Do nurses only "eat their young" in certain departments?

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

This semester we are on Med/Surg. At first I thought this "nurse eating young" thing was just something made up by overly sensitive students, until I floated to other departments. I have been is short stay, OR and the ICU and the nurses in there are SOOOOOOOOOOO nice compared to the nurses on M/S! One of the nurses in OR told me "I want the student nurses to enjoy their time in here so they will come and work here when they graduate". He spent tons of time with me; quizzing me a little things, showing me how to sterile gown-up, and told me the names of all the instruments he was setting up. In M/S however, I feel like I am a big pain in the orifice! I try at all cost not to bother the nurses in this department, but if I can not find my teacher and my client is in 9/10 pain an is allowed prn morphine and it is time (we need assistance/an observer) they sigh and act all put out. Its like, if I was not there there would be a number of other things they would have to add to their list of things to do because I am taking two of their five patients and doing everything for them (minus needing them or my teacher when available for I.V. push meds). I even say, "as soon as you get a chance can you watch me give such and such med".

Don't get me wrong, there are some that are nice, but the majority make me feel hated. The school tells us that students in the past have been hired as techs that have left an impression...but who would want to work with these people? Some even ignore you when you say good morning!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

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[PANurseRN1]

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that most M/S depts are dreadfully understaffed, with high pt acuities, and then asking the nurses to be responsible for students to just overloads them beyond what they can handle, could it? No, it's always the fault of the nursing staff for being big old meanies "eating" the young.

Here we go again, for 9,678,435 time.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

(Oh no, that phrase, AGAIN!!!!!!.......)

https://allnurses.com/forums/f35/why-do-nurses-eat-their-young-215955.html

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/nurses-who-eat-their-young-should-kicked-curb-214953.html

The consensus among alot of us is that the phrase "nurses eat their young" should be banished, as it is a generalization that tars all nurses.

steph

[LeahJet, ASN, RN]

Personally, I go outside my department to eat my young.

I never eat young where I work.

[LydiaNN]

(Oh no, that phrase, AGAIN!!!!!!.......)

Oh, c'mon, Marie, you know that you intentionally stayed away from the departments where this happens... Didn't you specifically tell them you'd only work in departments where there was no nurse eating?

[LydiaNN]

I'm sorry to make light of this, but I can assure you that if nursing eating happens, it isn't based on department. It is based on personalities. Both of the eater and the eaten.

[firstyearstudent]

I have found that on units where morale is low and nurses are overburdened, there is a lack of patience for students. This is often the case on M/S units.

However, on units where nurses have small periods of downtime, they are quite happy to teach. This is often the case in ICU, OR.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Lots of threads on this topic already. I invite you to do a search of the site for the answers you seek.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

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[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I have found that on units where morale is low and nurses are overburdened, there is a lack of patience for students. This is often the case on M/S units.

Agree with this wholeheartedly.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

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