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.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
p.s.it's not a "nurse thing" per se, it's a female thing, which is amplified in all-female environments. as somebody who spent four years at smith college, the sine qua non of femaledom, i know from whence i speak.
a rough approximation: men pull rank by striving for the most money, hottest car, the most beautiful woman for a wife, etc., with much bragging and spitting, etc. women, well, meeeeoooooooowwwww.
diahni
i'm sorry that you and the majority of women you know are that way. but believe me when i say that the majority of women i know aren't that way.
Well, I am still in school so my experience is limited. However, I will speak to what I have experienced in three semesters......I have experienced cranky, hateful nurses who seem to have forgotten that they were "new" once upon a time, and I have experienced wonderful, patient nurses who would do everything they could to provide a learning experience. I think that it all comes down to personality and has NOTHING to do with male / female nurses, young / older nurses. I know that these issues exist in other professions and in life in general. I am trying very hard to not get discouraged as I go through nursing school. I do feel that we students are a burden to the nurses. They are busy and probably feel that they do not have the time to fool with us. However, we do have to learn somehow. I think that nurses do at times "eat their young" but I don't think that it is any different than what you would experience in an office or other professions. The only difference, I feel, is that it is time wasted because we are there for the patient, not a power trip. I am not the type to "meeeeoooooooowwwww", as Diahni put it, and I hope that those encounters are few and far between in the future!
I must have been extremely fortunate. There were enough nurses in my clinicals that appriciated us being there that I didnt have to deal with the ones who felt otherwise. I will say this, we had a great clinical group and great clinical instructors. We just all seemed to work well together. Dont know if that makes a lot of difference, but I know other groups complained of things we didnt know about, or see.
I've worked in a variety of settings since college--from research settings to clinical settings to office settings. And, to be honest, I've noticed that every profession is tough on their newest members, particularly those that are much younger. This is the sad reality of any profession; and, in my opinion, it is an example of age discrimination. But, nothing is done about it since it is viewed as perfectly acceptable among peers--a sort of rite of passage for the youngsters. As one becomes more seasoned in any profession, they tend to get more respect. This is a part of life; and a frustrating part, indeed.
Therefore, it is senseless to accuse nurses of "eating their young" since it is only a part of human nature that this occurs, especially in a work environment.
We have all been where you are now and have had similar experiences with the "nice or nasty" nurse. I personally was a late in life student and had varied life experiences that allowed me to toughen up my skin a little. The best advice I can offer to you and others that are still in school is this: Hang in there!!!. Take the good advice and put it to use and let the rest roll off your back. Nursing is your choice and your goal!! :)
You know there's a book out I believe it's called "Everything You Need to Know You Learned In Kindergarten". Cardinal rule in life? Treat people the way YOU want to be treated. This is an article from the Advance Nursing website.
"A silent killer has made its way into nursing and slowly eaten away at the core of who we are as nurses. This epidemic is becoming so wide spread that everyone from administration to nurse’s aides are affected by it. It is the epidemic of horizontal violence."
Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
I, fortunately was not 'eaten' as a young nurse.and do not and would not 'eat my young', Maybe I waslucky,but I have not witnessed this, I have seen doctor's eat their young like cannibals. I try to do unto others..why should we eat our young ,it seems to me we would be self-sabotaging our profession
As a current STUDENT, I believe that "NURSES EAT THEIR YOUNG" is completley TRUE in most cases. Once in a while a nurse will embrace the mentor experience and that is not the case, but primarily I go to my clinical assigment everyday expecting to ran through the ringer. Some (few) nurses that I have delt with LOVE to teach, and are eager to share their experience and knowledge with me and I believe that most of the RN's that are chatting on this thread must be those nurses. Believe me though, this is very much still happening. I don't believe that it is just a nasty comment that needs to be put to rest. God bless those of you who do not treat students this way, you are the ones that make going to clinicals a bearable experience.
I agree that nurses tend to eat their young, however, I don't feel that it is being done intentionally in most cases. Many older nurses have forgotten what it is like to be a new nurse as well as how much is not taught in school but can only be learned by experience. As mentors we don't always know what to teach or how to teach it and we are frequently saddled with more responsibilities than we can handle in addition to trying to orient a new nurse. All of this becomes overwhelming and leads to the "eating" of our new nurses. Hopefully with education and proper instruction from employers nurses can become effective mentors.
As an RN to be I certainly hope that catlady is right. It's very disheartening to think there are people just waiting for you upon graduation to break you down. It's hard enough starting a new job and the focus should be on caring for the patients! Isn't that the reason we all got into this in the first place?
As a current STUDENT, I believe that "NURSES EAT THEIR YOUNG" is completley TRUE in most cases. Once in a while a nurse will embrace the mentor experience and that is not the case, but primarily I go to my clinical assigment everyday expecting to ran through the ringer. Some (few) nurses that I have delt with LOVE to teach, and are eager to share their experience and knowledge with me and I believe that most of the RN's that are chatting on this thread must be those nurses. Believe me though, this is very much still happening. I don't believe that it is just a nasty comment that needs to be put to rest. God bless those of you who do not treat students this way, you are the ones that make going to clinicals a bearable experience.
I believe you that it does happen. The individuals that do it need to be dealt with. Students and new grads that encounter it need the skills to deal with it.
I am saddened by your belief that it's most of us and you're just accepting the phrase as a true one of the profession you're coming into.
Just because nurses don't roll out the red carpet and mentor and teach students doesn't mean they are eating their young. They are probably like most of us, just trying to get through their day. Some of them may be even new themselves and feel it's best to let students be and find other mentors, yet they are being judged as eating their young.
As an RN to be I certainly hope that catlady is right. It's very disheartening to think there are people just waiting for you upon graduation to break you down. It's hard enough starting a new job and the focus should be on caring for the patients! Isn't that the reason we all got into this in the first place?
From my experience there might be someone just waiting to pounce, so beware and be prepared.
However, I strongly believe that as a profession nurses aren't waiting in the wings to pounce upon it's young and eat them. It's a stereotype that a few (perhaps too many) give the rest of us.
I understand, because if you're the one being eaten it's very easy to be down on the profession when you're vulnerable and new and experience reality shock as it is, on a good day.
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,053 Posts
i'm sorry that you and the majority of women you know are that way. but believe me when i say that the majority of women i know aren't that way.