anxiety about nursing

[nana03]

So I finished LVN school in August and I got hired at a nursing home as a GVN then got my license not too long after. However, I was so overwhelmed and did not get enough training I decided shortly after getting hired that the nursing home wasn't for me. Now I have been hired at a Childrens clinic but I'm so paranoid, nervous, and scared a lot of the time. I'm wondering if anyone has felt this way? I'm thinking maybe I should not be a nurse because I can't handle it. I feel like I didn't learn enough in nursing school to help me feel confident. Is it natural to feel this way? Also there are always people asking me what they think about this or that that is wrong with them and I'm thinking HELLO go to to a Dr...because I'm unsure of what to tell them because if I say one thing then I might be wrong. Please help!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I completely understand your anxiety & I think you are actually exhibiting very good judgement and professional accountability for raising this issue.

As an LVN, your scope of practice requires immediate supervision by a physician (or RN). You should always look to the physician(s) who are supervising you rather than trying to make independent judgement calls or provide advice on your own. If your employer does not already have them, I would suggest that you develop some physician-approved protocols to handle these situations. They may be as simple as saying "you need to speak with Dr. X about this issue". You could also develop your own set of FAQs with employer-approved responses.

[CarryThatWeight, BSN]

I absolutely agree with HouTx. Anxiety for any new nurse is normal; if you don't have it, you are probably not wise and having you care for patients would be scary. It will gradually get better as you get more comfortable in your job. I also worked in a situation where I was the only nurse, so I got a lot of questions from residents and staff regarding what was wrong with them, etc. My facility really wanted me to practice medicine without a license, truth be told. I got really good at saying, "It sounds like you need to see a doctor about that." If they pushed it, I would say, "As a registered nurse I am not trained or licensed to provide a diagnosis, however, I recommend you see a doctor." It really got old! Just put that boundary in place NOW, and don't back down. You don't want to get caught practicing outside your scope. Hang in there, it will get better!