Why do nurses eat their young?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I received my DREAM JOB last June in L&D as a new grad and was basically taught everything I know from my wonderful preceptor. I was hired for nights, because that was what was available at the time of hire, but let the nurse manager know right then and there that IF EVER a day time position opened up, and nobody else wanted it, I would be very interested.

I oriented on days for 8 months, and started the night shift about 8 weeks ago. Right before I was going to nights it was clear that days were being shorted, and they were going to open up a day spot. NOBODY FROM NIGHTS WANTED THIS POSITION, and I inquired about it with my "fellow coworkers". Well, what I got was the complete opposite of what I expected. These "fellow coworkers" who complimented me on a daily basis of what a great learner I was, a team player, and a wonderful DR nurse turned on me so fast that my head was spinning. When I privately asked my preceptor what everyone was so upset was, she pointed her finger in my face and sternly said "I SAT IN ON YOUR INTERVIEW 8 MONTHS AGO, AND YOU CLEARLY STATED THAT YOU WWOULD WORK NIGHTS!" She then went on to say that people would be very angry if I went to the day shift being a brand new grad and all. Again, let me remind you, NOBODY WANTED THE DAY POSITION. Then, a per diem day person decided to take it.

2 months later, in walks a nurse from another hospital who was hired to work days, never saw her before, no job was posted, nothing. Just came out of the blue. Again, I questioned it, and had my head bit off from many people who think I have no right to inquire or even desire a day shift so soon in my "career".

Anyway, just wanted to vent, can anyone explain why this occurs? All input is greatly appreciated.

TIA!

Jennie

Specializes in ED, Cardiac Medicine, Retail Health.

I must say that nurses eating their young is just indicitive of society as a whole. In my 25 year military career I witnessed plenty of people gorge themselves on human flesh just because they were higher ranking than the victim being eaten. I have watched many doctors munch away at one another at work and was told by a friend how police officers sprinkle salt on the newbies in the academy to make them nice and tender once they graduate. We are all humans and tend to mistreat one another from time to time. Nurses do not corner the market on munching on one another. The human munch fest began long before there were nurses.

Because they can and they probably enjoy it....shame on them:nono:

Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

I remember when I was a newbie in the ER - there were two nurses - one on nights, the other on days - that were just miserable to me. I kinda backed off and stay out of their way (and still do) because after a while I realized they weren't after me, they were just LIKE THAT.

One is governed by the need to be in control and have everyone recognize and bow down to that control; the other does much extra work on her own time and constantly complains about working so much and being tired.

They're not eating anyone - they're just that way - to everyone. Difference is, the ones who've been there a while (like me, now), KNOW how these two are and just ignore it, but to the newbie I was that first month, I was horrified. I can imagine a new nurse or studenbt ending up with one of these two for a few shifts - the threads would be flying!

Some nurses are just miserable, not because they're nurses mind you, but because that's just the way they are. Some respond to kindness and patience, some never will. Either way, if you do YOUR job to the very best of your ability and treat everyone decently, the grumpy ones are not your problem.

Good luck to you!

amen to all of the above. i will add that i recently heard the sociologist who did the infamous/famous Stanford Prison Experiment speak on the radio; he specifically chose people who scored well on a battery of psychological tests to play the part of the guards; even these incredibly well-adjusted people subjected their 'prisoners' to similar abuses as we saw at Abu Gharib. My point...sometimes even the most well adjusted among us find ourselves in a perfect storm of opportunity to 'eat' someone. The hierarchies of the medical field provide some of the necessary ingredients, then add it to stress and who knows what else and you have the human 'munch'...maybe we are surprised only because it flies in the face of the image of nurses...

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