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.
It does seem like you have to "prove" yourself before your accepted by the vets. I had a situation where I charted in the wrong patient's chart. Well, the nurse who had that patient was very upset. She yelled at me for my mistake and told me that I wasn't going to make in the ICU if I wasn't attentive. Then she yelled at my preceptor for not "standing" up to me...whatever that's supposed to mean. I felt horrible...it was an honest mistake. Some of the other nurses tried to cheer me up with stories of when they did the exact thing.
Well, the next day comes and the same thing happens (At least I thought). I see my preceptor and the lady talking wondering...what did I do wrong. I walked over to see what was going on and she shot me the only evil look. My precptor reluctantly says, you charted in the wrong chart again. I freak out..."I was really careful, I looked at the chart"...Come to find out...The vet was the one who charted in the wrong chart. She charted in my patient's chart. Boy, did I get a laugh out at that...I mean just yesterday she was yelling at me and end up making the same mistake. So it just goes to show you that everyone makes mistakes...the vet and the newbie. By the way...she gave me a half (fill in the blank) apology, only when she realized she was wrong.
Funny I just he4ard from other professions such as physio, ot, social work that they think that nurses eat their yonge.
I think we tend to forget sometimes that we were once students and new grads and were very anxious and nervous to start our new jobs. Some people have thick skin but others don't and will be scared off.
I find that the smaller groups such as physio, ot, speech etc treat their students with respect. They take them to lunch or have a pot luck to appreciate their precense when they leave. i se this and wonder why nursing doesn't always nurture or become the big brother/sister to the new grads.
The way I see it is that "the way you treat your new grad refelcts the care you receive in your nursing home care down the road"
be nice to your kids man, they choose your nursing home
the worst is when they expect you to take on a full courseload as a student meanwhile you have no cpu access, no contact numbers for phys, no workload access, no narcs code. arrrrgh.
It is so great to hear all of the newbies chime in. I don't know if you would consider me a newbie or not having been a nurse on the floor for one year already. I have worked day shift and I have worked night shift. There is no one nurse that can tell me on my floor about how difficult it is to work one shift or another as far as I am concerned they are spitting in the wind. I have learned that nursing is all about who you work with - who is your support team. When I have given report to day shift as well as night shift I have been hit with the most ridiculous questions. All I can say is for heaven's sake do your own assessement!!!! I have had my share of very bad apples on both shifts - shame on you nurses - you know who you are.
Not saying all nurses do this, but yes I have also experienced the sarcastic reporting. They know you are new and need to somehow release their own tension by using their power to criticise our own report (form of bullying). Depends on the team you are working with for sure. It is a team profession.
All I need to know in report is the important stuff. I'll do my own assessment anyways.
I found that some of the people that do have power trips at work don't always have power in their homes and so this compensates for the loss power at home.
I also find being a bodybuilder and a little humiliating humour helps to be be perpared for any of these critical attacks. :)
Everything I have experienced over the past 30+ years indicates YES.....they DO indeed EAT their young. The question is: How can nurses change it? ........ How can we mentor, nourish, empower and move health care forward through NOT eating (and/or mangling our young?) .
Everything I have experienced over the past 30+ years indicates YES.....they DO indeed EAT their young. The question is: How can nurses change it? ........ How can we mentor, nourish, empower and move health care forward through NOT eating (and/or mangling our young?) .
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
oh after 20++ years I still see nurses in report that go on and on to show off how much they think they know, I say, tell me what I need to know so You can go home and I can get started...I don't want to hear all the opinions and what you think...maybe I sound nasty, but enough is enough...who are they trying to convince that they are so all knowing??? certainly not me, because I don't care....maybe themselves....
Final line is..do we eat our own..yes, are we proud of that?, I hope not. This is my question to all of you? When vacation time comes, do you want to be denied, because thier is no one to cover for you? Because, the nurses you oriented left? Did you give them so bad an overview that they felt they did not want to work there? What is bad for one nurse is not always bad for the next nurse. What is stress for one is fuel for the next. Sometimes it is all about separating the job from home. Your stress may not be related to the job. So don't pass it on.
nurse430+yrs said "YES.....they DO indeed EAT their young. ", not meaning him or herself. Often when nurses say "nurses definitely eat their young" what they are saying "everyone but me of course".
nurse430+yrs said "YES.....they DO indeed EAT their young. ", not meaning him or herself. Often when nurses say "nurses definitely eat their young" what they are saying "everyone but me of course".
Ah of course, doesn't apply to them directly .... but it must apply to EVERY other single nurse out there
NsgChica
140 Posts
It does seem like you have to "prove" yourself before your accepted by the vets. I had a situation where I charted in the wrong patient's chart. Well, the nurse who had that patient was very upset. She yelled at me for my mistake and told me that I wasn't going to make in the ICU if I wasn't attentive. Then she yelled at my preceptor for not "standing" up to me...whatever that's supposed to mean. I felt horrible...it was an honest mistake. Some of the other nurses tried to cheer me up with stories of when they did the exact thing.
Well, the next day comes and the same thing happens (At least I thought). I see my preceptor and the lady talking wondering...what did I do wrong. I walked over to see what was going on and she shot me the only evil look. My precptor reluctantly says, you charted in the wrong chart again. I freak out..."I was really careful, I looked at the chart"...Come to find out...The vet was the one who charted in the wrong chart. She charted in my patient's chart. Boy, did I get a laugh out at that...I mean just yesterday she was yelling at me and end up making the same mistake. So it just goes to show you that everyone makes mistakes...the vet and the newbie. By the way...she gave me a half (fill in the blank) apology, only when she realized she was wrong.