Anxiety Prob/3 months into job

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi everyone!

I graduated in December from nursing school and got a job at a small community hospital in January. I am finishing up my orientation and I am starting to freak out. I get butterflies in my stomach and I feel like I can't catch my breath. These feelings I experienced before I went into work and now I experience it on my days off. I can't get rid off the feelings. I am fine once I get going on my shift and I figured it was just nervous energy, but now it is bothering me on my days off. It is starting to affect my life. Does anyone else feel this way? I am going to call a counselor because I can't live like this so now I am starting to wonder if nursing is for me? Did i choose the right career? I get so anxious when I think about: Am i doing everything I should be doing? Do I ask too many questions? Am I stupid for asking all these questions? What should I do? Does anyone else feel this way? Please help.

Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

Thanks Allantiques4me, I know this is not the area for me, but LVN jobs are not easy to find here in my town (small town) and at least they let me go to one day a week so I can finish school. Think in my case it is menopause that is causing alot of my stress. Along with an unreasonable patient load. I do plan to change as soon as I can. What area do you work in now. Are you an RN? Take care;)

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

Oh my gosh.. I'm only 7 weeks into classes (SPN) and I've been having these since Day 1. Plus, I just got hired at a major metro hospital as a Nursing Assistant, and I have to wait 6 weeks for my class to start. I'm so worried to hit the floor and take care of patients. I just feel like I'm not ready for this responsiblity yet. Any advice would be appreciated here too. Thanks!

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I will graduate this May and am currently doing the 120hrs role transition in the hosp. The other day I went into a room by myself and drew blood from a guys PICC line. I was shaking and it made the pt nervous. I was freaking out because this thing is so close to his heart and what if something happened?? It is insane but I think that maybe I don't 'get it' or something and that I might totally forget something and hurt someone accidently. I'll be glad to get a year under my belt!

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Specializes in Wound and Ostomy care, Neuro, Med-Surg.

I graduated last May and am closing in on my first year as a nurse. I can honestly say, it does get better! I was so sick of people telling me that when I got started, but its true! I had to quit my first nursing job because I hated it. I found a job at a smaller hospital and I love it. I have finally gotten into that mindset that I can only do one thing at a time, and everything will eventually get done. I tend to be a perfectionist and I learned I had to let that go. Nursing is anything but perfect. I've finally realized that I'm only one person and I am going to do the best that I can do. The anxiety will ease up eventually once you start feeling confident in your decisions. Good luck!

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I am so glad that I am not the only one who feels that way!! I come home off of a 12-hour shift and I literally hit the floor or couch if I'm lucky. On my days off I feel so tired. My stress level is so high all of the time! I thought that after I got out of school I would have the chance to actually have a life!! I have 3 weeks left on my residency and my stress levels are rising instead of falling. I just can't seem to shake this feeling of fear and dread!!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

When you wrote in the original post "it's starting to affect my life" that was a red flag for me. That is a sign that your anxiety attacks (that's what the butterflies and hyperventilation coupled with fight or flight response are) are becoming an anxiety disorder.

If you fear these attacks and worry about having another one, or feel incapacitated by them when they do happen, you really should seek help. I used to have them too, not when I was stressed, but finally at the weekend when I would try to relax all my anxieties would sort of bubble up in physical symptoms.

I took Paxil for 1 year and it did not affect my memory at all. It did away with the anxiety attacks and when I stopped taking it they didn't come back. Thinking about your life and how even if everything in it goes wrong you could survive helps too.

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Hello. I started this thread awhile ago. Thank you for the support and I am relieved and glad that I am NOT the only one with anxiety! I took your advice and I am seeing a counselor who is helping me with my anxiety. I also saw my regular doctor and I am temporarily on a medication to help me through this.

It is getting better. I have fewer anxiety attacks as the days go by. I can sleep now without waking up with butterflies. My off days are fun...no longer are the anxiety attacks hitting me. I still get the butterflies before work, but I have noticed it is not as bad as it once was. I still catch myself thinking about work on my days off, but I mentally tell myself to stop.

It is getting better and I am so glad I have this support network. Thanks again! Kristin

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I literally have panic attacks every morning ...I am also 49 and in menopause so I think that is making it worse. My Ob doctor wants to put me on medication but I have been afraid it will affect my memory and I will not be able to focus on my micro class or pass anatomy next time ...

Hi there. I'm 49 too and just got a medical withdrawal from my last preceptorship in the BSN program. In my case, I had "severe" menopause signs and symptoms. Anxiety, loss of focus, insomnia and memory problems... I am on hormone therapy now... it is working wonders. It was as though a fog had lifted from my brain after about a week and a half of treatment. My doctor says that about 10% of women have problems like that. Unfortunately, if I had been put on it 3 months earlier I wouldn't have lost the semester. (I'm an "A" student just to give you an idea of where I was before menopause hit). What else can I tell you - I didn't realize the anxiety was from menopause...the hormone therapy has returned my memory back to where it was in the first place...the MayoClinic has a good online newsletter, they have excellent information on many subjects. It is also a good resource for your patients.

Be well,

Z

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

wow , i thought i was the only one who had these anxiety attacks.. i am waiting to take boards and when i think about boards .. i get panicky and very nervous..i am so glad i am not alone and i love reading your posts... i try to take some deep breathes and realize i'm not going to die.. but i still am nervous ..

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So THESE ARE signs and symptoms of anxiety attack!!! OMG, I just found out that I am experiencing anxiety attack too. I thought I am just over stressing myself when I am working and on my days off. I cannot stand these feeling at all. I can't eat, sleep and be myself. I am glad to know i am not the only one having this.

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Hi. It's very reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way! My situation is a little different, though. I've been an LPN for 26 years, and have worked in MANY different clinical areas(OR scrub, med-surg, to long-term care). I've finished nursing school in Dec., 2006, passed my boards and am now an RN! I consider myself reasonably "seasoned", but since I've started my orientation in ICU, I've become "stupid". It seems that I can't do anything right. My preceptor is critical of everything that I do. I know that the patients are more unstable, and I'm not afraid of the vents, monitors, or crisis situations. She makes me feel that I'm too stupid-to-live sometimes! My anxiety level is at the breaking point! I'm 46 years old, and have an excellent employment record. I've worked at hospitals in 6 states, with all giving me glowing recommendations and evaluations! Is it me? Am I paranoid, as my daughter says? I get so anxious before I go to work that I almost get sick! I've always wanted to work ICU, and love this area of nursing. Any ideas? It's nice to know that I'm not alone!

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Specializes in Ortho/Neuro...now, Oncology Research.

On my drive home, I usually quickly run through each patient and try to remember if there was anything I forgot to do or report to the next nurse. Sometimes there is and I make a quick phone call. There have been times when I have just closed my eyes for the night and they fly open as I remember something important..that's why I keep my phone at my bedside!

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