Feeling Anxiety Right Now

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Hey Guys!

My goal is to become an ER or OR nurse, but I had a question to ask if anyone is going through the same mental process as me right now.

After completing my first semester of college as a freshman, I began to become nervous about entering the field of nursing. I always admire how nurses can help several patients at a time and stay confident in their decisions. But right now I feel nervous about applying to nursing school and wonder if ill ever be able to make decisions like those. For some reason, even without having graduated yet, I feel as if ill get thrown into a situation that I won't know what to do. On top of that, I am an introvert, but have no problems at all when talking to other people and enjoy working in a team. Im ready to give it my all and have already purchased my ATI Teas test book to study for the upcoming exam. I won't give up easily, nor will I succumb to my nervousness, but I just wanted to know...

If my personality as an introvert will affect my future in becoming a nurse

If anyone is going through or have felt nervousness and anxiety

Are these just normal emotions to be going through in the process of becoming a nurse and entering the real world?

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Yes they are completely normal! I just finished up my prerequisites for my ADN Program and am now prepping to take my last two classes to get my BSN after. Even though I am the queen of trying to be as prepared as possible and doing things early, I was so nervous about applying that I finally submitted my application yesterday morning. The deadline for me is this Thursday and opened up at the beginning of January. I became the poster child for procrastination because I could not get over the fact that I was done and ready to apply.

I think it is hard for us to imagine making decisions right now because we know absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Going through nursing school gets us one step closer and then actual experience gets us the rest of the way. Medicine is about working as a team. You may not know something, but that is where you ask for help.

Hang in there and best wishes on your TEAS. I'll be prepping for it myself to hopefully take in May.

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Probably half of my class had massive anxiety. I myself, had it pretty bad along with being an introvert as well. Nursing is a very diverse profession and there are very different paths you can take. Initially, I had very little self confidence and was scared about making a mistake all of the time. Luckily I grew out of that and learned to have more confidence. Nursing school is really tough; it changes you. I would definitely argue it made me a better person. All nurses I have spoke to have agreed that nursing school was just awful compared to actual nursing. Now, it IS necessary, but in the real world it is much different.

My anxiety and introvertedness have not stopped me one bit. If I can do it, so can you.

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You can be an introvert and make a good nurse, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You're nervous because you're starting to outline your future career path, and being nervous is normal.

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Specializes in Medsurg/Tele.

Being nervous is normal. You're planning to take care of someone who will be out of their element in the hospital and may not know what is going on with themselves. They will look to you for guidance and information. It's a lot to take in. Even just wearing scrubs, they will want answers from you. Again, being nervous is normal.

Nursing school is going throw a lot of information your way and sometimes it feels like there's not enough time. I swear, if I stacked up all of the books I used during nursing school, there's no way I know all of that information. (Random input: NCLEX has 75-265 questions to see if you're a safe nurse.) Uhhh... to add... (disjointed thoughts) nursing school tries to get you ready for what you will see, but it doesn't mean it will add everything. When this happens, you will have your classmates/coworkers there to figure out what you can do or your instructor/charge nurse, because you won't exactly be alone.

Does being an introvert affect your ability to be a nurse? No. There are so many job opportunities in nursing that you can find yourself a job you will enjoy. You may grow out of it or not while in school, it all depends how you are with your classmates.

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Nervousness in nursing school is universal. I have given a ton of IM injections in clinical (mostly Influenza and TDAP's), but I still get nervous when the RN is watching me draw it up.

I get nervous giving SBAR's sometimes too, even though I've been looking at a chart for two days.

I don't get test anxiety, but pretty much all of my classmates do. Just breathe and remember all of the work that you've done to have the chance to take those tests and give those injections.

Side note: I don't get nervous administering IVP. Can't really explain this.

Anyway... you'll get through it. It gets easier.

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Thanks for the replies guys!

I need to be more confident in myself right now haha.

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