When will the anxiety fade?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in critical care.

I just finished 12-week orientation on an ICU step down unit where we take 4 patients and most shifts are pretty slammed busy. This is shift 2 tonight for me and the jitters that I thought were first shift jitters are still lingering just as intensely. When does the anxiety fade? I know it'll be a good year or so until I feel like I'm getting my act together completely, but is the anxiety going to fade sooner? How did you more experienced nurses feel in the beginning, and how long did it last?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

How did I feel? overwhelmed.... I wanted to pee my pants. It lasts a good year or so. Still after all these years when I would be getting a particularly bad patient or trauma I get that uneasy feeling...am I good enough?

I think an ounce or so of anxiety/fear helps to keep you safe.

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I found that the anxiety fades somewhat, but never really goes away. Sick patients are unpredictable. Each shift is unpredictable. For me, unpredictability causes anxiety. It is the nature of the job.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

I work in ICU stepdown. RNperdiem couldn't be more on the money. Unpredictability makes this job stressful, and unpredictability is stepdown's MO. Some of my anxiety has gone away, but I've gotta say the majority of it is still there 14 months later. Good news is that I'm pretty sure it's just me, so your situation may very well be different! Some day I'll have a stress-free office job. Some day...

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I agree with RNperdiem I don't think the anxiety ever truly goes away. Its not like a job where you can actually relax while you are working. There is always something going on. You get one problem resolved and there are three more right there!! Each unit has their own amount of anxiety-causing issues. The anxiety is most likely because you are afraid you might miss something, or not do something correctly. I am sure most everyone here has made a mistake at one time or another, no matter how good they are, we are human and most likely a mistake will be made. However, it is a very conscientious nurse who has this bit of anxiety. As long as you are able to function and do your job you will be OK. I found that having my own organizational tools helps me to have some control over what is going on. Find a way to keep yourself organized and stick to it. I know this sounds crazy, but I also play the worse case scenario game with myself. I prepare myself for the worse thing that could happen, that way if it does, I am not totally caught off guard. It also keeps me attentive to what to look for in any situation. I don't think there is a time when you really "get comfortable" I think every shift is individual and anything can happen at any time. You can just prepare for what might happen. I always have oxygen tubing ready, look at your crash cart and memorize the medications that are on it and in which drawer, is the ambu bag where it should be?? It is not a reflection on you as a nurse, it is part of the beast that we have to take care of. It is the healthcare environment, we care for really, really sick people and it is hard. Prepare for the worse and you might get through a shift without anything going south!!

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

i honestly respect your feelings, 42 years ago I was "Ms. John Waynette".........possibly a bit over confident

time in grade, heals all, best wishes to you,

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I found that the anxiety fades somewhat, but never really goes away. Sick patients are unpredictable. Each shift is unpredictable. For me, unpredictability causes anxiety. It is the nature of the job.

And this is what makes you a good nurse. You can never get too comfortable at work.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

At around 2 years is when my anxiety was manageable by the knowledge that I was experienced enough to recognize a patient going downhill and that I knew enough to know how to intervene and that I was trusted enough in my facility to be taken very seriously when I said something was going wrong. I also had more faith in my team at that point as well.

It takes time and yeah, the anxiety never really goes away, but in time it does get tempered with the knowledge that you are growing into the job. I get a lot of satisfaction from recognizing a patient going bad long before they had to be transferred to the ICU.

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I feel your pain. Anxiety reactions are entirely individual.

Find a colleague you can trust.... bounce any concerns off of them.

Happy nursing.. you can do this.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

You can turn anxiety to a plus if you use it to hone your skills instead of letting it beat you down.

When I graduated from nursing school I was afraid of being afraid! I had seen classmates go into 'safe' jobs, and felt I would be hampered by doing that, and that kind of frightened me. So, I went and applied to work at the biggest, scariest hospital I could think of and never groused if I was floated to another service/floor. Boy, did I learn a lot about myself! I found out what I was good at and what I was NOT good at. If I could do something that would help me learn to get better at something, I'd do it. If it was something I found extremely difficult to tolerate, well, it was just one shift and I could get through that......and I'd know tried it, anyway. And it was kind of exhilarating!

All anybody can do is do the best they can at that moment. Time and experience and, yes, mistakes, build your knowledge and confidence. Just don't ever get to the point of being boastful of your abilities, because the fall experienced from that self-made height is far more harmful to a person than a little (or a lot) of anxiety!

I understand that nursing is far more challenging now than it was when I was a newbie, what with newer,more,bigger,better technologies and knowledge to get under your belt.; it is certainly a challenge I am more than happy to leave to the younger, hungrier, more energetic of you all.

I am satisfied I did my time and paid my dues in spades Now have the pleasure of doing 1:1 nursing care, which also requires a certain skill-set of its own.

Best of luck in your practice, and keep on keepin' on. You'll get there yet!

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Specializes in critical care.

I am so sorry for the very delayed response. I've had quite the week. Thank you to all of you for validating these feelings I have. It means far more than words can express. I ended up having an absolutely flawless first week. The day shift charge nurse on my first day gave me an easy group, and I kept three of them the second night and two on the third. The second night I had one more patient than I've ever had, but they were also easier than I've had during orientation. I'm hoping they keep my assignments gentle. I have no doubt they will in these first weeks, since it benefits everyone to make sure I'm not in over my head. All in all, I'm still a bit scared, but I'm feeling a ton better. It helps to know this is totally normal to feel this way!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.
I feel your pain. Anxiety reactions are entirely individual.

Find a colleague you can trust.... bounce any concerns off of them.

Happy nursing.. you can do this.

This. Don't be afraid to approach the more experienced staff with questions or concerns. There are a few nurses out there who are either sociopathic or just plain insecure, but most nurses are kind and will understand and remember what it was like to be new. In my 24 years of being an RN, I have gained invaluable knowledge from older, wiser co-workers who knew the ropes and were kind enough to help me when I needed it.

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