General
eating their young
What does eating their young mean?
The well-documented phenomenon, captured in the saying 'nurses eat their young,' of experienced nurses being harsh toward or hazing new staff.
"The horizontal hostility on that ward is textbook nurses eating their young."
Origin
Established nursing-culture proverb, studied in nursing literature.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'nurses eat their young' mean?
It describes the phenomenon of experienced nurses being harsh toward, or hazing, new or junior staff.
Where does the phrase come from?
It is an established nursing-culture proverb that has been studied in the nursing literature.
Is it a real workplace issue?
Yes, it names a recognised form of horizontal hostility and bullying that nursing organisations actively try to address.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
