Am I too stupid to be a nurse?

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Hi,

I am a very new nurse and quit my last and first job after 2 months due to EXTREME ANXIETY. I know it sounds rash, but I don't even regret it. I was unbelieveably miserable...it's now hard for me to want to try again. I feel like at my last job, all these nurses could multitask like no other and were very detail oriented. The new nurses with me did not have a hard time like me, which leads me to believe I may not be suited for this job. It's like my brain can't process/handle dealing with so much at once. I don't want to put patients in danger, so I'm just really scared to try again. idk why it seems so much harder for me than other people in my cohort. I get very anxious and nervous in fast-paced environments, which is why I think I may not be a good fit for nursing in general. I know people are gonna tell me it's bc I'm new, but compared to my peers throughout nursing school and my last job, I was always significantly slower... Any advice is appreciated. Do you think I should switch careers?

Specializes in ICU.
2 hours ago, Aliens05 said:

Just out of curiosity may I ask what you do?

Responding to the OP, I would say my job is also very low stress. I work with the DD population in a group home setting and its very chill. Most days you just hang out with the residents who live in the home, take them on outings to the movies or something. Of course you are the nurse if anything bad happens you gotta deal with it, but dealing with it is almost always just sending them out. You can wear basically whatever you want to work, and its a relaxed home-like atmosphere, Love it. The residents are on the more medical side (non-behavior) but are really not that medical at all, such as feeding tubes.

Uhm, do we work at the same place??!! You pretty much explained my job except we have about 8 group homes for the IDD population. They come to the day program, which is where the nursing office is. We have med techs so i dont even deal with meds most of the time. I do get to give any meds that are injections, flu shots & ppds. I get to take their blood for labs, UA, etc. If anything happens there or at the group home, me or the other nurse assesses them & send them out if its that bad. I go with them to certain DR appointments or the ER. I can write ver al/TO orders from their doc. Every 3rd week the nurse is placed on call if something happens outside of 'normal ' work hours which can usually be remedied over the phone. I also assess after any incident reports. I feel like i mostly document, scan & upload paperwork onto their charts, but most nursing jobs involves a bunch of documenting. Its my very first nursing job, but i feel so blessed. I love it so much

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I was just going to suggest adult day health or a group home for DD. I've been a med tech at a group home for over 6 years now and love it. The nursing job at a group home sounds great too. We only have nurses in every few days to do skin checks but I plan to work there as a LPN if they need me when I graduate from school.

I did a clinical rotation in adult day health and it seems like a great place for a newer LPN to work (or any LPN why appreciates a slower pace). I prefer more bedside care, but the atmosphere is so chill and the med pass is really manageable.

OP, don't give up- you'll find your place in nursing. I know it sucks to be new and not really know what you're doing a lot of the time. We all have to go through it though, in order to get to a place of experience and confidence. Also, I hope you can get help soon for your anxiety- that's making this way worse than it has to be for you. Good luck!

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17 hours ago, Elaine M said:

So there are people who can help you with your anxiety...? Maybe that's what you should start on, v and then try again. Not every job is a fit for every person, and do you really want to waste the last few years of your life?

??? At first I took this to mean OP is in her last few years of life. I was like, "Dang, you're dark."

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I’m sorry you are having a difficult time, and congratulations on surviving nursing school and landing not one, but two jobs. May I ask, have you always suffered from anxiety? Was it debilitating? Are anxiolytics an option to give you some relief while you sort out the sources of your anxiety?

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Specializes in Mental Health.

You should qualify for Medicaid if you aren’t working.

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10 hours ago, FashionablyL8 said:

I was just going to suggest adult day health or a group home for DD. I've been a med tech at a group home for over 6 years now and love it. The nursing job at a group home sounds great too. We only have nurses in every few days to do skin checks but I plan to work there as a LPN if they need me when I graduate from school.

I did a clinical rotation in adult day health and it seems like a great place for a newer LPN to work (or any LPN why appreciates a slower pace). I prefer more bedside care, but the atmosphere is so chill and the med pass is really manageable.

OP, don't give up- you'll find your place in nursing. I know it sucks to be new and not really know what you're doing a lot of the time. We all have to go through it though, in order to get to a place of experience and confidence. Also, I hope you can get help soon for your anxiety- that's making this way worse than it has to be for you. Good luck!

wow, that does sound awesome! My goal is to be a nursing professor but idk if they require certain types of nursing/only acute care? I really have to look into that

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Specializes in ICU.
2 minutes ago, AmIDumb said:

wow, that does sound awesome! My goal is to be a nursing professor but idk if they require certain types of nursing/only acute care? I really have to look into that

my nursing professors had various types of experience. One SOLELY worked as a 'community health' nurse at the health department. One SOLELY did psych. Another was home health; another L&D; another ICU. I don't believe nursing professors will only look for 'certain' types of nursing/only acute care AT ALL! Especially since at the health department you're not doing acute/inpatient care. As long as you have a masters degree with ANY sort of experience in the nursing field, you will be okay! My school LOVED having different types of 'specialty' nurses because they would switch and teach certain materials. I think thats why i excelled in the program because they knew what they were teaching and were passionate about it

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2 hours ago, Rionoir said:

You should qualify for Medicaid if you aren’t working.

I will look into it if I become unemployed for too long! Thanks!!

3 hours ago, Queen Tiye said:

I’m sorry you are having a difficult time, and congratulations on surviving nursing school and landing not one, but two jobs. May I ask, have you always suffered from anxiety? Was it debilitating? Are anxiolytics an option to give you some relief while you sort out the sources of your anxiety?

The first time I remember dealing with anxiety I was in middle school. It was VERY mild to the point I didn't even realize it was anxiety until further introspection/years later...anxiety really only consciously affected me when I started nursing school at 18. Nursing in general has been a huge trigger for my anxiety. I honestly have no idea how I made it through nursing school bc it was awful! I would get rashes after sim lab, never sleep before clinical, etc. I've never been on meds but I'm starting to think I have to give it a try. I really hate taking meds in general so I've always dismissed the idea, but idk how else to cope at this point

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8 hours ago, Orion81RN said:

??? At first I took this to mean OP is in her last few years of life. I was like, "Dang, you're dark."

lmaooo i thought the same thing! I was like dang does she know something I don't know??

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Try private care where you'll visit patients in their homes one on one or do outpatient. I know of public health nurses that work in an office and see one patient at a time giving vaccines etc so maybe that will work out better for you.

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Hello,

You made it through nursing school and passed the NCLEX and started working as a nurse!! That's something to be proud of! I had bad anxiety when I first started out too. Nursing is not easy, but it does get easier the more experience you gain. My suggestion would be to keep at it. The first year is expected to be pretty difficult. Don't be afraid to ask for help or for clarification when you don't know something. I always did, even if it sounded stupid, it's better than making a big mistake. You have to build your confidence in this career, and it takes awhile, but it does come. Find something slower paced if you want to continue. A doctor's office, clinic, a slower floor like palliative care, certain nursing homes where you're not the supervisor, etc. It gets better! Best of luck! ?

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Specializes in critical care, PCU, PACU, LTC, HHC, AFC.

You can’t compare yourself to your co-workers, some people may be good at hiding their anxiety, meaning they are anxious too, just not exhibiting. Till this day I still have some anxiety and ‘oh crap’ moments, but working through them is how ‘we learn and grow’

Also nursing in general is a very tough field! I was very anxious when I started and it took me at least 2 years to feel confident in handing myself with doctors, emergencies, families, etc.

Remember EVERY job has its challenges, nobody starts out ‘good’ it takes time, self growth and patience.

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