anxious nursing student

shoegalRN, RN · Apr 9, 2011

First thing first:

Quit comparing yourself to your preceptor! You are still a nursing student, she is an experienced RN. You two are not on the same level as far as experience goes. She has been working as a RN and is experienced. You are a nursing student and is about to transition into the graduate nurse role, you have no real world nursing experience YET. If you keep comparing yourself to nurses who have way more experience than you, you will continue to be disappointed.

It is normal and ok to feel like you know nothing coming straight out of nursing school. That is expected of a nursing student transitioning to a graduate nurse. It's expected of new grad nurses. Be patient with yourself, you will get it eventually, but it takes time and experience, just like with your preceptor.

I had to learn this quickly because I had a habit of comparing myself to experienced nurses that had way more experience than I did and I was a new grad at the time. It made me depressed and made me question my decision to become a nurse. It was my own high expections I put on myself, nobody else did that to me.

Good luck to you!

Annaiya, NP · Apr 9, 2011

Remember that you are there to LEARN. That is it. You are not there to do your preceptor's job or even to make her job easier. Yes you will add to the amount of work she has to do, but she knew that when she agreed to have a student. Those of us who enjoy teaching don't mind the extra work at all. Don't focus so much on trying to do her job, and instead focus on opportunities where you feel you can learn and grow the most. Try to get experience with as many new skills as possible, new diagnoses, assessments of complicated patients, etc. Embrace your role as a senior nursing student and stop trying to be a senior nurse. It will help with your anxiety:)

ckh23, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

Cut yourself a little slack your still only a student. Take this opportunity to learn as much as you can because it sounds like you have a preceptor that is very willing to teach.

No Stars In My Eyes · Apr 10, 2011

:redbeathe Everybody's a "newbie" more than once in their lives. I was a newbie at a job situation recently, even after being a nurse for 35 years! I just hadn't done this particular type/service before. But since the beginning of my career, I've looked for positions that were "scary" and jumped right in anyway. Once you get some time under your belt, you will feel more confident, I promise! Be proud ; there are lots of nurses who wouldn't put theirselves where you are,who would seek a safe, comfortable position and stay there so long, that even if they wanted to change, they won't dare. YOU DARED! Time and experience will teach you more at this point than grinding away at the books. Take a deep breath and find something fun for you on your day(s) off so you don't spend all your time in a knot of fearful expectations. You can actually enjoy your job even without knowing everything or performing perfectly. A PASSION doesn't have to be excrutiating! If you could see/hear/know all the goofy stuff all of us have done, you wouldn't feel so bad. We ALL have had our moments, and survived; you can, too! I'm praying for you to give yourself the patience you would, I expect, extend to another. I read a little anecdote somewhere....an older student was sitting in a classroom before the new class began. The younger students were discussing what they wanted to be.....one asked the older student "What are you here for? What do you want to do?" the older student said. 'Oh, I'm just here to learn and become more of myself" The younger student said, a little dismissively, "Well, I wish I had YOUR ego!" The older student replied, Don't worry, honey, it takes time."

neuroms · Apr 10, 2011

Talk to your physician about treatment for anxiety. I used propranolol throughout clinicals for nervousness.

bsngrad12 · Apr 24, 2012

I feel the same exact way, I am in my practicum in the ER also And while I practically aced school...I feel like a complete failure and nuisance in my practicum. I too feel anxious and in the way...I see my other classmates flourishing and I just feel slow...I'm starting to think I chose the wrong profession

brainkandy87 · Apr 24, 2012

You should feel anxious. You're in an intense setting without any experience whatsoever. You'll need to recall anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, disease processes, and so on, on the spot. Your skills are underdeveloped and there are many procedures done regularly in the ER that you've never seen, let alone done.

Despite all that, stop and take a breath. No one expects you to know all of this or be proficient at anything. You're a student. You're there to learn, so stop worrying about being a failure and not being of help and learn.

In the ER, do an ER assessment, not a M/S assessment. Focus your assessment on the chief complaint.

There are no stupid questions. Even nurses who've been around for years still have questions. You'll never stop asking questions as a nurse. If you do, you're probably a terrible nurse.

Keep studying. Study stuff related to patients you saw in the ER that day. Had a GI bleed? Go home and think about what your preceptor did for that patient: questions asked, interventions, meds, procedures, etc. Read about the pathophys of a GI bleed. Think about what you can do as the nurse to make sure you are not only treating the GI bleed, but prepared for any adverse outcomes. Just studying for the sake of studying is ok, but when you have an actual patient you took care of to relate to a study topic, you absorb much, much more, and your knowledge kicks in the next time you see a similar case. It becomes instinct.

The biggest things you can do as a student in the ER is to get your eyes on as many patients as you can, especially chest pains, abd pains, GI bleeds, and traumas. Also, get your hands on every vein that every nurse will allow you. And most of all, get dirty. No one likes poop and pee and emesis and mucus, but getting in there and putting in foleys and NG tubes will not only give you practice, but confidence.

Good luck. Keep learning.

nurse141427 · Apr 30, 2012

Nursing.mypassion,

I myself was a nursing student about two years ago. I have since spent eight months in urgent care before transitioning to a role in a regional ED and am about to start a new challenge as a member of the trauma team at the busiest ER in my home state. Let me first start by saying I can remeber the first day I set foot on the ER floor as a student, (in my program you only got one ER day). I was scared, nervous, talked WAY too much, and felt like I was constantly in my preceptors way as she quickly and efficently buzzed around the department doing autonomous things I'd never ever dreamed of doing on a med surg floor. Then as I was a new grad, I came to a rural regional facility and then started to do these things for myself. i was lucky enough the have a straigh forward, sometimes harsh, incredibly intelligent and resourceful preceptor who taught me a couple things I'd love to share with you....

1.) There are no stupid questions, just stupid nurses who don't ask questions and put their parents (and licenses) in jepoardy

2.) There is never a situation that is so intense that you cannot pause to check the 5 "R" 's or to look up a drug in a drug book.

3.) The hairs on the back of your neck stand up for a reason, trust your instincts.

4.)You help no one if you don't help yourself.... stay calm, check your face, and don't get too hyper. Your never alone in an ER lean on someone if you have to, your a TEAM

5.) And last but most importantly listen to you G^$DA$% patient.

I truely do hope that you find some soalce and peace of mind from this post. Emergency care if you let it can be the most reqarding type of nursing experience, in my opinion there is nothing better then the adrenaline that pulses through my veins when the s$%^ goes down. But again in new to the profession and still like a sponge that intakes everything, so WE have to remember the five rules.

I wish you the best of luck with school.