[lannisz]

Went to work even though I was feeling sick I thought I'd be OK. Had the family from hell. Nothing worked and I couldn't seem to get anything done. Couldn't get an IV in, orders got lost...you name it. I made it halfway through a 12 hr shift then starting crying when someone asked me how I was doing. Ended up going home sick. Every morning at work I feel like I just can't take one more day and I have to quit. Almost every night after work I can barely walk and I'm brain dead but I usually feel like I did OK. I'm almost off orientation. My preceptor keeps telling me I'm doing great. I tell her I can't do this and she says "You ARE doing it...you have been doing it - you just need more confidence!" They tell me they felt like this too at first. I don't think it's normal to feel so scared and sick inside all the time. I tried to finish today's shift but was just too sick. Once I started crying I just couldn't pull myself together. I could no longer function. I should have never gone to work sick. Now I'm worried that I was doing so well on orientation but now they'll think I can't do it. Does anyone else ever feel like this?

[caliotter3]

I think you need to take a couple of days off to rest up, think clearly about what is going on. Then make an appt to see your doctor and get some help with your anxiety. It is getting the best of you at this point. It doesn't matter if it is this orientation, this new job, or another situation, if you don't figure out how to handle stress, even if you need the help of meds, then you are not going to make it no matter what your endeavor. And one of the best things to do for your body's ability to handle stuff is good ol' everyday sweat breaking exercise. Good luck.

[ingelein]

Most nurses if they were completely honest would admit to losing it at work,at least once. We are ONLY human afterall.

[Sweetooth EMT-P, RN]

I loose it at work once a month. I blame it on PMS.

Swtooth

[faithmd]

Absolutely! I know I've been at the end of my rope many times. I like the suggestion above about taking a couple of days off. It may help.

[Tweety]

Listen to your preceptor. Don't run. You can do this. Try to hang in there because it won't be better anywhere else.

Yes, I've had a more than a few "moments" myself. We all have, especially at first.

Take care and nuture yourself.

[caliotter3]

Oh and BTW I kept going to work when at several points I should have been hospitalized. Several times I almost ended up in the hosp or the morgue cuz for one thing I was falling asleep at the wheel. And I had more than one physical ailment that, altogether, my overall cond was worsening by the day. I became incapacitated. Out of work. Living by myself, and almost died. When you are that alone, there is nobody to check up on you or get you to the hosp. So don't work or worry yourself into poor health. In the end the only person who can take care of you, is you. Get your hlth together before you are so far gone that you do not even have the ability to figure out that you are that far gone. Speaking from experience.

[PANurseRN1]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Take care and nuter yourself.

BWAH! Do you know how funny that looks in the context of this thread? (Yeah, I know it's not quite spelled that way, but it's mighty close!)

Everyone has times when it's all too much. Yours was probably compounded by coming in sick, so your defenses were already down. We've all been there, trust me.

[EricJRN]

Yep - "losing it" does happen. The biggest thing that helps me: Don't be afraid to ask for help from your coworkers and preceptor when you feel the stress starting to snowball.

[TeleRNer]

Originally Posted by lannisz

Had the family from hell. Nothing worked Couldn't get an IV in, orders got lost...you name it.

I still have those damned dreaded off days where nothing seems to go well; thank goodness for these days. Why?... They give you good reason to be grateful when you have a pleasant shift.

Almost every night after work I can barely walk and I'm brain dead but I usually feel like I did OK. I'm almost offf orientation.

I still have nights like these. Important thing is to remember not to schedule yourself when your off orientation for five nights straight!

Once I started crying I just couldn't pull myself together. I could no longer function.

Been there done that! You'll find you're less apt to do this the more experience you have and the more things you can anticipate happening before they actually go awry.

I should have never gone to work sick. Now I'm worried that I was doing so well on orientation but now they'll think I can't do it. Does anyone else ever feel like this?

Being at work sick, especially in a health care setting, makes the work that much more stressful; besides, your patients are wondering, "if this person is coughing, wheezing, and slurping juices back up into nasal passages, this person is using poor judgement to show up for work, is s/he going to be able to judge rightly when it comes to my own health?"

Please be positive and consider all the reasons why you entered this field, before condemming yourself to outer Mongolia; you can do this work! Everyone else was in the same boat you find yourself in!