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.
While I don't believe 'most' nurses eat their young (and I've been an RN since 1988), there is always one bad apple, so to speak, in the bunch and like all bad news - it's the thing that grabs one's attention (and memory).
I remember my first nursing gig in a North Philadelphia ER, and of course there was a nurse who ate my lunch, within my first month of nursing. That said, there were many other nurses in my early years of nursing who were great co-workers and teachers.
I hope all of us who are seasoned nurses will always remember what it was like to be a new nurse and try to help the new folks out. I'm not being a polyanna but just practical. Think about it, we are in a nursing shortage and the last thing we should be doing it running off our co-workers!
The only thing I am worried about as a new grad is that I will be eaten alive and rightfully so.....
I want to be competent, but I am sure I will do something stupid, its pretty much a guarantee.
I accepted a position in a Surgical ICU that I had worked at as a tech.
The biggest lesson I learned in nursing school, was that as a tech, I had NO idea what nurses actually did.
I thought I knew exactly how it was to be a nurse.
My manager watched her last two new grads struggle in the beginning--so she is sending me to a stepdown unit for the first couple of months to learn time management skills and to learn how to prioritize.
I am prepared to work hard, and to try to learn time management as quickly as possible, but like most nursing students I did not do a lot of procedures in school.
Going from the NCLEX hospital to the real hospital is scary. I am fully prepared to be raked over the coals.
Maybe I have the wrong attitude, but shouldn't new grads just suck it up? We are in a unique position that many people do not experience when they start a new career. Our job can be very dangerous for our patients if we are not on our toes.
Now I have to study for my last nursing school test excluding my 4th semester final....I just had to comment because I have been hearing this phrase all week and it bugs me....
I think I would be scarred if the older nurses didn't try to eat me. I'm more comfortable with overt criticism than covert. I want to KNOW if I'm doing a bad job and if they pick on me a little bit, that's okay too because I know in most cases you probably need a thick skin to work in this profession to begin with.
The only thing I am worried about as a new grad is that I will be eaten alive and rightfully so.....
I want to be competent, but I am sure I will do something stupid, its pretty much a guarantee.
I accepted a position in a Surgical ICU that I had worked at as a tech.
The biggest lesson I learned in nursing school, was that as a tech, I had NO idea what nurses actually did.
I thought I knew exactly how it was to be a nurse.
My manager watched her last two new grads struggle in the beginning--so she is sending me to a stepdown unit for the first couple of months to learn time management skills and to learn how to prioritize.
I am prepared to work hard, and to try to learn time management as quickly as possible, but like most nursing students I did not do a lot of procedures in school.
Going from the NCLEX hospital to the real hospital is scary. I am fully prepared to be raked over the coals.
Maybe I have the wrong attitude, but shouldn't new grads just suck it up? We are in a unique position that many people do not experience when they start a new career. Our job can be very dangerous for our patients if we are not on our toes.
Now I have to study for my last nursing school test excluding my 4th semester final....I just had to comment because I have been hearing this phrase all week and it bugs me....
Put on your big girl panties and deal with it...
Handling constructive criticism is important and one should expect it because we're not perfect and people's lifes are at stake. Some people get criticized and then come here and cry "nurses eat their young".
However, being mistreated and sucking it up is not what it's about.
I'll ignore the sexist remark about big girl panties, because I've outgrown mine. LOL
You know, there's a huge difference between an experienced nurse teaching and helping you by offering constructive criticism in a positive manner than a nurse "eating their young".
I agree with Tweety that it's not just about "sucking it up" and thinking that "eating the young" is how it's supposed to go. I had a great nurse that really took me under her wing and showed me A LOT .... went out of her way and above her duties to help me. Sure there were times when she gave me criticism about how I was doing things, but she was teaching me. She let me make my own mistakes (not mistakes that she knew would harm the patient, but mistakes that she knew would be harmless, yet that would TEACH me to not make those mistakes again). Was she "eating her young"? No. She was trying to mold me into being a great nurse someday like she is.
For the most part no. I have been an ICU nurse/RN for 3 years in some of the best hospitals in the nation. USC, UCLA, Cornell, Memorial Sloan Kettering. At these teaching facilities, you find many senior nurses who know that it is part of their job to mentor new nurses. Then you have the few nurses who are a) burnt out on their job, b) cant stand that you are young and still very excited about nursing c) are so set in their ways, they cant be bothered with mentoring or precepting. THis is very unfortunate because it DOES drive nurses away.
I have, gone home twice crying after my shift after being "chewed at" by a senior nurse. And this is 2 years into my experience. Needless to say, I left. It became a form of harrassment.
