This article really got me thinking about the phenomena of why nurses eat their young.  I'm wondering what everyone else might think and if this could possibly be some women's psyche in action?  If this opens up as a good exchange of ideas and ways to cope with this odd behavior, perhaps we can find active solutions to nurses eating their young. So if you all would please read and not turn this into a political discussion, we might be able to figure something out.

Some polls are suggesting that after gaining an initial bump, McCain's campaign is being hobbled by Sarah Palin's vice-presidential candidacy. The voters who are deserting her fastest, some of whom are even calling on her to withdraw, are mostly women.

Ah, women, the consistently, tragically underestimated constituency. What the Democrats learned during the primaries and the Republicans might now be finding out the hard way, I learned at my very academic, well-regarded all-girls high school: that is never to discount the ability of women to open a robust, committed, well-thought-out vat of hatred for another girl

Women are weapons-grade haters. Hillary Clinton knows it. Palin knows it too. When women get their hate on, they don't just dislike, or find disfavor with, or sort of not really appreciate. They loathe - deeply, richly, sustainingly. I do not say this to disparage my gender; women also love in more or less the same way.

When men disagree, the steps to resolution are reasonably clear and unsophisticated. Acts of physical violence are visited upon one another's person or property, and the whole thing blows over. Women? Nu-unh. We savor the discord. We draw it out. We share our contempt with our friends, like a useful stock tip, or really good salsa. And then we all go hate together: a mutually encouraging group activity for when the book group gets quiet.

The hatred women have for Sarah Palin, and others had for Hillary before her, is not necessarily about politics. Anybody can run the numbers on how many people Palin's pro-life, pro-gun, socially conservative policies will seduce and how many they will alienate. Rather, the test that the McCain campaign failed to put her through was the Abbotsleigh Ladies College test. (Named after my high school. Go, green and gold!). It's a simple three-point pass-fail exam: Will the other girls like her?

Here's why Palin doesn't make the grade:

1. She's too pretty. This is very bad news. At school, pretty girls tend to be liked only by other pretty girls. The rest of us, whose looks hover somewhere around underwhelming, resent them and whisper archly of their "unearned attention." So, if everyone calls your candidate "hot," you're in a whole mess of trouble. If the Pakistani head-of-state more or less hits on her, well, yes, she'll get a sympathy vote, but we're in Dukakis-in-the-tank territory. It's an admiration vaporizer. (Of course a candidate can't be too ugly, or it will scare the men, who are clearly shallow as a gender.)

2. She's too confident. This also bodes ill. Women have self-esteem issues. But they also have other-women's-esteem issues. As almost any woman - from the head of the Budgerigar Breeders association to Queen Elizabeth - can attest, it's almost impossible to get confidence right. Too timid and you're a pushover. Too self-aggrandizing and you're a bad word unless it's about a dog, or Project Runway's Kenley. Or Michelle, my best friend until 9th grade, after she won that debating prize and got cocky.

3. She could embarrass us. History is not on Palin's side. Every time a woman gets a plum job, be she Hewlett-Packard's ex-boss, Carly Fiorina, or CBS's Katie Couric, there's always that whispery fear that people will think she got the job just because she's a woman. So if things don't go well - and a couple of YouTube clips have suggested that they're certainly not going well for Palin - women are the first to turn on her for making it harder for the rest of us to louse up at work.

The fact of the matter is once a female decides it's over with another female, it's like an end-stage marriage. No matter how seemingly benign, every attribute becomes an affront: the hair, the voice, the husband, the moose-shooting, the glasses, the big family, the making rape victims pay for their own rape test kits.

I know, I know. With all this extra baggage a female candidate has to bear, the chances of finding a woman whom other women won't hate seem skinnier than last year's jeans. But don't despair, if all else fails, we could just do what we always do and just vote in some guy. It's worked so well for us in the past.

I think Sarah Pailin did great too last nite.  I also think Biden did as well.  When he got choked up speaking about his late wife dying in the mva and the injured child, man............I felt bad about all the stupid insults I said about him, and there were 'a few'.  I love the fact that Gov Pailin was not intimidated by him but I hate the thought that she might not succeed just because she's a woman and I'm not a feminist! 

Ok, gotcha.   So is this about women being aggressive/strong/verbal............in that way?  Good point dmazment.  I would love to blame hormones for my  being so outspoken these last few weeks on ....well mostly political stuff,   I would NEVER spout political beliefs on the job, that would be damaging my career and hurtful to my coworkers.  Maybe I could learn lessons here and let the article 'sink in' before I post something for one thing.   I didnt start college until I was 32,........and was married to an Air Force Officer.  Maybe being the meek one coming out of a bad marriage........then suddenly going from an abusive relationship, earning an education and having a position of respect went to my head and I turned into this bossy, egocentric bitch.  Sorry for the bad language, nursing link, but I think that's the only word to describe it.  

