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.
Ive been married to a redhead for 30 yrs now. No wonder she hates Mark.
Lucky you! My husband says "Hellllllllp, I've got redheads in stereo." - my daughter is also blessed with the rare and wonderful gene. I think it's about one or two percent of the human population. How did nurses eating their young get into this?, oh yeah - evolving from cats. But how can anybody not love Mark Twain? My other favorite Mark Twain quote is about people who keep parrots, cuz I have six of 'em.
But back to eating their young - it does vary wildly, and my guess is older hospitals have more of it. Things are changing, but it partially depends on where you are and what hospital you work in. (btw, it's almost 32 for us - ain't it great to be married to a redhead?)
I am a newbie - less than 6 months as an RN - at first I would have said no way - but I got a phone call from my supervisor the other day asking me if it was true that I was speaking negatively about her as she was told. ????? (not true by the way) I am tired of hearing the comments by more experienced nurses on the floor that they have to pick up the slack because we have so many new nurses on our floor- If they are so unhappy being nurses at my facility - they know where the door is - I am always happy to help someone else out - whether it is a patient or a fellow nurse - that will NEVER change no matter how long I am a nurse for. Everyone has to start some where and when we start out we are unsure and have alot of questions - EXCUSE ME for asking so many questions trying to take care of my patients and keep up with my mounting pile of paperwork. Some people are just so MISERABLE that they want visit their misery upon others and are not happy unless they do so - after less than 6 months I am so disgusted I am ready to leave floor nursing - even though I love it and my patients love me (have gotten so many positive write ups!!):monkeydance:
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
absolutely!!!
i am a newbie - less than 6 months as an rn - at first i would have said no way - but i got a phone call from my supervisor the other day asking me if it was true that i was speaking negatively about her as she was told. ????? (not true by the way) i am tired of hearing the comments by more experienced nurses on the floor that they have to pick up the slack because we have so many new nurses on our floor- if they are so unhappy being nurses at my facility - they know where the door is - i am always happy to help someone else out - whether it is a patient or a fellow nurse - that will never change no matter how long i am a nurse for. everyone has to start some where and when we start out we are unsure and have alot of questions - excuse me for asking so many questions trying to take care of my patients and keep up with my mounting pile of paperwork. some people are just so miserable that they want visit their misery upon others and are not happy unless they do so - after less than 6 months i am so disgusted i am ready to leave floor nursing - even though i love it and my patients love me (have gotten so many positive write ups!!):monkeydance:
because you are a newbie, i doubt you understand how much slack the experienced nurses are picking up. if there's only one newbie on shift, it's easy to be available to answer questions, check up to make sure she's doing ok, help her troubleshoot, etc. but there are nights i'm in a 6 bed room with my orientee and our patients, and anywhere from two to five newbies each with their own assignment. i'm happy to help out, but if sally has asked me to start her iv for her, mary has asked me to help her troubleshoot the funky waveform on her art line, jane wants me to help her re-time her balloon pump and sue wants me to help her decide whether it's time to call the doctor, when do i teach my orientee? when do i do my own work?
having a shift with a high proportion of newbies puts a lot of strain on senior staff. someday, when you are senior staff, you will understand that.
I am sorry about your situation and I really do understand - I don't have to be a senior nurse to understand. But I mean really - is it necessary to run to the unit manager with lies about me? That is petty and childish - something that I would expect from an adolescent - not a seasoned nurse. I don't have time to sit around and gossip and even if I did have time I wouldn't do it - it is unprofessional and casts me in a negative light. I am off orientation and on my own. I realize each nurse has their own assignment and are busy. I was taught in school to be resourceful - I don't go running around like a chicken with my head cut off asking questions or asking for help. In fact alot of nurse that have come back from leave have remarked to me that they can't believe I am a newbie because I basically work on my own and there are very, very few times I ask any questions or ask for help.
Now that I've been a nurse for 2 years I understand what Ruby is saying. I'm definitely still new and still have a lot of learning to do, but I'm at the point where the newer nursers are coming to me with questions. They're asking me to help them with their IVs, with their labs, with troubleshooting different things, etc, etc. And I don't mind helping at all, but it really is hard when you have your own assignment and are surrounded by all new nurses.
But I do have to remind myself that it's not their fault. How the manager can hire all these new nurses at the same time and have the new nurses to experienced nurses ratio way outta whack .... isn't fair. To anyone.
I guess that's one thing that I would tell new grads to really research and ask about before accepting a new job ...... make sure that there are quite a bit more experienced nurses on each shift, so you're not working with a ton of new grads all fighting for help.
Now that I've been a nurse for 2 years I understand what Ruby is saying. I'm definitely still new and still have a lot of learning to do, but I'm at the point where the newer nursers are coming to me with questions. They're asking me to help them with their IVs, with their labs, with troubleshooting different things, etc, etc. And I don't mind helping at all, but it really is hard when you have your own assignment and are surrounded by all new nurses.
But I do have to remind myself that it's not their fault. How the manager can hire all these new nurses at the same time and have the new nurses to experienced nurses ratio way outta whack .... isn't fair. To anyone.
I guess that's one thing that I would tell new grads to really research and ask about before accepting a new job ...... make sure that there are quite a bit more experienced nurses on each shift, so you're not working with a ton of new grads all fighting for help.
yes. i've been this road before. i no longer accept precepting new nurses for the hospital, neither do i accept charge nurse responsibilies or monitor tech. i have a copy of the job discription always handy. i've found if you do it once, it now becomes you duty, i've been burned enough in that way. but i will help anyone who seems to be in need (unofficially) as i too at times need some input or some extra hands.