For many of us, nursing is something we chose to get into because we are good at caretaking and have compassionate hearts. I refused to be eaten, because thats not what nursing is about. Refuse to stoop to that level.
If they DO drive you out, dont look at it like they got the best of you. Because they didnt. You left with dignity and integrity that you were not going to become hardened by them and hate your job. Go where you are happy because there are plenty of units that will make you happy and take you with open ams and with passion to teach.
Be mindful of the senior nurses with "power" and try not to step on their toes. You may have to play the game for awhile. Remember, theyve been there forever. Its not going to take a new grad to send them packing. It doesnt make it right, but it is a reality ive learned the hard way. Unfortunately it may take a handful of new grads, but not many are willing to get caught up in the politics. And these Sr. RN's know that.
Maybe the term "eat" is too strong. Perhaps "Leave their young along the roadside and become angry and annoyed when they can't keep up the pace" is a better way to say it. I think it's too long and thats why people have favored using "eat their young". Either way new nurses are not being nurtured the way they should, even if it's not intentional. I think part of the problem is that nurses are usually overworked and stressed out. It doesn't leave much time for nurturing. I think it's not so much a problem with individuals (minus a few), but rather a systemic problem that needs to focus on creating well trained new nurses who are able to provide safe quality care.
it's the same rules you learned on the playground back so many years ago. it's all about personalities, some will take your lunch money, others will give you theirs. be a fast learner and know who;s who...but keep your guns loaded anyway!
We are dealing with a situation lately in our unit that's echoed this theme. We don't have call. This is sort of a ... failing of ours, maybe sorta not, depending on your perspective. Yes, other units can help us, and we help them, but it's a loose, non-organized sort of thing.
So we have a brand new nurse in another department that frequently floats and their department practically requires that their nurses be able to float to all critical care areas. Except OR. Nobody floats there.
She's good, but due to hectic scheduling and the need for a nurse on really bad nights, we haven't had time to properly orient her. So she's definitely learning on her feet. Oh yeah, learning medsurg is going to be really difficult for her; if a patient comes in for her specialty she will have to drop what she's doing and run. (OB) There have always been, and always will be, those who gripe over giving that department's nurses a load because they may have to go in the middle of a shift. Understood. But now we're having griping because this one doesn't have enough experience to do it perfectly when we need her most.
Argh. Well I got stuck in the middle of the debate. And hopefully it's helped; as I've tried to point out to her she's just got a really hard job for the next year. It's going to take extra effort on everyone's part, including herself, just to learn the minimum standards for 2/3 of the flipping hospital. She's willing, half hurt by the remarks, mostly understanding, and kinda excited by the challenge. I think we're gonna have a good outcome.
Then we have seen some nurses, not exactly in the same position, but occasionally getting thrown into my unit, that I feel the need to throw hissy fits over. And these are people I like! So I'm not immune, we can all be nasty at times when things don't go the way we want, or when people don't do things the way we want them to. It's been hard for me to remember that if I want my staffing to be okay, I gotta show nurse B the same orientation-style education mentality that I'm showing nurse A, so I wind up with two better trained people.
Hang in there folks. Even some people you think could care less about how your skills are progressing, are just trying to figure out how to handle helping you, and getting their work done too.
it's the same rules you learned on the playground back so many years ago. it's all about personalities, some will take your lunch money, others will give you theirs. be a fast learner and know who;s who...but keep your guns loaded anyway!
I almost hate to say it, but I think that's the best advice I've heard yet. :)
Knowing there are bullies on the playground who will steal your lunch money, being prepared to deal with them, is a lot better than saying "everyone on the playground are bullies that will steal your money".
Specializes in Geriatrics, retirement, home care..
I am a second year student, and get a lot of grief from other students because I am the youngest in my class, even though I try hard in my studies (they just assume that younger students are "immature", etc.) I am greatful to say that so far, the nurses have been very welcoming/helpful. I have heard stories where nurses treat students badly/ignore them/etc. , but I have not personally experienced this. To all the nurses I've worked with so far: thanks for you support and cooperation!
jlcole45
474 Posts
While I don't believe 'most' nurses eat their young (and I've been an RN since 1988), there is always one bad apple, so to speak, in the bunch and like all bad news - it's the thing that grabs one's attention (and memory).
I remember my first nursing gig in a North Philadelphia ER, and of course there was a nurse who ate my lunch, within my first month of nursing. That said, there were many other nurses in my early years of nursing who were great co-workers and teachers.
I hope all of us who are seasoned nurses will always remember what it was like to be a new nurse and try to help the new folks out. I'm not being a polyanna but just practical. Think about it, we are in a nursing shortage and the last thing we should be doing it running off our co-workers!