Do nurses eat their young?

[Pumpkinn]

Hi there I am currently done my academic foundations in nursing and I am awaiting year two placement ( my program is a 1+3) structure. I am just trying to get a feel for what nursing will be like once I'm a new nurse, and I have heard experienced nurses are hard on the younger less experienced nurses. To the point that it makes these news nurses want to quit and disrupts morale. Have any of you experienced this? I hope I'm wrong! Older nurses should be mentors for the young nurses to increase productivity and patient care. New nurses must learn from experience and I imagine that would be difficult when the new nurses are afraid of what might happen.

[llg, PhD, RN]

As a nurse, you will meet all sorts of people. Some will be really nice and terrific as co-workers. Others will not. Some people will come to work with smiles on their faces ... others are stressed-out for any number of reasons and will be grumpy. You will need to use good interpersonal skills to establish positive (or at least reasonable) relationships with all types.

What I said above is true of most careers. If you think that because you are entering nursing ... that your coworkers will all "take care of you" and meet all your needs. That is unrealistic and you will probably be disappointed. Use your time as a student to work on your interpersonal skill and you "intra-personal" skills (those characteristics that are inside of YOU, such as self-confidence, reliability, resilience, etc.) ... and you can succeed.

Nurses are under a lot of stress in the workplace for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, that stress comes out in their behavior -- towards everyone, not just new nurses. Be prepared for that and you'll probably do just fine.

[Pumpkinn]

I don't expect to be "taken care of" I just expect respect and it is truly daunting the experiences I have heard from new nurses. I will do my best to establish positive relationships, however becoming a nurse is physically and emotionally demanding; and it surprises me I haven't heard more stories about nurses helping each other out as a support network for each other. Oh and then I hear what management is like!! I don't know if that's in Canada or America though, I learned some of the horror stories threw reading threads on this site.

[Pumpkinn]

Regardless of what hear, I want nothing more than to become an RN. RN's are always learning and have the ability to make a difference in people's life which I see as a privilege! I just wanted to hear other people's experiences with this so called "eating the young" trend I've heard of. Just wondering if it exists...

[inshallamiami]

Just a gentle reminder. All new or inexperienced nurses are not young. Nursing is more than "a privilege" it is very hard work, stressful, and intellectually/emotionally demanding. To me, nursing is about problem solving, kindness, and living life to the fullest (for both the nurse and the patient)

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I just wanted to hear other people's experiences with this so called "eating the young" trend I've heard of. Just wondering if it exists...

It exists, just not as much as people make it out to happen. It's an incredibly overused term that some use when no bullying/lateral violence/NETY has occurred- for some people, being given constructive criticism (which is to help improve a nurse's practice) is NETY. For some, not saying "Good morning" the second you see them is NETY. For some, they have truly experienced NETY. But just like bullying gets thrown out as a descriptor in situations that do not equal bullying, so to does NETY- and that cheapens the meaning of the word and in a way invalidates the experiences of those who are truly victims.

[scottaprn]

The published studies overwhelming demonstrate that nurses do bully their young at a much higher rate than other professions.

Be prepared to be told from a large group on this site that it isn't any worse in nursing than any other career or that it never happens.

[RainMom]

I've never experienced or seen it & I'm still a relatively new nurse (3.5 yrs). Nor have I heard any complaints from the nurses I graduated with in their various roles & places of employment.

[Pumpkinn]

Thank you guys! Yes it's true perhaps it is no different than working anywhere else. I am open to criticisms as they allow me to grow as a person. So things like that, I would not be upset over. It's just what I've heard lol, I too don't like the term "eating their young". Bullying is a much more profound and valid way to describe this occurrence. I guess like other posters mentioned, it varies between people and workplaces. I love this site! I just hope when I'm new (sorry I know not all new nurses are young, I'm not young myself either) I will find a mentor (someone I can look up too and learn from). And if his mentor has criticism to bring I will accept them with open arms! I want to be a good nurse for my patients, as they come before my "feelings". Thank you guys for your input!!

[chare]

The published studies overwhelming demonstrate that nurses do bully their young at a much higher rate than other professions.

Be prepared to be told from a large group on this site that it isn't any worse in nursing than any other career or that it never happens.

Sources?

[anon456, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately it does happen, but not everywhere. I started on a unit where it happened to me and several others. Some of them quit. I reported it to HR and my manager, and it was a known problem at that time. I know that the people were spoken to about it, and I transferred to another unit that was *much* friendlier and more supportive of me. I couldn't believe how much my confidence was shaken by that experience. As a new nurse I was already nervous, and then to experience lateral violence after all my hard work to get where I was, it was heartbreaking. I'm glad I stuck it out and went through the right channels. I still have to occasionally work with a few of these people but I try to let it go.

If this happens to you, and hopefully it won't, keep a journal. Show it to your manager first, and to HR if you have to, but in HR make it a point that you want to remain anonymous and don't mention the names of any of the people. Also to avoid being a target (sad to have to give this advice), don't be too friendly, don't appear to be too eager, don't try to make friends, keep your head down and do your job. Sometimes I think people are threatened by strong, friendly personalities and they may feel less threatened if you just stay quiet until you find your own place there.

[Farawyn]

*CRUNCH*

I almost don't want to click on the NETY threads. Almost.

As a young, new nurse, I worked with all kinds. I found some mentors and I HOPE I became the kind of preceptor that I wanted: firm and kind with an ability to laugh at nonsense.

Good luck to you, OP!