This week and last, we've been exploring the touchy subject of competence among health professionals. Last week, it was the doctors' turn. The reaction from you? High fives and "right ons." So, we thought it only fair that this week, we talk about nurses. Wow, what a difference! Our panel of veteran nurses complaining about the work ethic of their younger colleagues has generated some serious disagreement -- most of it from other members of the nursing profession. Here's an excerpt from one email that I've shortened to the salient points:

"I don't think you could have found a more embittered, judgemental nurse if you had tried. They say that nurses eat their young and she certainly personified this... Although we get the occassional dud, for the most part I find new nurses to be intelligent, caring, committed professionals who push all us old people to ensure that we are staying up with the times and reevaluating our practice on a regular basis...We need those nurses and putting them down is not going to keep them in the profession or attract more people to it."

Those are valid points. Perhaps older colleagues do feel threatened by new grads' grasp of cutting edge medicine and nursing.

But I sense something else going on here. I think times are tough in the nursing profession, and for some, that means closing ranks and speaking with one voice. The nurses on our panel spilled the beans. And now, there's blood on the floor.