Why do people particpate in horizontal violence? Does it make them feel better about themselves? I think it does. When I was a grad nurse and starting my first job, there was a nurse that was assigned to mentor 3 of us at the same time. She would talk down to us, roll her eyes...it was awful. I'd have a headache that started the minute I'd swipe my badge to enter the garage to the minute I'd exit the garage. After I got off her shift and the 3 of us (scary huh?) were on our own on a shift, things got better. I see now why people say "nurses eat their young".