New nurse needs advice

Nurses Stress 101

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Hi everyone! I am a new nurse, and have a great job at a rehabilitation hospital. I love my pts and am great with them on a personal level. Our current pt load is 6-8 and at times it can be a bit overwhelming. The acuity level has definitely gone up in the 8 months I have been there. I do need to note, however, that the support from my DON and nurse manager is phenomenal. I am very lucky in that aspect.

My issue is that here lately I seem to be in a total state of anxiety every morning before my shift, as if something terrible is going to happen to a pt on my watch.And I seem to have an ongoing fear of giving meds- for example- I am scared to death of BP meds. Like I go back and forth on when to hold them. And I worry that if their BP bottoms out it will be my fault because I administered it even though that's what the doctor ordered. The whole thing "it's your license because you are the one giving it" scares me to death. How do I reconcile that? Any advice at all is so appreciated.

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Take ye' a deep breathe and don't put so much thought into it. This anxiety will pass as you gather more experience

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LOL thanks. I know I tend to over analyze everything. I so enjoy being a nurse and have patients even requesting me! That makes it all worth it. I just need to get over the thought that everything is a life and death situation. í ½í¸

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