Nurses That Eat Their Young

A story about a nurse who is treated poorly by older nurses in her young career, She is determined to shows kindness to younger nurses but is stepped on and fooled. Does she become bitter, resentful, and carry on older tradition of eating the young ? Or, does she make peace with it and learn we are all human and such is life. Nurse Forums Announcements Archive Article

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I will have a side of humility with that...

My career beginning...

The phrase "nurses eat their young" is often said. I learned it quite early in my career. I was perplexed on why an older, wiser nurse would not want to show me the ropes, why they would they not want to guide me and mold me to their perfect mini me. Most of the time nurses did not want to be bothered with training others, they did not have time or they just plain did not care. Many times I was just left to fend for myself wondering if I was going to make a major error or worse actually kill somebody because nobody wanted to take the time to speak to me or give me eye contact. I promised early in my career I was never going to be to like that. I would always make that nurse feel welcomed and comfortable in coming to me for advice or questions. Feeling unwanted was such a horrible feeling.

I came through with all my promises year after year through many different types of jobs. I have always had the mentality that I treated people just how I wanted to be treated. It worked just find most of my life until 2013.

As the years move on...

I came across a person that I had never encountered before in my life. I met Shelly in June she was bubbly, fresh, not the sharpest tool in the shed but was so sweet. I invested quite a bit of time working with her, building her self-esteem up. Explaining reports and charts. The jobs we had at that time had a lot to do with marketing so we spent hours doing role playing on marketing scenarios. I taught her how to analyze reports, and compare it to our competitors. I was so proud of her on how well she caught on.

Well, there is also another saying "Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me". Shelly was playing me! She was collecting data the entire time in order to further here career, to take a jump forward. Shelly then moved forward in the company received an award with the information I gave her and claimed it as her own. Shelly got a pay raise and I stayed at the same rate. Shelly also moved up in positions and I stayed in the same position. I was so angry and upset. The thoughts that went through my head first, besides running her pretty blonde head over with my car was, This is why us older, wiser nurses eat our young. Yes I did run in the mirror and double checked. I have become that older nurse overnight. I am now protective of my knowledge. I felt worse now than when I was that young kid nurse who barely knew anything. I felt like I was tricked, I felt old, out played and too slow. This was never going to happen to me again, I told myself. I was never a ladder climber...but I certainly was not going to sit here and hold the dame thing while others climbed it!

Common ground...

So where is the common ground? Where you do stand where you not have to eat your younger coworkers for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and you do not completely give them all of your trade secrets? Why this phrase is only said in the nursing field? Are we to be exempt from this type of behavior because our job is for caring for others? Do we have some sort of godly quality that makes us magical or something?

My promise...

I can promise to be kind to others, be caring and I can reflect on that one act to not be true to every young nurse out there, and not every older nurse eats their young. We all have knowledge to share and the only way this knowledge is going to be passed on is to share it and we will have to take that leap of faith as we do everyday as we care for or patients to empowers those who will be there when we can no longer go on.

Not even going to ask how you know that...

Tch. EVERYONE knows that!

So, that's what a snowflake is.

With apologies to the group that I stole the structure from:

Snowflake

It was once said by a nurse who wouldn't quit

Snowflake, snowflake, your complaint ain't legit

Complainin' and gripin 'bout things that ain't real

Being such a noob, you don't even know the deal

Old nurses been there, done that, don't really care

How cute are your nails, how perfect is your hair

Buying cute outfits with your newfound dubs

Want my respect, get some stool on your scrubs

Snowflake, Snowflake just look and you'll see her

For those that don't know, its Onomotopoeia

Their character is often like the way it is spelt

Feel a little heat and watch 'em start to melt

So, that's what a snowflake is.

With apologies to the group that I stole the structure from:

Snowflake

It was once said by a nurse who wouldn't quit

Snowflake, snowflake, your complaint ain't legit

Complainin' and gripin 'bout things that ain't real

Being such a noob, you don't even know the deal

Old nurses been there, done that, don't really care

How cute are your nails, how perfect is your hair

Buying cute outfits with your newfound dubs

Want my respect, get some stool on your scrubs

Snowflake, Snowflake just look and you'll see her

For those that don't know, its Onomotopoeia

Their character is often like the way it is spelt

Feel a little heat and watch 'em start to melt

Dude.

Dude.

Also apologies to all the snowflakes out there (love that word)

Specializes in Hospice.
Not even going to ask how you know that...

I know!! I know!!

It kind of brought the "This Ship is Sinking" thread to a screeching halt lol.

I know!! I know!!

It kind of brought the "This Ship is Sinking" thread to a screeching halt lol.

Really, you guys don't know that?

I know!! I know!!

It kind of brought the "This Ship is Sinking" thread to a screeching halt lol.

That must have been one I missed... Was the thread about pirates? :confused:

That must have been one I missed... Was the thread about pirates? :confused:

Come ON:

Welcome to the Official site for Talk Like A Pirate Day - September 19

In the same vein

Crusty Old Bat

Crusty old bat with chip on their shoulder

Former burning flame, that now barely smolder

The dreams that you had, now out of reach

Walkin' like a troll and smellin' like bleach

Reminiscing as you tell, a long boring tale

About when you babysat, Florence Nightingale

Shufflin' in a room, forgettin' why you came

Never gonna make it in this young girl's game

Crusty old bat, you think you got mettle

Truth be told, you're a faded rose petal

Im'ma be gentle and put an end to this rap

'Cause I know your old *** need to go take a nap

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Per your signature, September is also Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness month as well!

Indeed it is, but I don't have leukemia or lymphoma.

Indeed it is, but I don't have leukemia or lymphoma. It's also prostate cancer awareness month, as well as gynecologic oncology awareness month.

Your point?

Sorry about your prostate

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

It's really ridiculous when you have to start apologizing for what you have in your signature line. :no: