Does anyone else get really nervous before a shift?

[j_tay1981]

I always get very anxious prior to the start of a shift, especially if my group of patients is new to me. I'm always nervous about possibly having to float, or maybe needing to give blood, etc. While at work, I'm nervous to walk into patients' rooms, and feel self conscious while in there. I had this problem while in nursing school clinicals too. It doesn't seem to be improving, either. I used to take a benzo for anxiety but felt like it adversely affected my short term memory, so I quit. I've been off orientation for approximately six months.

Any advice?

[j_tay1981]

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(Hint: you keep putting one foot in front of the other and one day you notice you are walking without thinking about your feet.)

Some of you have heard me tell this story before. I was several years out of school and had been staff in this fabulous ICU for three, and I was actually pretty good at it. One day I was in the break room with Sarah, a nurse of more than a decade's experience in the unit, one who could take every kind of patient that rolled up the hall, who was never flustered, always expert, always willing to teach and explain. I asked her when I would stop feeling scared when I sat in report. She smiled and said that every day before report started she felt a pang of anxiety, but that it passed when she started working. She said that when that little stab of fear went away she would have to go somewhere else, because it's what keeps us awake and sharp. I never, ever forgot that (and here I am telling that story again, smumble-mumble years later), and I am happy to pass it along to you.

Thanks for sharing that - point taken! A nurse told me once that nurses in their second to third year of practice are even more prone to making mistakes then when they started because they begin to develop that false sense of security that they lacked as a new grad. It kept them on their toes and they didn't realize it. As someone whose had anxiety issues for years, it's not exactly comforting to think that a constant twinge of panic each shift might actually be ideal

[HeatherGurl84]

Lets just say I use to arrive 30 minutes before my shift started so that I could mentally "prepare." Perfectly normal!!

[RNurse2]

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I feel like I'm just not getting this stuff yet. I'm better organized than I was day one on the job, but there is too much 'gray area' on this floor! Actual policies aside, I can never get a straight, consistent answer from other nurses on what to do in certain situations, especially when dealing with unpleasant or insulting patients.

I look at my peeps I need to see at start of shift and try to prioritize them, but they all have extensive meds or cares that make the order I see them nearly a moot point.

What scares me though, is how quickly I became the type of nurse I never wanted to be: bitter, resentful of my patients at times, short tempered, suspicious of patients that I feel may be narc-seeking. I'm not even at my one year mark off orientation yet!

My shifts having me feeling like I'm holding my breath for twelve hours straight as tasks pile on me, and relief is the only description I have for knowing I don't come back the next night. Not 'hey, I get a day off, what will I do?' But actual relief that I can mentally and physically be disengaged for an evening.

All I do is race from one task to another, not fully absorbing the reasons WHY my patient is having certain symptoms or getting certain tx.

I'm already tired of the constant battle of wills with patients, their families and on coming nurses that question every little thing you did or did not do over night. It's exhausting.

WOW!! These are words that have come out of my mouth. My feelings exactly! I'm starting to think I'm getting burnt out I don't know if I have the strength to keep pushing forward in my current position.

[MaryFutureRN]

I feel the same way! Pretty much the same way

[Cholkasum]

I can relate to you since I have been a nurse for last 7 months now. As I start walking towards the hospital, I feel the anxiety. There are couple of things that helps me. On my way, I "intentionally" smile a few times and take some deep breaths. Then, I remind myself I am going to help my patients today and that will be awesome. I arrive to work at east 15-20 mins early because I hate feeling rushed. Also, one cannot assume traffic is always the same and so, it always helps to head to work early. Becoming friends or friendly with your fellow RNs goes a long way. Being new, I have not hung out with other RNs outside of work but I am always friendly to them and give them a hand whenever they need. In return, every one has been helpful to me. Although we each have our own assignments, we are a team after all and having the team spirit has been a great help to me for the last 7 months in facing the anxiety. On another note, I think little bit anxiety & stress is good as it keeps us alert and on our "toes".