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.
I remember something I learned in a sociology class - women are really keepers of the gate, socially speaking. Maybe this is an old hard-wired trait from when somebody had to decide who got to hang out in the cave and who didn't. It's so PC to say women are like this and men are like that, but there are definitely general traits that are different between the two. I have always found men to be less judgmental and critical of others compared to women. But that's just one thing - there's lots of factors in the nursing field, though there are definitely some environments that are better than others. To be honest, I have never encountered such gratuitous nastyness in my life.
I remember something I learned in a sociology class - women are really keepers of the gate, socially speaking. Maybe this is an old hard-wired trait from when somebody had to decide who got to hang out in the cave and who didn't. It's so PC to say women are like this and men are like that, but there are definitely general traits that are different between the two. I have always found men to be less judgmental and critical of others compared to women. But that's just one thing - there's lots of factors in the nursing field, though there are definitely some environments that are better than others. To be honest, I have never encountered such gratuitous nastyness in my life.
Diahni
they say that all adversities in life are lessons to teach you something... maybe this is supposed to teach me something... i can't change anyone and all i can do is control my anger at such blatant injustice. i am sure there are good faculties out there, but mine is not of them. although my uni has a high pass rate for graduations, i think it would have the smallest number of alumni for the nursing faculty becoz everyone gets so jaded after being in this horrible place. a lot of my classmates really regret coming to this uni and choosing nursing. simply becoz of the treatment from the faculty. if their grading was fair, the students would accept their bad result. but it is so obviously wrong and no one can do anything about it. to some people a pass and a degree is enough. but for those who want to go on to honors, masters or phDs, a pass is not going to cut it at all. which is why everyone is so unhappy... this uni is not rated in the top 10 in the country but they like to brag that they are rated tops in some other obscure survey... i graduated from a top 3 uni previously and am stunned by the difference in standard and quality of staff and education. i think i will never give people the benefit of doubt again, and will stick with the top 3 in future! obviously this is different in the USA. theres more than a hundred tertiary institutions in USA. in oz, theres like 10 to 15. so unis in oz aren't really bothered about rankings but i think it really reflects quality.
we have a "conspiracy theory" on why the med faculty fight for their own while the nursing faculty eat their young. there are always more nurses than doctors. if 1 doctor in 100 makes a mistake, the rate of disgrace is 1%. if there are 10 nurses for every 1 doctor, and 1 nurse makes a mistake, that only reflects a 0.1% disgrace rate. so in short, nurses are expandable.
whether i am unjustly treated or just think i am, may i try not to be a resentful person, stewing over past injuries. and once i have identified the root emotion behind my resentment, may i be big enough to forgive the person involved and wise enough to forget the whole thing. today i will remember: not all injustices can be fixed.
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I had to laugh yesterday when my co-worker asked me if I had seen the "old bat" that was interviewing for a staff nurse position..I reminded her that actually her and I are now also "the old bats" She thought about it for a moment and then said " My God-we ARE-this changes everything! " We needed a good laugh yesterday,for sure
I just recently graduated.. but when I was in clinicals, I came across all kinds of nurses. 98% were amazing and happy to teach. The other 2% were surly and had their hackles up just at the fact that we were students. Weren't they students once themselves?
I just recently graduated.. but when I was in clinicals, I came across all kinds of nurses. 98% were amazing and happy to teach. The other 2% were surly and had their hackles up just at the fact that we were students. Weren't they students once themselves?
It's frustrating that those 2% give the 98% the reputation that "nurses eat their young".
I just recently graduated.. but when I was in clinicals, I came across all kinds of nurses. 98% were amazing and happy to teach. The other 2% were surly and had their hackles up just at the fact that we were students. Weren't they students once themselves?
I know the ones you're talking about .... a very small percentage, but they do give nurses a bad reputation. Weren't they ever students? Not them! No way! They've always known everything, right? They're the ones born with the stethoscopes around their neck ..... and a big stick up their butt.
You know what always cracks me up? There's a nurse on my unit, been an RN for about five years, I think. She is the nastiest, most difficult person to give report to. Just not a nice person. I once told her the UOP for my shift, and she wanted to know why I hadn't calculated it for the shift before mine as well. Which had been her shift. :trout:Anyway, so she's the only person on my unit who goes on and on about nurses eating their young. I always want to tell her, honey, no, they just don't like YOU. And YOU'RE the only one on this unit doing anything like eating the young. Oh, well.
Diahni
627 Posts
Veritas,
I remember something I learned in a sociology class - women are really keepers of the gate, socially speaking. Maybe this is an old hard-wired trait from when somebody had to decide who got to hang out in the cave and who didn't. It's so PC to say women are like this and men are like that, but there are definitely general traits that are different between the two. I have always found men to be less judgmental and critical of others compared to women. But that's just one thing - there's lots of factors in the nursing field, though there are definitely some environments that are better than others. To be honest, I have never encountered such gratuitous nastyness in my life.
Diahni