Anxiety Surrounding Emergencies

[ShelbyAS]

Hello I am currently a nursing student and I have worked as a HHA and CNA for a few years! I love people and caring for them and I'm good at it. Blood, bodily fluids, and medical procedures don't bother me. However I feel like my fears could could halt my nursing career.

Although I'm good at caring for people, I'm not very good with extreme and unpredictable emergencies. I'm a very anxious person and I don't think I could take, an emergency that would occur in the ED or ICU.  I could handle a hospice situation since that would be a predictable death and I have seen some death in my time as a CNA. Personally I would like to work in Dialysis care, home health nursing, or elder care. I just don't feel suited for certain types of nursing, do you think this might pose a big issue for me during my nursing career?

[JKL33]

I think if you keep an open mind you'll be fine. There are many, many nurses in different areas where it would not be expected to have to deal with extreme emergencies, and even then the large majority of the time in those places one would mainly be expected to provide BLS-level care, first aid and the like, while summoning additional help--not be expected to know everything and do everything.

Even in the emergency department, there are waaaaay more patients than actual emergencies. Although the ED is where someone having a medical emergency would go for care, the majority of patients there do not have a dire emergency.

Another idea that may help is understanding that emergencies don't have to be thought of as 50 million different possible things that one would have to figure out--at their most basic emergencies are simple things like is the person breathing, do they have a pulse.

Generally speaking you will get the training (either in school or both from school and job training) that will prepare you for the type and level of urgencies or emergencies that you would be expected to handle in your role.

It'll be okay!

[Davey Do]

Being good at caring for others is an outstanding quality, ShelbyAS, and a foundation for which to build your expertise.

Although uncomfortable, anxiety can be a great motivator. Anxiety stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, heightens our senses, and is very energizing. However, channeling this energy can be a problem.

A mantra I used before work every day was "Expect the unexpected" and I that way the unexpected became the expected. When breaking onto the ER or OR, for example, I found myself often at a loss, nervous with undifferentiated actions.

Thank God and the Forces That Be I was mentored by some greats who guided and directed me. Whatever area of nursing I worked, I ate, slept, and breathed it. I wrote of situations, drew pictures, read related materials, role played, and discussed it with others, in a sense, becoming obsessed.

Studying for tests promotes a probable high grade, and identifying variables readies us for those unknowns.

 

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm more worried about the nursing student who's a know all and thinks they can already handle any emergency situation just fine before they're even registered. For a nursing student your anxiety over this is normal. 

Once you've observed several emergences and then experienced several emergencies as an RN your confidence will grow. As will your knowledge. Very few of us are perfect in these situations and we try to do the best we can to save a life in what will always be a stressful situation for even the most experienced nurse. Try not to obsess too much at your stage. 

 

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

All of us are anxious in an emergency situation. Earn your degree . You have many options that will open for you.