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.
So, the implication here is that it's better for the new, inexperienced nurse to not ask that question, but rather he should wing it and hope everything works out ok, when the other nurses are overwhelmed, short-staffed and busy? Is that a correct assessment of the situation?
If seasoned nurses are overwhelmed, short-staffed and very busy, and cannot find an occasional second to answer a question from a new nurse, how must a new nurse feel? I fear for the safety of any patients those new nurses are getting. Maybe we're going to have to extend NS a few more years in order for the students to learn all they need to know before they get to the floor.
Bortaz, I believe she meant that in the event of a situation, keep the questions to a minimum, rather to hold it and ask it later when the tide ebbs. That is a reasonable request. When the preceptor is knee deep in a situation, you want to have your head focused at that moment. The orientee can be observing or assisting where he/she can.
I don't think the complaints here are because of a "look". We're dealing with grown people here, some of us middle-aged and more. Most adults couldn't care less about "looks".
And, regardless of your stress level, you can most certainly be polite and minimally courteous when you're telling the new employee that you can't or won't help them.
Bortaz, relax. The point being that if there is a moment (or many more) where you can hold your questions until the moment has passed, that is called being courteous.
Kindof like when there's a code and everyone is working quietly - you don't want interruptions when you're thinking and focusing on the task at hand. Or I should say that's how it should be, as I have been in chaotic codes and controlled (in the most way it could be, codes) not a chaotic code situation.
Bortaz, you are heavily reading into what is being written and taking offense to something that is not even there. Everyone should know when to zip it.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i don't think the complaints here are because of a "look". we're dealing with grown people here, some of us middle-aged and more. most adults couldn't care less about "looks".
and, regardless of your stress level, you can most certainly be polite and minimally courteous when you're telling the new employee that you can't or won't help them.
i firmly believe that anything less than a 100% gushing, nurturing response strikes some newbies as "being eaten." polite and courteous just isn't enough for some folks.
So true. I'm a LPN working on my RN (Only one semester left!) and I must say that I've experienced MANY of these "Eat their young" type nurses. Doctors and PA's too. I think that in Medicine, the stakes are so high that people are easily lost on the mire. They forget their interpersonal skills due to stress. But worse, is the mob mentality that can gather momentum when some nurses start a crap-talking circle. The person or people being hazed are aware, and this stress just sets them up for failure.
I think that while Students are aware of this, it's still much SCARIER for the new nurse who is also busy, overwhelmed...but then on top of the lack of experience we don't even know where the damn Kerlix is!
Be that as it may, we can talk till we're blue in the face but the fact is, there are idiots out there both NEW nurses and OLD. But I can't tell you how many people I know are thinking about leaving the profession because of the "Eat their young" Veteran nurses who were indeed out of line. Luckily, I schmoozed all the vets in my unit, and they like me. But others aren't so lucky.
And then of course, I have to listen to all of them complain about lack of staffing....after they chased 2 new grad nurses away.
I don't know. Now that I've got some experience, my take is this: Patient first, keep them safe from a new nurse who's too afraid of you to ask questions.
I don't think the complaints here are because of a "look". We're dealing with grown people here, some of us middle-aged and more. Most adults couldn't care less about "looks".
And, regardless of your stress level, you can most certainly be polite and minimally courteous when you're telling the new employee that you can't or won't help them.
Agree. Most of the complaints here are mostly about rude nurses that eat their young.
And no it doesn't take much to communicate with manners.
However, I have seen on occasion where a student gets bent out of shape over a minor incident. I've seen students huddled in a corner whispering "can you believe that nurse left her patient in pain for ten minutes? ppsssst whisper whisper....the nurses here are so rude....whisper whispher whisper......" while we're running our butts off.
I had a student come to me as I was running down the hall. "My patient won't let me interview him, you're the charge nurse, make him." The patient was busy trying to make a phone call. I curtly explained that patients were free to make their own decisions. After which she was in a corner with her co-student talking about me. I think of these types of incidents when I read posts on the student forums "why are all nurses so rude to students?".
Anyway we could round and round and round about sensitive unrealistic students, stressed out nurses who genuinely are trying to get through their day and are labled as nurse-eaters (the overwhelming majority of us), and the real mean ones who get a thrill out of eating their young. My beef is some people don't see the difference and lump us all into one category.
It's all about respect> I don't care if you have had a bad day at home. It happens to us all! Respect is part of professionalisim! If we don't take care of each other, we are out in the yard with the dogs!
It's all about respect> I don't care if you have had a bad day at home. It happens to us all! Respect is part of professionalisim! If we don't take care of each other, we are out in the yard with the dogs!
I have come to have greater respect for nurses after reading threads here on allnurses...and with all of the problems that exist I sure do not think cannibalism will make things much better...Be good to each other if ya can (this is not for the nurse who is chewing out another nurse for not doing her job...or anything eles in defense of patients care...as long as teh chewing is commensurate with the failing)
Remember those of us who are patients are nervous enough...we really don't want to deal with our caregivers eating each other..or maybe even us. :sofahider
i firmly believe that anything less than a 100% gushing, nurturing response strikes some newbies as "being eaten." polite and courteous just isn't enough for some folks.
i don't think anyone would say they are "being eaten" if someone is polite and courteous. seems a little ridiculous to me.
I don't think anyone would say they are "being eaten" if someone is polite and courteous. Seems a little ridiculous to me.
I don't think Ruby Vee would say if it wasn't true her experience. I've seen the "I'm here...roll out the red carpet" type of student myself. Obviously students don't want to be generalized, neither do the rest of us.
MassED, BSN, RN
2,636 Posts
Bortaz, I believe she meant that in the event of a situation, keep the questions to a minimum, rather to hold it and ask it later when the tide ebbs. That is a reasonable request. When the preceptor is knee deep in a situation, you want to have your head focused at that moment. The orientee can be observing or assisting where he/she can.