Can I still be a good nurse when I have anxiety and low self esteem?

kellygurl64 · Dec 14, 2011

I was VERY shy when I started in nursing. Want a sure-fire cure for your anxiety and low self-esteem? STAY IN NURSING!!! You will become a strong, assertive, self-confident person. Keep trying! Practice reports at home in the mirror or with friends and family. Have someone videotape you and you can improve upon what you see. I wish you all the best-I know you will do very well. PS: None of us are perfect. Things take time. Maybe you are expecting too much from yourself. Take it easier on yourself. Good luck! :yeah:

SE_BSN_RN, BSN · Dec 14, 2011

I am shy and quiet also. The best thing about nursing is you CAN talk one on one with your patients. I hate hate HATE standing up in class to do reports, but I force myself to, because my grade depends on it! As for those classmates, I would call them out, but that is just me. Your instructor should intervene, also. I have gotten better at being more assertive and verbalizing my feelings. It's going to be hard for a long while, but you can do it. Once you get comfortable with staff and patients it will be easier. Clinicals make me nervous, too, and I hate having to go to the nurse and say "Hi, I am your student, I am going to....." My psych rotation is coming up and they eventually want us to lead a group in talks, and I don't want to do that! But, I will probably be the one to volunteer. Because if you don't speak up, you will miss out on a learning opportunity! You can do it, you are stronger than you know. Can you see your doctor and talk to him/her about medication? I did that for awhile and it helped, too. Maybe that is something you can do, and never be afraid to ask! Good luck!!

awheat · Dec 14, 2011

First of all: Does your school have a counselor? I went thru an ADN program and we had one. Some people thought she was just for scheduling/financial issues but she was so much more. I saw her for 9 months and credit her for much of my success - and by the way I graduated with the highest GPA of our class (which included clinical grades, not just academic testing). Here is a shocker - what you said "all the other students do not have a single problem verbalizing..." is not true. I was terrified EACH clinical -who would I get, what if I did not know, what if I do something wrong? I would prepare, stay up late, freak out, cry - it is what we, as nursing students do. I think maybe because of your "low self-esteem" you may be a little ego-centric - this is NOT an attack. I know of which I speak from personal experience - you see yourself in such unfavorable light that you think everyone else does also, which is not true. Yes, there are bullies out there, (even in college) and what comes around goes around. Talk to the freshman lead (instructor) and see what is available - they WANT you to succeed. You have to want to, too. I am a good nurse, you will be too. Help yourself now so you can help others later. We need you!

SE_BSN_RN, BSN · Dec 14, 2011

First of all: Does your school have a counselor? I went thru an ADN program and we had one. Some people thought she was just for scheduling/financial issues but she was so much more. I saw her for 9 months and credit her for much of my success - and by the way I graduated with the highest GPA of our class (which included clinical grades, not just academic testing). Here is a shocker - what you said "all the other students do not have a single problem verbalizing..." is not true. I was terrified EACH clinical -who would I get, what if I did not know, what if I do something wrong? I would prepare, stay up late, freak out, cry - it is what we, as nursing students do. I think maybe because of your "low self-esteem" you may be a little ego-centric - this is NOT an attack. I know of which I speak from personal experience - you see yourself in such unfavorable light that you think everyone else does also, which is not true. Yes, there are bullies out there, (even in college) and what comes around goes around. Talk to the freshman lead (instructor) and see what is available - they WANT you to succeed. You have to want to, too. I am a good nurse, you will be too. Help yourself now so you can help others later. We need you!

Agree, agree, agree!! 100%!! Those students laughing at you have issues THEY need to deal with! I struggle still with low self esteem even after counseling and I am forever stressing about what others think of me.....and that harms us.

Rodoon, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 14, 2011

I read your post and noted your sign in is sunnyskies2. Sounds like a good outlook to me. The best way to get public speaking experience is to find something you believe in and volunteer. Hand out fliers and ask people to vote for something. The trick is to learn in a comfort zone of your choosing.

Is this a clinical you find scary and are dead certain you won't work in that field? For me it was Peds. Struggle on and know it doesn't haunt you for ever. Do seek support from friends in the group. If you have rapport with the instructor ask her for public speaking tips. Chances are she's been there. The key to confidence is preparation--spend more time practicing like others suggested.