I am sorry about your situation and I really do understand - I don't have to be a senior nurse to understand. But I mean really - is it necessary to run to the unit manager with lies about me? That is petty and childish - something that I would expect from an adolescent - not a seasoned nurse. I don't have time to sit around and gossip and even if I did have time I wouldn't do it - it is unprofessional and casts me in a negative light. I am off orientation and on my own. I realize each nurse has their own assignment and are busy. I was taught in school to be resourceful - I don't go running around like a chicken with my head cut off asking questions or asking for help. In fact alot of nurse that have come back from leave have remarked to me that they can't believe I am a newbie because I basically work on my own and there are very, very few times I ask any questions or ask for help.
Im sure Ruby, isnt much different from me. Us more seasoned types, seldom if ever go running to unit managers. If we have something to say, we are going to say it right there and right then, and no mistake about it. We dont have the time to go looking for managers. Besides who needs them.
I have to agree that nurse's eat their young, old, and any new hire until you are able to prove yourself. But sadly I think this is a female quirk (I am a woman saying this). Women are very jealous of one another in general. I think this starts from day one. Remember the girl in school that was pretty or the one that had that new doll that we were jealous of. What about the popular girl that had all the guys pondering after her. Do you not remember that jealous feeling ladies? We carry that over into our careers. Unfortunately instead of supporting one another, we are out to get one another. I have worked in numerous facilities and to be honest with you. I would much rather work with men than other women. I don't think male nurses are as "out for blood" as female nurse's are. My suggestion to all you "young nurse's, new hires, and old timers that are being harrassed," stick with the male nurse's, they are more supportive and willing to help you out. They lack that female jealousy hormone. As for you hungry female nurses, eat breakfast before you leave home, take your nice vitamin and don't forget the humble pie. In fact, take a big heaping plateful, it has no calories and it might help you remember that you were once a new grad, a new hire and someday you will be that old dog that is just trying to make it to retirement. Nursing isn't an easy job, you need to be supportive of one another or one day you may be paying the biggest price ever--severe overwork and no one to help you out.
I have to agree that nurse's eat their young, old, and any new hire until you are able to prove yourself. But sadly I think this is a female quirk (I am a woman saying this). Women are very jealous of one another in general. I think this starts from day one. Remember the girl in school that was pretty or the one that had that new doll that we were jealous of. What about the popular girl that had all the guys pondering after her. Do you not remember that jealous feeling ladies? We carry that over into our careers. Unfortunately instead of supporting one another, we are out to get one another. I have worked in numerous facilities and to be honest with you. I would much rather work with men than other women. I don't think male nurses are as "out for blood" as female nurse's are. My suggestion to all you "young nurse's, new hires, and old timers that are being harrassed," stick with the male nurse's, they are more supportive and willing to help you out. They lack that female jealousy hormone. As for you hungry female nurses, eat breakfast before you leave home, take your nice vitamin and don't forget the humble pie. In fact, take a big heaping plateful, it has no calories and it might help you remember that you were once a new grad, a new hire and someday you will be that old dog that is just trying to make it to retirement. Nursing isn't an easy job, you need to be supportive of one another or one day you may be paying the biggest price ever--severe overwork and no one to help you out.
I still disagree on nurses eating the young.
My lovely wife would disagree with you on telling all those lovely young nurses to stick with this old man, she wouldnt like that at all. Just Laughing.
yada, yada, yada,I am getting soooo sick and tired of "senior" nurses complaining about newer nurses. Guess what if you don't like it you know where the door is - use it - leave. I didn't ask to be here with so many other newer nurses. YES - maybe I should have researched better - call me naive, I didn't know any better at the time - now I do. I will tell you one thing - I will always know better than to treat newer nurses better than what I have been hearing on this board and how I have been treated on my floor. I will say one thing - I am a 40+ person and have been in the health care field since I was 19 years old - so you are not addressing a 20 somethething person (I don't know why I waited so long to get my RN) Since reading these boards and hearing complaints from other nurses on my floor - I have stopped asking any questions or asking for help (not that I really did before) and guess who suffers? my patients - while I go and take the time to research on the computer or look up info in books available on the floor. Questions that maybe senior nurses could rattle off the top of their heads. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!!! YOU ALL STARTED SOMEWHERE AND WERE FULL OF QUESTIONS!!!! I am disgusted with nursing and with all of you that call yourselves "CARING NURSES" how funny - when you can't even care enough to pass your knowledge on. Oh, sorry you are too busy with your own assignments to worry about anyone else. Or better yet - you are too busy worrying about your own tasks than about another person that may have trouble breathing or dealing with a a new nurse that is struggling to get her own footing. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!! Don't bother to respond to this because I don't know if I will even read this again. I apologize to those of you that help and are "TRUE" nurses that want to help and by the way helping is not only helping your patients but helping others-we are supposed to be patient adovcates. I still have not lost sight of this - even out of school for almost one year. For those of you that are negative - maybe you need to rethink nursing - you are not going to be here forever. You need to pass on you're knowledge - believe me you are sooo appreciated!!!!DEE
:monkeydance: 
teeituptom, BSN, RN
4,283 Posts
Ive been married to a redhead for 30 yrs now. No wonder she hates Mark.
Peace, Love, Golf