Anxious Older New Grad, now in PEDS office---help!

Published Mar 21, 2015

28 Posts

Hi all,

Just a bit of background first. I am in my late forties, three kids, and decided to go back to school and got an ADN-I have a BS in something else.

I graduated in May, got my license in August, and my first job in a nursing home in October. I was extremely anxious 23 patients many with dementia, yikes. I was managing my patients. And getting a bit of a groove.

Wednesday of this week I started an office job in Peds. I am now a basket case. I had to take a hemo from a baby, and couldn't manage it. I'm having a hard time with the equipment, et al. Coming from geriatrics this is such a huge learning curve.

And we had no pedi rotation in school only maternity. I've googled and youtubed videos to help but am still really nervous about this leap.

So I'm wondering if I'm alone in this anxious/gut ripping feeling as a new grad? I don't know if it's because I'm older, new, it's all foreign to me, or I am just being hard on myself. I just feel really overwhelmed.

After one day I was kind of left alone to fend for myself. I really wanted a bit of hand holding and more shadowing to feel comfortable. Also, the girl training me (who is probably in her early twenties) I can tell is getting aggrivated with me because I keep coming to her for help. I am having probs with some of the eqipment and am being told basically you have to figure it out for yourself.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. And thanks for giving me a place to vent...WHEW!