Good Morning, Gil · Dec 14, 2011

I agree with the first poster. I was not assertive, and wasn't the most confident person before I began this career. Fast forward just a short time later, and I feel like a whole new person. Nursing really does make you that way....I feel so much better having more confidence in myself, and being more assertive. You will see.....although the extreme anxiety you have is concerning, particularly because you have to be able to make decisions quickly and not get choked up. Do you only get choked up during social situations? I think they prescribe beta blockers sometimes for the whole "stage fright" thing, but really...if things are that bad for you, and you can't afford to go your primary care doctor, could you at least take advantage of the EAP program at your school?

It really all comes down to confidence in yourself, and I will tell you, that if you stick it out in nursing, you will not recognize that old self-conscious nervous to speak to others self. Be confident in what you have to contribute.....you got into school just like the others. You can do it! When I first started nursing school, I doubted my decision to pursue nursing, too....I think many people do as the profession is difficult, but once I got in there, I knew why it was that I chose this career and enjoyed the patient care.

If you do better in 1:1 situations...maybe home health is more for you where you could spend time (well not forever lol) with one patient at a time....but you usually need at least 1 year of hospital experience first. Best of luck to you! Those other students that laugh at you are crappy, ignore them.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2011

let's step back a bit and take a longer view. i don't know whether you can be a good nurse one way or the other. but you can't be a good you if you are anxious and and panic-stricken and think so ill of yourself as you describe. if you were a nurse and a patient told you that she couldn't get therapy because she couldn't afford it, what would you say to her? (ans.: there are low-cost options out there; there are payment plans.)

if you couldn't take care of yourself effectively because you had back pain, wouldn't you pay for the physical therapy that would enable you to move around? if you couldn't see well, wouldn't you get glasses? this is no different. never think that mental health is one bit less important for overall quality of life-- for anyone-- than any physical symptom. do not ask me why i know this so well.

just do it. if you do, i promise you that in a few months you will look back and, like my knee replacement patients, be saying, "dangitol, i should have done this a year ago."

just so.:heartbeat

czyja, MSN, RN · Dec 15, 2011

I very much agree with the above poster.

The first step to being the nurse you want to be and the person you can be, is to deal with your mental health issues.

You may wish to talk to your primary care NP or MD and be screened for an anxiety/depression disorder. Low cost/sliding scale psychotherapy treatment options are available. Many anxiety and depression meds are also generic and therefore quite cheap.

I think if you attend to your health you may quite surprised at the great things that follow

rntj · Dec 15, 2011

I've been an RN in various capacities for 10 years. I remember the entire time in nursing school, I would have to take phenergan for constant nausea. As soon as I was done, no more nausea! Clinicals scared the bejeebers out of me. I would like to reiterate that you must find a way to get some help before you embark on this demanding career. This is coming from a person with bipolar II d/o, OCD, and anxiety who has managed well as a nurse all this time. Proper treatment, medication, and therapy is key. At the very least see if your primary MD can get you on some meds. The way you are feeling is no way to go through life and your career. But please do give yourself a break and realize that if nursing school and being a nurse did not make you nervous, I would think you definitely should rethink your career choice. You are going to be responsible for people's lives, and you are currently learning how to do so. It is OK to be nervous and unsure of yourself, but not to a crippling extent. Please seek help any way you can and remember, it's OK to be a quiet and shy nurse, you just have to be caring to your patients. That is what will shine through most.

Nurse4life09 · Dec 15, 2011

I completely understand your concern. I was definitely you (and still am even now sometimes). What has helped me is repetition. Doing something over and over, it becomes second nature to you. Once you get comfortable with something, your anxiety and inability to speak will decrease. What helps me is deep breathing exercises. Before you do a report, or go into a patient's room, just take a couple seconds to breathe in and out a few times. Listen to your body. And tune out others and just focus on your patient. You are there to take care of them, that is your responsibility as a nurse. I have anxiety as well, and I feel that my nursing career has definitely helped out immensely. I do feel it is important for you to go see a counselor at your school. If that is not available, which it should be!, you could also ask the psychology department if they have any grad students that can help you out? Hope that helps!