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 appreciate your feed back. I have and am trying to make the point that it takes only one negative nurse to label us ALL as "eaters of our young". Of course there are as you mentioned very helpful and mentoring nurses, it is those that demonstrate a poor attitude and less willingness to share with others (even if they don't have a teaching spirit). Being busy, tired, and not good at teaching aren't legitimate reasons for treated new nurses badly. It is not professional and it does not raise the reputation of NURSING in the eyes of society. Nanacaroly
Specializes in med-surg/or/ambulatory/geriatric psyc.
:nurse:I am a nursing student, but also a new LPN who just recently started working in the field......I have had nothing but good experiences with the nurses of longevity that I have worked with. I am not going to say that there weren't a couple of nurses out there who just has "that personality" of not being the friendliest in the world, but they have all been willing to help me learn, to help me do my job when I get behind, and just to encourage me to hang in there after a not-so-good day. I do NOT believe that cliche of "nurses eat their young". Nurses are some of the most kind-hearted :loveya:people I have ever met in my entire life......even when you are their co-worker instead of their patient. I am proud to be a part of this bunch. Don't believe that grape-vine gossip.........it will dishearten you before you even start!
As much as I sort of agree that the bad behavior of some nurses reflects on us all, it's kind of equivalent to saying the bad behavior of some women reflects upon all women. Or--perish forbid!--I've heard a nasty rumor that not all men behave well.
So, as a nurse, I undertake a responsibility to nurture and encourage new nurses, to constructively correct those who need correction, to communicate in a respectful manner with all of my colleagues, and to challenge the sterotype that nurses "eat their young" whenever I hear it repeated. Further, as a man I will resist the stereotype that all men are pigs, as a feminist I will eschew the generalization that all women are alike in any way, good or bad, and as a patriotic American I will continue to point out that much of feline behavior can be a good example to all of us.
I don't think, talk, or act "nursely" enough for some.
I make friends and do fine after a while, but still the environment always carries a weird edge.
My Pt's have always loved me, and I get along fine with most of my colleagues and other hospital staff, but when it comes down to it, only so much variation from the norm is socially tolerated.
Yes, some nurses are cannibals, though their diet is not limited to the young.
My experience shows nastiness towards anyone perceived sufficiently "not one of us."
i'm sorry to say this but i am the young.. i was an lpn for 4 years and everyone tried to eat me.. don't get me wrong i had no problem with the older nurses i found most of them to be funny and very helpful but most of them were very clanish the worst were your nurse who had been nurse 2-7 years almost like they wanted to giv to me what they had been given .. as a matter of a fact the reason that i went back to school was because i never wanted to be pushed around and put down the way i was..at the end of the day it's nice to ike your co-workers but my experience is i do it for the patients... it's a tough profession i live in a tough city (miami).. we need to stick together and learn to work together all i know is that i will be kinder to those under me as well as other RN's because it's not a competition or an popularity contest we create a negative environment for patients.. and in nursing that new grad today may be your boss tomorrow.....
thats so sad, i am a new rn graduate i start my new position next month and i always believe that every one should be treated with respect. i treat every one the way i want to be treated although at times its not easy because some people i find are so selfish.
I have a friend who is an lpn and she said where she works.. the RNs give her the worst patients, the most critical, while they stay near the desk and act as if they are busy when they are not. they only do admissions and discharge.
i was in shock because they taught us in school that lpns get the stable pt
1 "I was putting entirely too much pressure on myself"
2 " I learned that I was eating myself up"
I read these comments and I so much agree. I feel these two statements show why so many people feel like they are being eaten. I dont see anyone as being eaten. New or Old, Young or Experienced. I truly believe it comes from within yourself.
They can not eat you unless you enable them and give them the power to do so.
1 "I was putting entirely too much pressure on myself"
2 " I learned that I was eating myself up"
I read these comments and I so much agree. I feel these two statements show why so many people feel like they are being eaten. I dont see anyone as being eaten. New or Old, Young or Experienced. I truly believe it comes from within yourself.
They can not eat you unless you enable them and give them the power to do so.
Well said. I do think a lot of the stress of entering nursing, or even a new position, comes from within. We ought to take it seriously, but too much pressure can be disabling.
Certainly, I much prefer to think about, and thank God for, all those experienced nurses who help new nurses get over the stress and put it to work for them.
I disagree with the filtering down behavior. I think we as free thinking individuals must stop the insanity. We must put our feet down and "do unto others."
Why must it be? In continuing the "eating our young" behavior we shoot ourselves in the foot. My grandmother once said "Some people are Happy, Some People are Sad and Some People are Happy making others unhappy."
I disagree with the filtering down behavior. I think we as free thinking individuals must stop the insanity. We must put our feet down and "do unto others."
Why must it be? In continuing the "eating our young" behavior we sho:monkeydance:ot ourselves in the foot. My grandmother once said "Some people are Happy, Some People are Sad and Some People are Happy making others unhappy."
I disagree with the filtering down behavior. I think we as free thinking individuals must stop the insanity. We must put our feet down and "do unto others."
Why must it be? In continuing the "eating our young" behavior we sho:monkeydance:ot ourselves in the foot. My grandmother once said "Some people are Happy, Some People are Sad and Some People are Happy making others unhappy."
Which do u want to be?
You deserve Peace.:monkeydance:
I agree.
There are already millions of us decent out there if people just stop and take a picture.
I hope I don't get slammed too bad for this post! I don't think it is so much of "nurses eating their young" as it is "females eating their young" or females of any age really. I work on a med-surg floor that has 5 male nurses among 30 female. I have noticed when eating lunch female nurses will talk about a nurse as soon as she gets up from the table. Male nurses talk about each other to their faces, it's part of the fun of being full of flaws. Most men go to work and try to find some way to have fun with it, while women look at the job as a responsibility. Not that it is a bad thing, it just makes more stress for them. I have many more ideas, but i think I should stop here for fear of upsetting someone or a gender.
nurse grace RN, BSN
1 Article; 118 Posts
I am a relatively new nurse