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 telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
it is the same everywhere...you are going to see the ones as described above that will "stab each other in the back to get in good graces or further their career" and you are also going to see those that will help each other, stand up for each other and work as a team...when you find that, that is the job to stay with....I have seen both in my many years and have chosen to stay where the mojority work as a team..of course there is always one rotten apple but I don't let it spoil the bunch....I think this is true in all professions....
"Bringing oneself to the level of the newbie sa ys very little about the maturity of the group."
Excuse me the level of a newbie??? Speaking as a newbie I have am at higher level and display more maturity than most RNs with 20+ years of experience. Understand something, I am not a 20 something year old that is just out of school, I am 40+ and have been in the healthcare field for over 20 years and I take offense to your comment.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
foxc1121- I couldn't find your reference to "bringing oneself to the level of a newbie" but I am sure that the post was just referring to the majority of newbies who, like I was, scared, intimidated, and unsure of oneself in the beginning....I doubt very seriously that the post was meant to insult or discredit you or any other new nurse. People take their personal time to post and try to help others/or seek help themselves and I really wouldn't think that anyone here is out to insult anyone.
Most definitely YES!!! Nurses do eat their young! Why, who kows for sure, I only know that I was a victim of this travesty time and time again at the hospitals I worked at until I learned to stand up for myself and not take it anymore, but rest assurred, the buck stops here, I will NOT do that to any new nurse, ever!
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
sometimes they just ignore them !!! I will never forget my first job on a med-surg floor of a large hospital...3-ll, my preceptor went over the Kardex with me and then she disappeared...I mean literally...I struggled through the meds, REAL uncertain about the IV pushes...I finally saw her again about 9 PM...I said "Where were you, I am really uncomfortable"...I'll never forget, she said "Well you were an LPN I read before you got your RN, I figured you knew what you were doing" ...
Oh, my.....I had just gotten my LPN that summer then went right into the RN program and hadn't been on a floor !!!!!! well, needless to say I asked for another preceptor AND shift....so to all you who seem to not get along with nurses when you are new....remember me...at least you have someone to ask a question to !!!!!! forget personalities, if they give you time (when they have none) and help out a little, just remember how busy they are....hang in there...at least they are there!!
Specializes in Psychiatry, Case Management, also OR/OB.
Of course they do... the bigger question being WHY? Could it be because the student brings to the clinical area new ways of doing things, maybe knows more than her mentor/capstone preceptor???
Now, how people handle this situation is up to them, I don't know how that pans out. I teach part time at WSU; we start the day out with a laugh with a cartoon from nurse toons to get the day rolling. I tell them up front this is their learning experience, and they will get from it what they put in. But it is my job to make it interesting; heck, they're paying hi bucks to be there, might as well get their money's worth. As to new employees being given a hard time, I am not seeing that in the SICU's anyway... they gotta get 'em up to speed FAST!!. Girls and Guys... just 'cause its been done all these years, lets show the baby docs how its done... they get tons of scut from the residents. Maybe we can be a better example; after all, we won't all of us be here forever ya know.We just need to get over our darn selves,roll up the sleeves, and help them learn. There are just some things that are not taught in school-- u know it, I know it... sooo eating your young doesn't make a whole lotsa sense 2 me.
My goodness,even when one is working diligently to identify with the new nurse, many have difficulty recognizing that noone is being condescending or intentionally disrespectful. For a more seasoned nurse or professional to react as some of the posts have indicated is to become a Newbie. No more, no less. It may be that before professonalism becomes a way of life, no matter how long one has ben in the field we need to stop taking things so personally and really examine the issues. If you were truly offended, sorry. My path toward maturity takes the same route as yours so forgive my forwardness. nanacarol
I personally dislike thia statement although I have seen many nurses act sarcastically and with an air of superiorty to new nurses (you would think they were born with all of their information) I believe we shoudl treat them as human beings learning new things....after all, don't you want experienced, knowledgable compassionate nurses taking care of you when either you or sick or old.
A:typinglso, it is high time that younger and middle aged nurses treat those of us who are older with some respect: we are not stupid, we can learn and we have alot to teach.....who else could find the three bottle sucktion in the dirty basement and hook it up when all of the power goes off?
not a new thread, please move where appropriate.
thanks you. need to learn how to navagate system better.
I can remember when I was a new grad trying to make it in our world of nursing and I didn't get much support from my older colleagues. I was told everything from "you'll never make it" to "you need to learn to play the political game" Well, here I am 10 yrs later and try my absolute best to treat all nurses with due respect whether old or new. We can all learn from each other as none of us know everything. I believe that there is no reason to "eat our young" we should nurture them and help them grow.
I don't think this should be generalized. Many older nurses are often cast off by management who are trying to get the newer ones acclimated and there is some resentment. Some older nurses do try to keep control but many newer nurses have an attitude of "I know it all" and won't take advice. This isn't just in nursing though it's everywhere.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
I can't imagine you being told "you'll never make it"...like I said before there is always one bad apple, the trick is to not let her spoil the entire bunch...Us older nurses are valued where I work, we do have more experience..,.that is a fact....we train new nurses frequently, I rather enjoy handing off knowledge that I have gained thru experience and most new nurses respect that and listen but there, too, there is always that one bad apple that already "knows it all and will do it her way regardless".....just a fact of life.....in every profession
In my very short time as a nurse, I've sort of picked up on the fact that many who are the most nasty at work seem to also live seemingly miserable or empty lives at home. I'm sort of a quiet observer type, and I hear a lot of what they discuss at work, etc. -- always talking about all the bills they have, something bad that happened on the off days, or they're divorced x5 or whatever -- I mean, it sort of falls into a pattern for me and I can start to see it. We younger new nurses are sometimes of vicitim of someone who cannot compartmentalize their life the way they should -- so they take it out on whomever gets in their way.
The nicer folks on the other hand, tend to talk as if they have lives, friends, and happiness of some kind outside of their job. Maybe it's not always this way, but I'm starting to see the patterns and qualities of both types.
And it's everywhere, not just in nursing -- but it seems to stick out more as we rely so much on these folks to teach us.
aloevera
861 Posts
it is the same everywhere...you are going to see the ones as described above that will "stab each other in the back to get in good graces or further their career" and you are also going to see those that will help each other, stand up for each other and work as a team...when you find that, that is the job to stay with....I have seen both in my many years and have chosen to stay where the mojority work as a team..of course there is always one rotten apple but I don't let it spoil the bunch....I think this is true in all professions....