I know those nurses too.........those who feel threatened and lash out at targets who do not deserve it.  I can't imagine not helping someone because I dont like them, but I've seen it happen too.  Being a nurse is such a joy and a huge part of my identity.  Is it just me or does anybody know male nurses who are jerks?  Actually, the ones I am around are nicer than the women!  I dont know if that's just where I am or if its like that in other parts of the country.

It's not just the young nurses eat, it's anyone new. I've been a nurse almost 25 years. I just moved to Texas a year or so ago. Every where I've worked I've had nurses with less experience than me, dog me out for being the new kid on the block. The last ER I worked in notoriously gave the contract and agency nurses the more difficult areas of the ER and more challenging pts. Then they always wondered why no-one would stay there.

The funny thing is, this hospital had been bought out a year before, and all the seasoned staff left. Therefore, I had nurses with a year or so experience being in charge and making decisons. Naturally, they decided that agency nurses made alot of money, so they gave us the busy sections and never made any attempts to help us. Even when I asked for help, I got nothing! I was lucky I knew what I was doing, cause some of my pt's were really critical and not put in areas of observation. Luckily, the docs were decent and would at times check on my pt's frequently.

I do have to say it is a female thing. But, I did have a former EMT male nurse who was in charge alot and he was worthless.

This could be on Dr. Phil!  Lets get real!  haha.   I think its a woman thing too.  I've worked with great male nurses, male nurses who were lazy, who screwed up.......but regardless, they were 'nice'.  Im wondering how many of these 'assertive' nurses were forced into being a single parent?  You know.............being mom and dad?  Just a thought......that's been going around for a while.  BTW,  I'm not bitter, just bitchy.  <happily married, both kids grown, educated, with benefits>.  Dmazment, I like this discussion you started..........nice break from politics.

Did anybody see Queen of the Damned?  that movie with the vampire Lesate?  This queen vampire lady was planning on killing all men on the planet but keep a few men penned in for procreation reasons.  Hmmmm..............just veered way off into left field with that.  I'd happily put my 2 exhusbands in the pen, but current Mr. Angie is NOT. lol, he's not even allowed to go to Hooters.

Shan4691 says ...

I wonder if it goes back to the time where maybe there were much fewer men to choose from to carry on the life of the "tribe". It is in our nature to view other women as competition for males to carry on our genes. You know...If I make another woman look bad, then I will look better to the male of the species. (It's the end of the day folks, I hope I am making sense.)

I think it is in our nature to compete for men. It is genetic, I don't know if you are religious are not, but it is in our sinful nature to be a seductress. I think it is genetic in all the animal kingdom itself.

dmazment says ...

cuttie says ...

Shan4691 says ...

I wonder if it goes back to the time where maybe there were much fewer men to choose from to carry on the life of the "tribe". It is in our nature to view other women as competition for males to carry on our genes. You know...If I make another woman look bad, then I will look better to the male of the species. (It's the end of the day folks, I hope I am making sense.)

I think it is in our nature to compete for men. It is genetic, I don't know if you are religious are not, but it is in our sinful nature

What does this have to do with nurses eating their young?  Very often there are no men other than physicians around.

This is weird.  

The only way I know how to "fix" it my department, is not to play into it. You know the old "golen rule" idea. If I see a new nurse struggling or trying to learn, I treat her how I would like to be treated. I help her out as best I can or at least point her to someone that is better equiped to help her. In the end, I have to be accountable for my actions or non-actions as it may be.

dmazment says ...

cuttie says ...

Shan4691 says ...

I wonder if it goes back to the time where maybe there were much fewer men to choose from to carry on the life of the "tribe". It is in our nature to view other women as competition for males to carry on our genes. You know...If I make another woman look bad, then I will look better to the male of the species. (It's the end of the day folks, I hope I am making sense.)

I think it is in our nature to compete for men. It is genetic, I don't know if you are religious are not, but it is in our sinful nature

What does this have to do with nurses eating their young?  Very often there are no men other than physicians around.

I read your forum dazzy, it was composed of two topics. I think Shan4691, was answering, why women behaive like they do. I don't believe Hillary, and Sara were both nurses.

Palin is very smart, I hope everyone will give her  McCain a chance. What was said is correct, women sometimes have something evil in them to make them look at women who are prettier tham they are differently. I hope we all can to do better.

I still like my theory from The Queen of the Damned