Do Nurses Eat Their Young?

Nurses Relations

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We have all heard the saying "Nurses eat their young". Do you feel this is true?

Please feel free to read and post any comments that you have right here in this discussion

Thanks.

This article sums it up for me... ?

http://www.dcardillo.com/articles/eatyoung.html

Quote
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.

Sure we do. I don't like it but we still do.

I have found that embarassing the egomaniac by exposing their ignorance of actual medical knowledge has been very effective for me.

Anybody else?

Peeps, exactly! I never hesitate to ask, "um...what's that mean?" and chances are if I don't know, that nurse doesn't know either. Maybe the real reason for their bullying is that they want to discourage us from asking questions? Interesting insight!

Too bad we have to go on the offensive.

What happens when a new nurse, late 40s, starts working? Is there a difference in the way they're treated, than a much younger nurse? I'm concerned about this!

NICU, I was 47 when I graduated and it's sometimes worse, sometimes better. I LOOK like I've been around a long time, but I haven't. People assume I have 25 years experience as a nurse and wonder why I'm so CLUELESS! Haha! I get more credit than I deserve much of the time. I get more flack than I deserve for the same reason.

NICURNtobe, don't worry. I think the heart of the problem lies closer to the 'generation gap' present between age groups, inherent in every profession, rather than a nursing profession problem. I find some of the 20 something attitudes a bit hard to take, to be honest...(I am also 40 something as are over 50% of nurses today)

Mature nurses do VERY well as new grads. I have never seen one have problems at all, in fact, now that I think about it...they are generally the best students and the best new nurses.... :)

IME, new grads of any age who show an interest in the unit culture and make an effort to 'blend' with the group will usually be successful(there will always be the occasional unpleasant personality that is inherant in any group, unfortunately...LOL!)

NICU-

It's equal opportunity "eating". Mattsmom is right, show a genuine interest and try to blend and stay low key for a while, but not to the point of sacrificing who you are or what you believe in. It's not always that bad, but anywhere you go and whatever career you choose, you will always find that select few that are just that way. Keep your head held high, and know that you can be better than that. Just remember, when you are that 30 year veteran, what it was like to be new. It helps keep perspective. And NancyRN - boy, I hear ya. I'm a second career maker. I started at age 34.

NICU, it depends on you. Age has nothing to do with it IMO. You'll either sink or swim, just like the younger ones.... We had a fifty year old student in my class who flunked out just before grad, and another about the same age who just rocked at nursing and is still going strong...

It's a personality thing. Some people just have terrible personalities that's all. They have the problem, and not you. As a student nurse however, it's easy to feel devastated by rude, arrogant and thoughtless comments from a buddy nurse.

As a "mature" student I can probably take the knocks more easily, but a young student would be put off for life by some of the comments I have heard while working as a student!

:eek:

Well, all I can say is believe in yourself. Don't always expect age, experience and qualifications make what what person says right, and what you think, wrong. It is not always the case.

I think in some cases yes at the last place I worked the first few months I felt like I couldn't do anything right even when I was; if I reported something someone else had to go double check. When I had an evaluation my supervisor mentioned that I was doing well even though the new staff aren't treated very good, that they were just testing me. I couldn't believe a supervisor would condone this.

I think that nursing is a profession that absolutely eats its young. A lot of nurses lack the skills to communicate directly and assertively. They rely on a more passive-aggressive form of communication because then they are "nicer". In reality they aren't "nicer" at all. They have just shown a lack of professional communication and respect to thier collegues.

The place where I work is full of people who exhibit this kind of behaviour. A new person will be getting excellent feedback to their face. Other staff will be saying they are doing an excellent job making the transition from student to RN. However behind their back, the backstabbing starts. And it goes on and on until the smallest thing that the new grad does is resented. All the while the new grad has NO idea. Then someone will approach the nurse manager and put in a formal complaint...all the while insisting that thier complaint remain anonymous.

How much easier and productive would it have been to give that new grad true feedback.

To have said..."I noticed you didnt do the post op obs on this patient. Was there any reason why? And do you realise why they are important?"

OR "I know that the ward is really busy but I didn't appreciate it when you snapped at me in the treatment room just before. IS there something I can do to help you feel less stressed?"

I honestly don't believe that the level of passive-agressive comunication and backstabbing that goes on in nursing (IMHO) exists in other workplaces. It makes the life of new nurses on the wards (and new grads in particular) a living hell.. never knowing where they stand and not knowing who they can and can't trust.

The number of times I have stood in a panroom with a new grad and handed out tissues as they sobbed about "not fitting in", "not getting any support" and not having "any idea that (they) felt that way about (me)" is more than I care to count. For a so called "caring" profession nurses show a surprising lack of integrity, backbone and honesty. It peeves me more than I can say and has had me on the verge of quiting on many occasions.

So what do I do about it? Well I'm honest with new grads. If I have a problem that affects me I let them know. I'm not cruel about it but neither do I gossip or backstab and nor do I go running to a person in more power than me. I deal with it myself first. And I dont put up with my collegues crap. I simple don't play the game. Its gotten me in trouble before...bullies and backstabbing (nice to your face) nurses tend to not like it when they are called on their poor behaviour. But I've found you call them on it once and they learn to respect you. You might never be invited to their home or be part of their big "clique": but really is that what you want? I know I prefer true friends who are honest, giving and have some backbone and integrity. Sadly most of my close friends have nothing to do with my professional life. Having said this, some of the nicest people I have ever met are nurses :)

That for what it is worth is my very humble opinion.Arial :)

You better believe it. I'm a second year student and nurses' are eating their young as quickly as they can here in Australia as well. Thankfully I'm a mature age student and shrug it off but the young students aren't coping with this. If it keeps up, the nursing shortage is going to become more than critical, nurses will become extinct.

Just remember, all nurses were students once.

:eek:

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