Anxiety in the Clinical Setting

Nursing Students General Students

Published

  1. Do you feel extreme anxiety over your responsiblity a student in the clinical setting

    • 8
      No anxiety
    • 28
      Some anxiety
    • 53
      Moderate anxiety
    • 50
      Severe anxiety
    • 62
      Overwhelming anxiety
    • 5
      I was unable to complete the program due to anxiety in the clincal setting

206 members have participated

I have encontered many posts on the pre-nursing student and general nursing student pages that include extreme anxiety over the fear of mutilating, killing, or causing harm to their patients.

Many posts include phrases such as "their life is my hands" and "there is too much responsibility".

I am a junior in a BSN program and I work as an aide in a critical care unit. I have to admit, I do not feel the extreme anxiety that seems to be bothering so many other nursing students. I recognize my level of responsibility and dedication to the elimination of mistakes, but I also know that I am not the sole care provider and I work as part of the healthcare team.

*EDIT* Please remove the word "extreme" out of the poll question. It doesnt exactly make sense with that word in there, and allnurses.com doesnt let me edit the poll question.

Polll question should be:

Do you feel anxiety over your responsibilities as a nursing student in the clinical setting?

Specializes in CVICU, CCRN.

I also have to agree that it is frequently the healthcare professional (MD, RN, CNA) who becomes too comfortable are the ones who end up making little mistakes with huge consequences. For example, the other day an otherwise healthy patient on a med surg floor who was ready to be discharged had to be sent to the ICU for about 24 hours because the nurse attempted to administer a unit dose of DVT prophlaxis heparin, and instead drew up a full syringe of insulin and administered 100 units (of I believe NPH) subq, rather than heparin.

Little mistake and a huge consequence.

I never forget how easy it is.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

When I went back to school as a LPN in a RN program, I STILL had some form of anxiety. I was upfront and honest with my classmates about that, we found talking about it I guess therapeutic :). I tried at least in clinicals, you have an opportunity to share a bond, and most of the time, the "I'm nervous" meetings that first day of clinical, made a better clinical experience, IMHO.

I find that "anxiety" keeps me alert, my critical thinking skills turned up, and a reminder to "be aware". I think anxiety is only a bad thing if it effects you so much that you are so upset that you can't think straight, AND you don't ask for help. And best believe as a new grad with significant healthcare experience, I will STILL have that anxiety-I start a new job Monday, and I had GI upset in Wednesday...I knew I was super nervous. I had talked to my fellow colleagues and they gave me a lot of encouragement, but so did GrnTea...hope that "good anxiety" never fades! :)

GrnTea:I wish you would show this side of yourself more often :) I'll be honest, I'm often off put by your posts. On the other hand, I have read many many of them helping nursing students, new grads, and lending support to peers. Cheers to this post and the many that are like it.

Thanks for noticing. Just shows ta go ya, as my dad used to say. Even us old folks are still... nurses. :)

Thanks for posting. This was the perfect thing for me to read right now. Felt like I just got a big pat on the back before walking into my first nursing job.

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