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.
From everything I have seen, including my own development as a nurse, it feels like many parts of this system antagonize the differences between nurses, divide us at the most basic levels, until we can no longer recognize ourselves in others.
The pressure and stress involved in caring for people in an often ruthless, bureaucratic, machine-like system encourages us to see all the reasons inexperienced nurses are inconvenient, and ignore the reasons they are valuable.
From everything I have seen, including my own development as a nurse, it feels like many parts of this system antagonize the differences between nurses, divide us at the most basic levels, until we can no longer recognize ourselves in others.
The pressure and stress involved in caring for people in an often ruthless, bureaucratic, machine-like system encourages us to see all the reasons inexperienced nurses are inconvenient, and ignore the reasons they are valuable.
I completely agree. The current environment is tough on us, especially new grads.
Specializes in Extended Care, Med/Surg , Palliative,.
I have seen both ends of the spectrum. I recently upgraded from Residential Care Aide to LPN, and I have found that Care Aides are WAAAAYYYYY nastier to their "young" especially if they are truly young. There is a large element of people who wish they were nurses, but cannot or will not put in the time and effort for the nurse's education, and this does not filter out some really mean, closed minded people that hopefully would have otherwise been been left behind / filtered out by the hard work and licensing boards that govern nurses.
That being said, many awful people can pass through the gauntlet that it takes to become a nurse, but I have found that most of the nurses that have helped me in my new career have been so wonderful, and just happy to help me and are delighted by my enthusiasm.
Previous post: "I have found that most of the nurses that have helped me in my new career have been so wonderful, and just happy to help me and are delighted by my enthusiasm."
I'm just a volunteer for now, but all the nurses I've helped have been very supportive and excited for me because I'll be going to nursing school in the near future. I watched one nurse replace the needle and tubing (not sure what it's called) on an infiltrated port-a-cath, and she explained everything to me in detail. I was so thankful to her because experiences like this will really help so I won't be clueless when I start clinicals!
That same night, I left about 15 minutes after my shift was over and the charge nurse said, "You're still working? THANK YOU!"
not only there young, but their old too =):chuckle
I can challenging at first for any facility. My last job I felt like I could scream at a few people but luckily I didnt. The charge nurse annoyed me, it was hard to fit in at this place. Mostly the things mentioned was because I just didn't know, related to their routine. Very old-fashioned was some of the issues I didn't know about. Oh and the forms for everything, was hard to get use to, physician would write new orders on an past date order sheet, etc. Started this job Aug 07 and the time between starting to January 08 was the time it took for me to feel like I was part of unit/team. Plus isn't is nice when everyone states negative comments, not toward each other as much as comments about the hospital in general. Also the schedule was always messed up, crazy since there was the schedule for nurses to know when to come to work, then there was a staffing sheet that hardly ever matched with the other schedule. So who came into work for the next shift was always a mystery. Nurses need positive feedback and positive environment to get the nurses support. Maybe then the new nurse would be welcomed instead of having to deal with negative energy. If the current employees wouldn't have stuff to deal with, maybe the new nurse wouldn't feel like an outcast and would not be so intimidated. I think some managers should listen to the staff more and nurses should feel comfortable going to the manager when there is a concern.
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 hope that when I graduate and start working as an RN that I get someone like you to mentor me. We all have to start as "inexperienced" and need well seasoned knowledgeable nurses to mentor and help us learn the profession. Thank you for being one of the understanding.
Hi KnitterMama, I was so excited when I saw that you are from Ithaca, NY. I am from Dryden! I am starting nursing school in the fall and A & P this summer. I would love to meet you some time and get some advice from you about surviving nursing school and surviving as a new nurse! Hope to hear from you!
I have worked in two female dominated fields. As a make-up artist and nurse extern. Both were more catty and petty than when I worked with males. In nursing you can meet the nicest, helpful, and caring women. And then you can flip that coin and find some bitter, jaded, and power hungry bullies. Nursing instructors seem to enjoying weeding out the nursing students. In some ways this helps students grow stronger and develop a thicker skin and use the criticism in a way to better their skills. At the same time it can also lessen the students confidence and motivation. So, yes nurses do eat their young, sometimes with good reason and sometimes with none. Also, I think a lot of nurses treat younger nurses the way they were treated.
I was working a couple of nights ago and there were four of us new grads on the floor for orientation. One of the nurses kept making a big deal out of it, like "Oh, gosh, there are 10 nurses here? Gosh, we've got 4 orientees tonight ...geesh, etc, etc." Then later he was commenting on how great some other staff was (travel nurse) because the staff was all travel and "experienced."
I guess it must be great for nurses who are experienced not to have to trip over the newbies, and I understand it to a point -- but they've got to realize the profession is dwindling and new people have to come on. It's unfortunately that the typical floor nurse is charged with "educating" the new grads -- i feel bad for them at times -- what a pain to have to do your job, plus get stuck training someone all night when you receive very little pay for it.
Yet still -- they've got to realize everyone starts somewhere -- and they were also a new grad nurse at one time.
However, this very nurse was the BEST at training all of us all night on phlebotomy and various other things -- he was a great teacher -- too bad he didn't seem to enjoy it much.
Some of the things I've heard from nurses while on my clinical rotations (Never said TO me, of course (I'm a big ol' burly man), but within earshot...and usually by people 15 years younger than me.):
"I don't have any interest in answering your questions. Go find someone else and leave me alone."
"Those students really get on my nerves...always in the way."
"God, was I that stupid when I was a new nurse?"
"I wish they'd finally realize these students are just burdens to REAL nurses, and quit sending them over here."
"I hope these students don't kill anyone today...I'm too busy to clean up their mess!"
Now, I don't know if this is "eating their young", but my wife (an RN of 20+ years), and my NS administration believed it to be (and dissolved the school's alliance with that hospital last semester).
Me? I don't know anything. I'm just a dumb newbie. (Apparently)
The thing that gets to me while I read these posts is that these nurses were once "new nurses" at one time and they each had a learning period they went through. Why the disgust and impatience? They just might need that new nurse in an emergency situation some time. I realize my thoughts are coming from someone without any nursing experience, but isn't it the same for every profession -- you have to learn the job and the mentors should be more than willing to help accomplish that if they want their jobs to go smoothly also.
KnitterMama
22 Posts
Do nurses eat their young?
No, the system eats our young!
From everything I have seen, including my own development as a nurse, it feels like many parts of this system antagonize the differences between nurses, divide us at the most basic levels, until we can no longer recognize ourselves in others.
The pressure and stress involved in caring for people in an often ruthless, bureaucratic, machine-like system encourages us to see all the reasons inexperienced nurses are inconvenient, and ignore the reasons they are valuable.