As current times have shown, we're short staffed. Administration wants to make money. So cuts are made to equipment and man power. Who has your back? Who can you rely on? Your fellow nurses? I'm not so sure anymore. Why do we as nurses eat our own when we should be teaching them and guarding them as our own. The fact is as we age our young nurses are going to be taking care of us, but there are those all too eager beavers who will in fact burn you. This is my experience.
This is my own personal experience as to why nurses eat their own? I have been in nursing for 20+ years. I've watched a lot of nurses come and go and some trying to move up that corporate food chain leaving a path of destruction a mile wide in their path. It's a very sad thing to have witnessed nursing go from a caring environment to a volatile, stressful, "me" environment.
I personally have never thrown anyone under the bus but I have been thrown under the bus by a nurse trying to move up. I was shocked, not to be naive but how callus and calculating this nurse had become in such a short period of time. She was a new grad. I took her under my wing, taught her in a specialty area just to be told shortly thereafter that there were going to be cuts in this area, and I was one of the people being cut along with approximately 20 more nurses. I then found out that my underling I had taught was at the helm of helping administration make these cuts based on who had been there longest, made the most per hour and new grads or new hires would be cheaper. So it was done and my underling moved up to an office of ease while the rest of us were dispersed throughout the facility or some even let go destroying lives and careers.
Once moved to another area of the facility I witnessed a male nurse dating several other female nurses turning them against each other and ending up dating a charge nurse that was best friends with the manager of that department, so they were allowed to cuddle up at the nurses' station and pretty much did nothing else other than sneak outside. Yes all of this was reported by others than myself, however administration didn't care, bottom line was man hours not pt care.
I've since left that facility after many years. I am now at a new facility and have already picked up on the "eager" young nurses more than willing to talk behind other nurses' backs. This is disappointing. The nursing school and instructors of old that I had the privilege of going to and being taught by would be appalled and would not have tolerated for one moment. Is loyalty, character and earning your title without harming something taught in nursing schools? Should certain psychiatric characters be red flags for school administrators be implemented to prevent cannibalism within nursing?
I feel as if those great women who pioneered nursing to care for the sick, indigent and wounded would be so saddened by the "General Hospital", "Grays Anatomy"; "high school acting" nurses of today. On that note I don't want to diminish the fact that nurses have to be go-getters, usually type A, hungry for knowledge; however there's a professional line where we should have each other's back.
Nurses go to college to achieve a degree of higher learning along with all the nursing classes. You're professionals, intellectuals. Would you compromise your name, integrity and reputation for a easier schedule, a desk job, an office? All you have to do is help relocate or terminate 20 to 25 fellow nurses?
I am curious to the opinions of others, so please post. BTW this underling was moved back down the food chain and eventually out the door and with no friends or references to rely on now.
Before going down this road ask yourself. Why did I become a nurse? To help others who need it or to eat my young? If you answer or turn into the later, I fear you may be in the wrong profession...
Her point exactly. The need to correct someone's grammar doesn't make you look smart. It makes you look like the type of nurse that points out another's flaws. The title of the article is accurate. I've been doing this 17 years as an agency nurse for this very reason. Every hospital I go into all I hear is gossip and back stabbing. I hear how everyone hates their job," don't trust that one", " stay away from that one" etc etc. So I do my time and move on. Nurses Don't eat their young.. They will eat anyone. Women in this profession do not build each other up, not unless they are friends. Being upset with the title doesn't change the fact that it's true. Usually the ones that get offended by this NETY is because they are the catty ones that think their behavior is normal. No not every nurse does this but from my experience it is a large percentage. Now I hope I spelled everything right. I am typing on an IPhone. I wouldnt want to upset anyone because of my grammar or punctuation :-/
Well, I have been hearing the same stories for 36 years. It has nothing to do with being overworked, understaffed or any other sad excuse. Years ago we we did not face these issues and nurses were still eating their young! I think it is a power thing, bullies and the need to be superior!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
target98765 said:
Weird title, otherwise these newer nurses (basically millenials) are what I like to call "self promoters" that will do *ANY THING* to promote themselves. There is no team for them. It is all about them and what they can do to make themselves look good. This is nothing new and I believe throwing people under the bus is routine for them. They are more about "what can I get from you" then they will dispose of you. They are entitled and cocky while being lazy at the same time, it's made work so interesting since we have started hiring millenials.
And how much further do I have to read to find the posts blaming the older generation for "raising them that way"? (Although I don't disagree with you at all.)
These threads always degenerate into "I have never been mistreated by coworkers, so bullying doesn't exist" or "I was bullied, and if your experience was not exactly the same you were not bullied", with a side of "millennials are incompetent oversensitive special snowflakes."
