Anxiety before work?

nursing twin, CNA · Dec 30, 2008

I always feels anxiety before going into work. I've been working on my floor since october a week away now form being off orientation. I just want to do the best job that I can. I feel like a seasoned nurse would do a better job than me. It's hard having feelings of anxiety before going into work. I think it's normal for new nurses. I just take it a day at a time and want to give hospital nursing a year and see how I am. I usually take tylenol PM to help me go to sleep at night b/c combination of anxiety and having trouble going to sleep. I need my sleep!! :bugeyes:

I_love_my_job · Jan 2, 2009

I'm new to nursing, five months, and feel some anxiety about going to work. It starts the day before where I have noticed I get a little irritable around my family, feel stressed that I need to get my sleep and then only sleeping 6 hours. Sometimes I review a med-surg book because I feel if I could "know everything" I wouldn't be stressed.

I have come to realize it is mostly my unit causing my stress. We will get floaters in and the two previous nurses we had were wonderful! It was like night and day. I felt I could ask for support with tasks without being put off or given the :uhoh3: .

I think once we get through our first year being nurses it will get easier. I worry about getting my work done on time so I can leave on time without being written up and of course I want to be the best, thorough, proactive nurse for my patients. I have put a lot of pressure on myself and need to keep in mind we are new and learning the nursing role and no one expects us to have the knowledge of a 5,10 or 20 year veteran nurse.

Keep in mind what Patricia Benner wrote in Novice to Expert. I was tempted to leave a copy in the nurses' station last week. :nuke:

Patty RN · Jan 8, 2009

I am with you! I started on a med/surg telemetry unit in Nov. I got 7 wks. orientation (f/t three 12's) on days and then went to nights part time (12 hr. shifts). I do love the part time and nights. I was on my own the last three nights I worked and I really liked it much better. I do ask questions! Although, I don't have many good nurses to pick a mentor to go to.

Plus, to add to the stress of a new learning profession, our hospital is cutting back on staffing. This has the seasoned nurses upset also. I guess I can only do what I can do on my shift!

I really love my three or four-day stretch off! I do sleep good on those days. I am probably more hard on myself than I should be, but I want to learn and succeed. I still get a little anxious about one day before going back to work. But, it is much less than my first two weeks.

I was ready to quit after the first two days. I decided I needed a different nurse preceptor than the one I had. I felt like she was trying to intimidate me with her knowledge. She didn't fit my learning style and switching was a blessing!

I have had newer nurses (2 yr. experience) and a couple older nurses (my age + a couple years) that said my feelings were normal. They also had them. One older nurse told me it lasted for her for about 7 months. One nurse on nights told me her remedy for getting some sleep before coming to work. She gets up around 8 a.m. and does some activity. She then takes Tylenol PM and naps around 1 or 2:00 p.m. before coming to work at 7 p.m.

I have found it helps me to positively 'self talk' (and pray :-). I try to remind myself that I always have resources at my disposal and, I don't care what people think of me because I ask questions. I do have the ability to learn if I give myself permission. I am beginning to not feel quite as anxious as I did just eight weeks ago!

I do believe God called me to this profession. And, I believe He doesn't call me to something to be a failure. He is also a source of great strength in this season of my life! I talk to Him often :-)

Good luck, be easy on yourself, and God bless you!

showtime1970 · Jan 8, 2009

I can totally relate to you. I was an LPN that went back to school for RN. Big mistake (now I have more stress) I have been a nurse for 8 yrs, and I still get nervous, and have migraines to boot. I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes. They are both stressful to me, just in different ways. If the job makes you that nervous, then find something less stressful. I am now looking to get into home health because I cannot tolerate the stress anymore.

abundantjoy07, RN · Jan 8, 2009

Not so much anxiety as opposed to a feeling of sadness and stress. Sadness because I don't really want to be there sometimes and stress because I never know what problems I'll inherit (new admit from the get-go, horrible family, orders way overdue, mad patients, etc). Sometimes I step off the elevator and before I even walk up to the station I already know what kind of night it's going to be.

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · Jan 8, 2009

I'm new and have stress before going into work and my work isn't all that bad. I think it's just normal to feel stressed when you're new. If co-workers are abusive however, like in that one post, that would be the time to quit. But most posters say to stick it out for a year and that seems like great advice because you will find your groove after a while. :)

Patty RN · Jan 8, 2009

I appreciate the supportive advise. I just want the 1 yr. experience and if I can hang on there, I am sure some other doors will open if fact, I should move on. We weren't prepared for the 'reality shock' in our BSN program--it wasn't even addressed. We were just told "you can do it." Some days, I have wondered. The n/p ratio is also an adjustment (staff cuts) recently. This stresses the seasoned nurses also---who I have to direct my questions to. I am counting my one year down, believe me! Have a great day. Thanks for the reply.

ernurse123 · Aug 22, 2011

I stumbled upon this forum when I was searching for "anxiety before work". I'm glad to see I'm not alone. I noticed it's been about 3 years since this forum was started -- How's work now?? Do you still feel anxious? Did you end up changing jobs?

I'm an ER nurse in a VERY busy level 2 trauma center. I've been working there for 1 year in 4 months. I gotta say, my stress level is super high. I STILL STILL STILL feel anxious before going to work to the point where I can't sleep...sometimes I even cry before my shift. When I can't sleep, I go on my computer and start looking for new jobs!! The thing is, I actually think i'm good at my job -- I'm a lot faster and organized than some of my coworkers, I know (most of the time) what I'm doing. People like working with me. But i'm telling you, I may look confident outside, but i'm full of anxiety inside. I don't want to say I hate it because there's a lot I like about it, but I don't like the stress and the fact that I never know what I'm gonna get. Also, I HATE trauma. I wish I can live for adrenaline of saving a dying patient, but that stuff stresses me out.

I started looking for urgent care clinic nursing positions, but it's been hard. I have some floor experience, but I don't really like it. I have some urgent care experience in my hospital, and I love it there because you still deal with different people, different sickness, different ages, but for the most part, none are close to dying!! Anyways, for now, I guess I just have to stick it out until I find a job I love... I rreaallly and desperately want to be able to say that. :/