Vent about nurses "eating their young"

mamason · Feb 11, 2009

Yes, I can't stand that stuff either. I usually tell the loud mouth, " Hey, SO&SO isn't here to defend her/himself. " "So, we don't know what's going on, etc." That usually shuts the blabber mouth up. I basically don't care what people like that think of me. It doesn't matter. I only talk to them if it pertains to work. I'm not there to make friends. But, it is nice if you can get along with your coworkers. Which I do except for a few who are always negative. They usually leave me alone. At least in front of my face.

BelleKat, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2009

Some people are just ####'s,experienced,inexperienced,etc.. Generalizing it to a nurse eating their young is just bringing up that tired stereotype too much.

That individual,regardless of her experience, should not be training/precepting anyone at all. Please tell your Nurse manager about this treatment so this person is not in that position and maybe she can ask her to tone it down a notch. Hopefully this person has some valuable skills besides being "evil".

WhoNeedsaShot? · Feb 11, 2009

On the flip side........

I had clinicals in PEDS on Monday, got there at 2 PM, very small hospital. They had gotten 5 new admits, the Charge RN was sooo busy trying to get her stuff done, with the admits, my Pt was 16 and sleeping.

So I go to the RN and ask Is there any thing that I can do to help you out. She was like Oh yes thank you so much. Can you do this and that and this, and bla bla bla.

All the while she was saying Please and Thank you, and if I didn't know she took the time to not just tell me, but to EXPLAIN to me, even though she was busy. When it came time for my Pt to have a PCA Pump, she took the time to show me how to get the meds, insert and actully how it all worked. As she was doing so she was apoligizing for not showing me more and being available to be more hands on with me.

So Some nurses are Still Compassionate even to us students!

So Kudos to her! She really earned my respect that day.

J.Q.

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2009

I'm that person that no one thought would make it because I came from a desk job in a cubicle. I found out later folks were betting on whether or not I stayed the first time I saw a GI bleed. Well, guess what. The old iron britches that thought I couldn't cut it threw every psycho, CIWA, projectile puking, hematochezia spewing, melena oozing and just plain mean patient they had at me. Almost killed me, but it's making me a good, tough nurse. Your first year is fire -- you either come thru it, or it burns you up and out. Had they been nicer and easier on me, I don't know that I would have learned as much as getting thrown into the deep end. I'm not the person that started on this journey, but I hope I'm a better nurse.

ANnot4me · Feb 11, 2009

There are some really great nurses out there, but they don't seem to get far.

As far as the "trial by fire" metaphor, I have always said that smart people don't run into a fire and I wonder how many good nurses are lost because they have common sense.

rockytopRN2b · Feb 11, 2009

Poor guy.

I think nasty people are just nasty people, and unfortunately, some nasty people decide to become nurses. I have to say though, for every rude, unkind nurse I've met, there have been twice as many who are just the opposite. I've had far more who have been kind, grateful for assistance, and willing to teach and offer encouragement. I am really grateful for those RN's, and the others... well, they're probably just unhappy people in general.

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2009

It's not just the RNs, either....you can run into mean, nasty CNAs, LPNS, and RT/PT/OT people, too. But, like someone else said, I think it's more a function of them being mean, unhappy people rather than being a mean unhappy nurse or whatever...

riverkinz · Feb 12, 2009

That is totally inappropriate behaviour and it should be reported. She should not go around and bad mouth this new nurse and get away with it. That is harrassment. I absolutely despise and would not put up with it.

travel50 · Feb 12, 2009

Two of my CNAs at the nursing home said something unbelievably unkind about my new ADON. She was close enough to hear what they said...they thought she had already left. My ADON came to me in near tears. I am the DON. At the next inservice, in front of the entire group (except for the ADON who was out on an errand), I let them have it. I did not specifically call them out, but everyone knew who I meant. You could have heard a pin drop. Perhaps it was unprofessional of me, but if they want to be so publicly unkind, they just might get it back.

But like some of you have pointed out, there are many wonderful nurses out there who have been so helpful.

nickos · Feb 12, 2009

Good for you, Travel50! I am definitely imperfect myself, but I'll say that calling people out, especially in a group like that so everyone can hear, will hopefully at least shame them into thinking twice about what they say.

Also, I applaud that new grad for his honesty in how he was feeling in his first days! If I were an experienced nurse training someone new; I'd be relieved to know that they realized there was a lot to learn and would actually really enjoy being the one to help them relax and settle into their new job.