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
azureblue said:
The OP's post was a description of a type of NETY, so the title is only a bit generalized. IMHO, nurses eat their young because we are an abused profession. We are told what to do by administrators, families, doctors, etc., and told what we should be able to do and with how little. Abused children frequently grow up to be abusers. Experienced nurses frequently say abusive comments to newer nurses, implying that the new nurse will never be "as good as" the experienced one. The cycle needs to stop.
The OP's title wasn't specific to NETY, it's "why do nurses eat their OWN." I've found that the biggest bullies among us are those who are most concerned about being bullied. Usually the new nurse. You know -- the one who encounters a preceptor having a bad day and wants to know how to report her. (Not whether to -- HOW to.). The one who encountered an experienced nurse who didn't wear gloves to assess an IV site (through the clear dressing) and wanted to know who to report her to. (Because touching a patient without gloves is ICKY!). The nurse who is so worried about being bullied that she's reporting people here and there for "bullying her", and everyone she meets wants to stay out of her orbit lest they be reported for nonexistent bullying.
We get it -- there are a few bullies in nursing. I've encountered two in forty years. There are bullies in truck driving, mining, the law, corporate finance and at your local grocery store. They're everywhere. A percentage of the population tends to bully -- and they're not confined to nursing.
But let me just say that the new nurse who is orienting to the ICU because she's on the fast track to anesthesia school will NEVER be as good as the seasoned nurse who is there because she wants to take care of ICU patients and was tasked with precepting the newbie. It takes a couple of years to become truly competent at your job, and if you spend that time applying to schools rather than studying and learning the basics of the job you have now, you will never be as good as those seasoned nurses.
Me too! I worked in the beauty industry and financial industry for many years before becoming a nurse and it's the same thing. Waiting for people to change who they are is pointless. However, YOU can choose who (and how) you want to be and then move on. The genuine relationships will stick and the fake ones will fall off.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" Elinor Rosevelt.
Nursing is a very challenging and worthy profession and if you are to survive, you will "grow a backbone". take each experience as a learning opportunity; not every person will hold your hand. This is true in everyday life too. If you are in a toxic environment, either move on or learn to stand up for yourself and you will see things change.
1. This is by far my favorite quote of hers.. She was a wise lady for her time.
2. This is true in ANY field. I am currently in the banking business (trying to leave due to major burn out and want to try something totally different) atm.. and I see this all the time. We have had people who micromanaged every little detail or want to micromanage every little detail of YOUR job.. yet want you to train them FOR YOUR job. I don't do that any more and it's sad... My reviews are constantly coming up that I should share the knowledge because I have so much.. sorry.. being backstabbed hurts a bit and I'm still healing from the last set of people you asked me to help out.. So No, they have to learn the old way like I did. (don't get me wrong.. I absolutely LOVE training new people, showing them different ways to get the same job done that doesn't require a bunch of steps, but I don't like being backstabbed, talked behind, complained against and I get in trouble for doing my job.)
3. If you don't like where you are, find someplace or something else. It may take time and patience, but life is way too short to be in a toxic environment.
Her point exactly. The need to correct someone's grammar doesn't make you look smart. It makes you look like the type of nurse that points out another's flaws. The title of the article is accurate. I've been doing this 17 years as an agency nurse for this very reason. Every hospital I go into all I hear is gossip and backstabbing. I hear how everyone hates their job," don't trust that one", " stay away from that one" etc etc. So I do my time and move on. Nurses Don't eat their young.. They will eat anyone. Women in this profession do not build each other up, not unless they are friends. Being upset with the title doesn't change the fact that it's true. Usually the ones that get offended by this NETY is because they are the catty ones that think their behavior is normal. No not every nurse does this but from my experience it is a large percentage. Now I hope I spelled everything right. I am typing on an IPhone. I wouldn't want to upset anyone because of my grammar or punctuation ?
Okay...that's just right on the money. I too, became an agency nurse (ER-Travel). I come in and do my job. Stay clear of the gossip and try to engage in friendships if possible. I have been lucky to make some great friends I will always keep in touch with, but yes, every hospital, every job, will have this behavior. It isn't young vs old...it is just crazy. I think it does happen more in nursing because everyone wants to be a super star. We are nurses, professionals and we should conduct ourselves as such. You can laugh at me, say you are a better nurse than me and start drama, but you can't take away my self respect, dignity and love for people. In the end, we all age. You can do it gracefully with a clear conscious or say hello to mr or mrs karma when it happens to you, eventually. Let us return to kindergarten and relearn the basics. Not to put down a profession, but nursing is professional...if you want to do drama and shop for shoes and use words like hella cool dude, be a waitress.
These threads always degenerate into "I have never been mistreated by coworkers, so bullying doesn't exist" or "I was bullied, and if your experience was not exactly the same you were not bullied", with a side of "millennials are incompetent oversensitive special snowflakes."
That's why they are redundant. Yet, I cannot. help. myself.
