "new" OLDER RN - I would help her too if I worked with her - I don't get into the whole 'shunning' thing they often do.
It's true that "younger" nurses can be as mean as the older ones actually....I've thought about this topic alot since I returned to nursing after many years home with my kids and I was essentially 'like a new grad again'....some RN's were so kind and supportive and others were as nasty and mean as they could be...I just 'bided' my time till I got back up to speed and didn't have to take any of their sh*t (heh) ...but I digress....What I wanted to add to your great post was that I have come to the conclusion that the nurses (young and old) who mistreat/bully new nurses feel it's some "right of passage' and since they had to endure it - now it's "your turn"... One such nurse (15yrs younger than me) often says when nurses are upset about unfair assignments,high acuity of patients,workload overwhelming etc... "TOO BAD,that's the way it's always been."
Well I say - NO, it doesn't have to be this way and we need to work to change things....and MOST of ALL Take care of each other!
On reflecting on when I was brand new in the nursing field, the experienced nurses were always willing to lend a hand if I asked. They were always pleasant and wonderful. I think too, that they would rather have a new nurse admit that they are uncomfortable performing a skill or be willing to ask for advice rather than make an assumption that could potentially cause injury to a patient. I would ask the experienced nurse to stand by if they could and just make sure I am doing the skill correctly. I've never had a problem. I still ask more experienced nurses for advice and am willing to help a nurse with even less experience than me. It just makes sense if we are going to survive in a field that can be challenging and difficult. Fortunately, I have only run into just a few cases in which I had to deal with "grouchy" and "soured" nurses that have refused to help, but that was the exception.
When I started Nursing as a new graduate nurse in a Rural Hospital 13 1/2 years ago, I felt comfortable going to any of the other more experienced nurses I worked with. I learned so much from all of them. I was truly blessed!!!
The thing about blessings is that we all get a chance to pass them on. I love to teach and I love to teach new nurses. I remember how it felt to be in their shoes! It wasn't fun.
Now 13 years later, I actually have some of my mentors comming back to the hospital. One dear nurse I actually turned to and said, "It is so strange for me to be mentoring you!" She asked if it was difficult for me... I told her it was an HONOR! She has gotten flack from other nurses. I told her, "That is incredibly sad, because they could learn as much from you as they are teaching you!"
I truly think people are placed in our paths for reasons. We can mutually grow if we give one another a chance.
Nurses used to be required to stand when a physican came into the nurses station. Old nurses used to repremand the new nurses for wearing a short skirt. Then the nuns grew old, the 1960's happened, the science of nursing took off, certifications and specialization happened and most people got a life. No, I don't think nurses eat their young. Most nurses try like heck to teach the new nurses the reality of being a nurse. Best to let that old expression go and move on, read a journal or something.
When I was a new nurse, over 23 years ago, nurses did all they could to make sure that you got all of the help you could, while learning the ropes; this helped them and nursing look good. Now, when the new nurses get out of school, at least where I live, they start out making more money than the experienced nurses are making! This might have a little to do with why the nurses eat their young?
Specializes in Med/surg,Tele,PACU,ER,ICU,LTAC,HH,Neuro.
Nurses are like any other group of people. We are complex and subject to variable behavior.
You will always have groups of nurses who feel new RNs must go through a hazing period. They test the new nurses and make them show their skills. They may play tricks, or insult the new person. They set up the person to see how they react. I know this happens because I have seen it and have been treated this way.
OTOH, you will always have a group of nurses that treat new RNs with respect and care. They teach, mentor, and precept. They set the person up for success. I have also been treated this way.
Likewise, you have some new staff who are entitled and feel they deserve everything they want no questions asked. The nursing shortage provides new nurses with immediate opportunities that the veteran nurses didn't get for years. This may promote the sense of entitlement in new RNs and a sense of jeolousy in veteran nurses which compounds hard feelings.
Do nurses eat their young? Some do, but they are the exception and certainly not the rule.
This is SO TRUE. Nursing unit teams can have a clique mentality in assessing and testing your ability to fit into their team and be advocates for their lil-babys.(patients)
I worked a surgical floor as charge and occasionally I would be pulled to the medical floor. They did not hide the fact I was not THEM...from the charge nurse down to the CNA's. Until I proved I could handle all the death, telemetry, chemotherapy on their floor , and of course saving one of their baby's from doom helps, I was not ACCEPTED. Eventually they see you are an asset and not a burden and they love you when you float to them cause your better than AGENCY and well.............I spent most my spare time on nights trying to get that filthy medical floor as clean as my surgical floor......UGH.
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,377 Posts
This nurse was wrong and I hate to hear these stories. I hate when a shift comes in and makes a judgement when they don't know what they are talking about. I hate when they don't allow new grads to be new grads.
I also hate how the new grad took the chewing out and owned the feelings of humilation and inadequacy. Hopefully this experience will teach her not to allow anyone the make them feel anything be it humilation, inadequacy or anything.
Perhaps the next time she can catch her breath and hold her head up high and approach this nurse that her behavior is inappropriate, that she did the best she could, etc. etc. Another person shouldn't have the power over how another person feels. We can own our own feelings and decide how to feel.
Part of the reason nurses eat their young is because they allow it. They own these feelings of humilation and cry in the parking lot and then ignore it and don't proactively advocate for themselves because God knows no one is going to fight the battle for them.
Again, let me say that the experienced nurse was wrong.