I am incredibly scared to work as a nurse in a hospital... I worked at the hospital in school and, honestly, never really liked it... I thought I could work outpatient as a nurse and do public health/education/research or something along those lines. Or do psychiatric nursing, that is another goal of mine. All these jobs require acute care in a hospital setting experience...
Well, I got a job in a doctor's office and I liked it (didn't LOVE it) but I felt inadequate as an RN because I didn't have the hospital work experience. I have been there for two years. Now I am working on getting into a new grad program at a hospital for and am absolutely PETRIFIED to be a nurse!
I am scared I will forget to do something or make a medication error and hurt a patient. So scared! It actually keeps me up at night sometimes and I don't know if this is normal and I am just worrying too much or if I should think about another career.
I just would feel like such a failure if I had to give up the degree I worked so hard for! This is all eating me up inside I am torn between just "sucking it up", and realizing these feelings may be telling me something!?
I am smart and thoughtful and hard-working... maybe just too nervous?
Any thoughts would be so greatly appreciated, I am torn!!
Hi, I am a new nurse grad RN also and very nervous. I did my preceptorship in Public health and loved it but when I graduated I moved to the big city where my husband got a job and only could get a New nurse grad position (any position really) At the general hospital in Medical stroke unit. I am the nervous type AM care is always falling behind and I look up all drugs which is time consuming...etc and I feel my perceptor is always taking off and helping other nurses because she wants me to do the work myself, etc.... I need to make this work because I have a 5 yr old daughter to look after. My teacher said that it would take 2 yrs before feeling confident on the floor. I am always nervous and think ppl are complaining about my work. I want to work 2 yrs at least in the hospital so that I have assessment skills down and a better understanding of meds and patient care. I would love to work a public health unit or CCAC or medical device company in the future. Just so you know you ar not alone my and best friend from nursing school are in the same boat as you.
From what you have written, I wouldn't exactly call you overly nervous- more like you need skill sets to build your confidence level. Most of the nervousness will fly out the window once you find a firm footing.
Nah, you're not too nervous. Happens to all of us:)
claireb
14 Posts
Well thank you so much for the responses!! really it made my week and helped me not feel so alone :)
Good luck to everyone in your future careers!!