Did Anyone FeeL Nervous before becoming an LPN......

sassynurse78 · May 11, 2005

I was a CNA first so I was pretty much over the blood, vomit, poop etc. fears. However my biggest fear was a strange one. You know how when someone makes a fist and all their veins pop up? Well nothing has ever grossed me out more. People would do this and show me their arms just to torment me. I always felt sick to my stomach when I seen this. The first day I spent learning about IV's and practicing I thought I was going to pass out! :chuckle But as soon as I faced this, attemped to do it (I told myself my insecurities and fears was not going to stop me) I was over it. It is humerous to me now and I love to see those big veins! I have no clue what caused this to gross me out, but it didn't stop me. I have found that almost always what I thought would be bad turned out to be ok. I still get nervous sometimes when faced with a new situation, but feel great once I have dealt with it and proved to myself that I really can do this.

Snipb · May 11, 2005

OK, so as an LPN we do start IV's i was never really sure i start nursing school in June. That would be my only fear the rest does not bother me.

FEELYRN · May 11, 2005

I think everyone who has not worked in healthcare gets nervous, at the start of any clinical rotation everyone was nervous in our group. Help each other out and you will get through it. Often by trying to keep patient comfortable and calm you calm yourself in the process. Confidence comes with experience, dont be too hard on yourself.

luvbug · May 11, 2005

OK, so as an LPN we do start IV's i was never really sure i start nursing school in June. That would be my only fear the rest does not bother me.

Is it understood that all LPNs start IV's now? I have never been trained to do that, and my facility does not train LPNs to do so...

Fiona59 · May 11, 2005

IV starts depends on provincial/state scope of practice regulations.

In my province, its a specialty restricted to nurses working in dialysis. Every hospital I've worked in has had an IV team to do starts, and nursing homes use the visiting lab services.

sassynurse78 · May 12, 2005

Yes I beleive that it is the states scope of practice and the facility policy. Our facility IV certified us, but I went to nursing school in another state so I learned there also.

sweetmom · May 18, 2005

tHANK YOU :)

jude11142 · May 19, 2005

i think that everyone feels nervous at first.....as for being grossed out, i worked in the o.r. as a scrub tech, so blood and guts don't bother me..............what does gross me out is vomit, lol.....if you weren't nervous, i would be worry....it is normal to be nervous.....as you get more experience, you will become confident in what you do. it's amazing, because i was soooo nervous at first, and now? i no longer feel that way and i love nursing!! remember, that as a nurse, you are always learning new things,it never ends. that's one of the things i love, learning......ask questions if you aren't sure of something and remember that there are no stupid questions only stupid answers, lol......

jude :melody:

leopold · May 20, 2005

I'm a CNA right now, working on my LPN. When I first started as a CNA my hands shook so much that patients would actually ask me why I was shaking. I told them I had had too much coffee. Eventually it went away. I'm doing my LPN clinicals right now and when I first started I was so nervous I was sick to my stomach -- even though I had a lot of experience and all I was doing was making beds and taking vitals. As far as all the gross stuff, there's nothing that really bothers me except seeing poop in the toilet. I don't know what the deal is with that because it doesn't bother me in the least when I see it anywhere else (and I work with a lot of psych patients so believe me I see it in some pretty unexpected places!). :chuckle

Mandylpn · May 24, 2005

I as some of you may know I am starting the LPN program in September. Sometimes I feel really nervous about being able to handle the things that gross you out in nursing. I really want to become a nurse because I am very good with people and I feel as if I would be able to have a very up-beat attitude, but did anyone else feel this way. As far as when it came to drawing blood or dealing with people with different diseases. Is it normal to be nervous and do you usually over come it?
Thank you very much for any replies I recieve :)

:chair: You can bet most of who were students at one time feel just like you. I still get nervous at times! Just wait until you pass your boards, and you wake up and freak out because you are a REAL nurse and are responsible for REAL people! You will find out at your first clinical if you can handle the gross stuff. Good luck, don't be nervous, learn all you can, come back here for support. :nurse:

Princess74 · May 24, 2005

I'm starting my LPN program this fall too. I'm nervous about a lot of things.

Blood, needles, and such doesn't bother me at all but I just know if I see vomit or hear someone throwing up I'll be puking my guts out. (guess I better get over it and fast huh? lol)

I am really worried about going to school full time and having to work PT too. When am I going to have time to study, sleep or see my boyfriend. I know I'm going to have to put school first (and work, cause I have to eat and pay bills)

but I know that I am going to really be in for a rough year.

Then I worry about failing, I can't get below an 80 in ANYTHING. 79 and below is an F. What if I'm not smart enough, what if my study habits are bad, I've been out of school for 13 years. I have no idea where to start when it comes to studing or writing papers. I'm afraid I just wont be able to handle all the stress.

Yep, I'm nervous alright!! When it comes down to it, I know I'll do everything that i can to pass school and become a good nurse because I really want this, but man am I scared!!:chair:

WOW, guess I needed to get all that out in the open, I feel better now. Thanks for listening:)