Face Your Fears

Fear will consume you, the student nurse, if you allow it to take over. If you really want a career in the nursing profession, go for it. Do not allow an unrealistic fear of the unknown distract you from the prize at the end of the tunnel. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

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Face Your Fears
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So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

First of all, let's start off with a workable definition of fear, which is one of the most primitive emotions that affects us today. Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat or impending danger that results in an urgent need to get away from whatever the threatening stimulus may be.

In normal amounts, fear serves a protective function, ensures our continued existence, and is very normal. On the other hand, individuals who feel too much fear are often weighed down, paralyzed to the point that they avoid taking action, and indecisive. In other words, overly fearful people are trapped in a perpetual state of stasis.

Many potential and current students have unrealistic fears about nursing school based on lopsided feedback. They listen closely to the downbeat people who chime on about how difficult nursing school is, while conveniently tuning out the folks who assert that their experiences as nursing students were not too bad.

Overcome Your Fear

Other prospective and existing students are so frightened of bygone failures that they allow their fears about the distant past to interfere with the present and future. I've seen so many fearful people post statements on these forums such as "I was always bad at math" or "I'm afraid because I barely graduated from high school 15 years ago." Don't let your fear about the past get the best of you. According to a wise Cherokee Indian proverb, don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

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He who directs one eye on the past, and one eye on the future, will be blinded in the present. - Author Unknown

Fear will consume every ounce of your being if you allow it to take control of you. If you want a career in the nursing profession, do not let fear of the unknown distract you from the prize at the end of the rainbow. If you really want to be a nurse, face your fears head-on. Tackle any known weaknesses such as poor math skills or test anxiety instead of avoiding them out of fear. Confront your personal flaws (procrastination, laziness, lack of concentration) rather than letting them threaten your success.

You are bigger than any fears that you might have. You are also the future of the nursing profession. We have limited time left on this earth, so live each day to its fullest, make the most of the time you do have remaining, and do not let fear terrify you into never fulfilling your dreams. Nursing school is an uphill battle that you can conquer. You can do it!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN, CRRN is a longtime physical rehabilitation nurse who has varied experiences upon which to draw for her articles. She was an LPN/LVN for more than four years prior to becoming a Registered Nurse.

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x_factor

520 Posts

I love this, thank you!

amygarside

1,026 Posts

This is very inspirational and motivational especially if the nursing students face fear. Thank you for sharing.