Specializes in Ambulatory Care, LTC, OB, CCU, Occ Hth.
RNdynamic said:
I think you're wrong here Jimmy. Jcg1 has got it. A bachelor degree prepared nurse falls short of what many academics in the old days would consider to be "educated people," both in attitude and in breadth of knowledge.
Speak for yourself.
I'll concede that I am not happy with the culture of resistance to life long learning that I see in nursing. It frustrates me to no end when I come upon a nurse who thinks they got the degree or diploma and that's it for their education, and then actively resist learning or changing. It's those attitudes that are at the heart of much strife between experienced nurses and newer nurses. I'm gonna tell you here and now, this superiority complex that is being flaunted in regard to credentials and degrees just illustrates ugly pride. It shares traits with the same lazy pride the nurses who reject life long learning posses. How can anyone possible learn from one another when they are all convinced they are smarter or "don't hafata learn"? All the fancy degrees in the world won't save you or your patients if you don't have the sense to critically think and work as a team.
I've seen this happen so often an its sad an frustrating. I have learned the hard way that you need to make a stand without losing your dignity or going against your morals or losing who you are an the reputation you have worked hard for respect of other coworkers. Don't let them win. Learn to put them in their place and let them know that messing with you or the others you care about had consequences. A little fear of the right degree earns you respect an helps you keep them in line.
Specializes in Ambulatory Care, LTC, OB, CCU, Occ Hth.
Here's that research I promised. I encourage everyone of you demanding your evidence and studies do your own research and think for yourselves. Don't sit and criticize something because it doesn't have what you think it should have. Remember: this is a forum. If you're looking for material to influence your practice, then you need to reevaluate much in the way of your research approach.
2011 ANA Health and Safety survey regarding hazards in the RN workplace listed this as area of high concern:
RNs threatened or verbally abused in 12-month period 52% (57%)
From the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2008 Position Paper: "health and safety consequences of horizontal violence (i.e., verbal, physical, and sexual abuse from coworkers) have received wide attention. A work environment with hostile interactions negatively impacts staff health and well being; furthermore, it has been associated with reduced quality of care and recruitment and retention problems."
"The Joint Commission states that intimidating and disruptive behaviors can foster medical errors, contribute to poor patient satisfaction and to preventable adverse outcomes, increase the cost of care, and cause qualified clinicians, administrators, and managers to seek new positions in more professional environments. Safety and quality of patient care is dependent on more professional environments. Safety and quality of patient care is requires teamwork, communication, and a collaborative work environment. To ensure quality and to promote a culture of safety, health care organizations must address the problem of behavior that threaten the performance of the health care team." (Joint Commission, 2008)
Nurses are three times more likely to be the victims of violence than any other professional group (Keely, 2002)
In Nursing Management's 2008 Workplace Violence Survey, 1,377 of 1,400 respondents claimed that employee safety in health care is woefully inadequate (Hader, 2008)
Of the types of violence encountered, 51% to 75% were bullying, intimidation, and harassment
Perpetrators of violence against respondents included patients (53.2%), colleagues (51.9%), physicians (49%), visitors (47%), and other health care workers (37.7%).
Manderino and Berkey (1997) estimated that 90% of nurses experience verbal abuse on an annual basis. The Joint Commission surveyed nurses and found that more than 50% reported being subjected to verbal abuse (as cited in American Association of Critical Care Nurses, 2005, p. 16). Of the 303 nurses surveyed, 53% reported having been bullied at work (Vessey, Demarco, Gaffney, & Budin, in press).
I suggest every nurse - especially the ones who have so graciously participated in this discussion either to contribute or demean it, read the ANA's position statement on Incivility and Bullying. Then read the ANA's Nursing Code of Ethics. As nurses we are all responsible for being familiar with nurse practice acts, professional guidelines and the scope and standards of professional practice as set forth by ANA. Those are the documents that courts will pay attention to should you find yourself on the ugly end of a lawsuit or criminal charge. Not your fancy higher degrees. Art and Shakespeare won't help you then
Jinxnjaded
1 Post
Her point exactly. The need to correct someone's grammar doesn't make you look smart. It makes you look like the type of nurse that points out another's flaws. The title of the article is accurate. I've been doing this 17 years as an agency nurse for this very reason. Every hospital I go into all I hear is gossip and back stabbing. I hear how everyone hates their job," don't trust that one", " stay away from that one" etc etc. So I do my time and move on. Nurses Don't eat their young.. They will eat anyone. Women in this profession do not build each other up, not unless they are friends. Being upset with the title doesn't change the fact that it's true. Usually the ones that get offended by this NETY is because they are the catty ones that think their behavior is normal. No not every nurse does this but from my experience it is a large percentage. Now I hope I spelled everything right. I am typing on an IPhone. I wouldnt want to upset anyone because of my grammar or punctuation :-/