Why nurses eat their young?

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Is it because they don't get paid well enough?

Gossip? Mean doctors? New grads? stress at work?

Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I have to admit, I've encountered very mean nurses during my clinical rotations. But come to think of it, I've encountered very mean people in all walks of life. I guess there are some mean people in this world. Thankfully, there are nice people too who I tend to meet up with much more often.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
OP, I can see from the number of threads that you are starting that you're really, REALLY interested in becoming a nurse. That's great!

But some of your questions may not receive exactly the response that you're looking for. Take this one, for example. Nurses "eating their young" is a fairly derogatory expression. Not only that, but it has been discussed over and over and over here. Most of those discussions contain some ummmm......energetic discussion.

This topic is obviously a hot button for some nurses. Of course, you wouldn't know that yet unless you had researched the subject. So I guess my advice to you is to pay close attention to what you are posting. For example in this post, you made an assumption that nurses eating their young is an actual phenomenon. Some would disagree with you on that. Perhaps you could have asked "is it true that nurses "eat their young" and why?" Or better yet, you could search here and read some threads so as to be aware of the reality of a situation before posting a question about it.

Another thing to be aware of is that your responses will be very limited if your topic has already been discussed many times before. Some of us will just move on and assume that you could find your answers by searching previous threads.

There is a blue SEARCH button in the upper right hand corner if you think of other topics and want to see if they've already been discussed.

Hope this is helpful to you.

Thank you!!! I agree 100%

OP this has been discussed a TON! NETY/Bullying use the link and you will have pages of results.

In 35 years I will say I have been bullied twice. Interestingly, Both of them were male.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I have to admit, I've encountered very mean nurses during my clinical rotations. But come to think of it, I've encountered very mean people in all walks of life. I guess there are some mean people in this world. Thankfully, there are nice people too who I tend to meet up with much more often.
I think right now nurses are WAY too stressed and being asked to do too much with too little. They are demeaned and minimized by administration and this reflects in stress response and ability to cope.
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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
I experienced it once, with a preceptor. I think she was just a nasty person in general. A bully. She wanted to prove how much smarter she is. Whatever. I took a long lunch that day and never went back. It was the only time I played hooky on clinical, and I didn't feel guilty. "Oops, I forgot to have her sign my timesheet, sorry professor!" :)

And honestly an attitude like that should have failed you out of clinical. If I had a student peace out halfway through their clinical day you bet your sweet patooty I'd be raising hell with their instructor. The fact that you see nothing wrong with your actions is mind boggling! What happens when you are working with someone who is "mean"? Will you abandon your patients and just leave? This just disgusts me.

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Specializes in NICU.

I don't think nurses eat their young. I think there are just some nasty people out there with chips on their shoulders who treat others poorly as a reflection of their own insecurities. It has nothing to do with seasoned nurses vs new grads. They're nasty because they're a nasty person, not because they're a seasoned nursed who likes to eat his or her young. A nice person is a nice person who will be nice to everyone regardless of their level of expertise.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
I don't think nurses eat their young. I think there are just some nasty people out there with chips on their shoulders who treat others poorly as a reflection of their own insecurities. It has nothing to do with seasoned nurses vs new grads. They're nasty because they're a nasty person, not because they're a seasoned nursed who likes to eat his or her young. A nice person is a nice person who will be nice to everyone regardless of their level of expertise.

And they are in every field too! There are good cops and bad cops, good docs and bad docs, good tax accountants and bad tax accountants. There us nothing special about nursing...other than the magical power of smelling c-diff a mile away. Which is a pretty crappy super power.

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Specializes in hospice.

I also do think there is a higher percentage than before of younger people who can't take any criticism without perceiving it as a personal attack. So all the older nurses must just be mean.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
I also do think there is a higher percentage than before of younger people who can't take any criticism without perceiving it as a personal attack. So all the older nurses must just be mean.

Yes, sadly they see a correction as an attack. I don't understand that thinking. I want to be the best nurse I can, and if that means a new way to chart, do a procedure, or anything else I would love to know! But too many people these days only want positive input and if you date yell them differently they yell "bully" or "NETY"! So frustrating.

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Specializes in NICU.
Yes, sadly they see a correction as an attack. I don't understand that thinking. I want to be the best nurse I can, and if that means a new way to chart, do a procedure, or anything else I would love to know! But too many people these days only want positive input and if you date yell them differently they yell "bully" or "NETY"! So frustrating.

It is not what you say, it is HOW you say it and unfortunately many have not mastered the art of correcting someone in a professional manner and in a way that isn't perceived as an attack. I don't think any reasonable person would be upset about being corrected when they have made a mistake. Most people take it as a personal affront when people speak to them in a condescending manner and/or treat them as if they're an idiot. They may not remember exactly what the person said but they will remember HOW the person made them feel.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

This....you tell them they are wrong or correct something they did, you are suddenly the mean one. It is very generational.

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Specializes in NICU.
And they are in every field too! There are good cops and bad cops, good docs and bad docs, good tax accountants and bad tax accountants. There us nothing special about nursing...other than the magical power of smelling c-diff a mile away. Which is a pretty crappy super power.

YES!!!! LOL

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Your premise is in error, OP. Nurses do NOT eat their young.

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