I Don't Get the Anxiety Part of Nursing

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

I don't understand how a person with enough anxiety that it requires medications doesn't "get" the anxiety her peers are feeling. This just defies logic.

sistasoul · Nov 4, 2015

When someone needs to take anxiety medication to perform their job that is a red flag. Why should a job be so stressful that one needs to take medication to actually be able to do it? I am a person who has severe social anxiety and generalized anxiety. I dreaded going to work because of the time constraints and the responsibility of being a nurse. I have tried different SSRIs and even SNRIs to combat anxiety. Could never find one that did not have horrendous side effects so will never try another. I know many nurses who have to take anxiety medications to cope with their jobs. I think the system of nursing is broken if so many of us need anti anxiety medication to cope.

I love my patients and love to take care of people but the stress of nursing drove me away from the bedside. I have had to take time away m from being a nurse. I can only see myself working as a nurse one or two days a week at the most and working in another profession the rest of the week. It is a shame really because I enjoy patient care.

Iknowwha2du · Nov 4, 2015

The bulk of anxiety stems around not being able to do your best work, realistically most of the time, you don't have the time and the worst thing would be for you to loose your license due to it. I can handle the stress of the job pretty well and I have seasoned nurses asking me to take their patients because of whatever reasons. I am blessed in that from an early age I was raised to be able to handle a lot of stuff that would consume others. However at the time I didn't like that so much was put on me, now I see that what I went through in my past has made me stronger for the future. I do a lot of meditation to, it keeps the mind clear and ready for whatever may come. Not everyone can handle a lot. It doesn't make them less of a person.

Farawyn · Nov 4, 2015

Do you work critical care? Because then you might understand.

Now wait a second, Ms. Scrappy!

I never worked CC. My worst anxiety ever was when I was a Float RN, working anywhere from the floors to Step Down to the ED- Walking down that hall to get my assignment. I would not sleep the night before. Once I got the assignment? I was fine.

Also the clinic. Management was horrid, then they left...guess who was getting all the sick calls at 2am? Mhm. I used to freak about Monday on Saturday morning.

Ya know what though? I just had anxiety. Situations can exacerbate- but the awesome thing about anxiety and depression is there doesn't need to be a reason for it.

Again, I do think that there should be more clinical in nursing school. I've been a nurse over 20 years and we had loads of clinical. My mom was a Diploma nurse back in the day and she learned on the floors.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

I see these posts where people complain of anxiety. Crying before work, crying during work, dreading going into the hospital.
I'm just thankful that I'm not the patient. I split my weeks into what I want to accomplish. One week, it was to ensure that I checked the orders every half an hour. The next week, it was that I's and O's were okay. Focusing on one item at a time allowed me some mastery over it. Granted, it was during my orientation, but I've built on that, and I don't look at work as something to be dreaded, but rather as an experience to get it all right. I'm at that point.
Nursing is overwhelming. Focus on what you can change at this time, and those tasks that have an immediate effect on your patient. Look at your weakness, and improve it. Work is a challenge, but it's one I'm prepared for. I finished nursing school, I passed the NCLEX. I'm not going to know everything, but I will get better as I go. Much like the dreaded care plans, have a plan for yourself.
Know the areas you need to focus on. Make a list. Get good at the things you occasionally miss. The most important things. When you have that down, go to the next item.
No one expects you to know it all. It's okay that you don't. Don't cry after every shift, because really, what is that accomplishing? Nothing. Have a plan. Become the nurse you want to be in small steps. That's okay.

Wow! Somebody with a plan and taking control of her anxiety rather than just crying about it. Good for you!

Yeah, I do not want to see my nurse, surgeon, lawyer or firefighter crying about the stress of their job.

Other than criticizing the plan OP made for herself to focus her energies on something she had control over what alternative has been offered? She acknowledged nursing is overwhelming but chose to take small doable steps as her self care plan. Sure that won't work for everybody but OP put out there that it worked for her. Mission accomplished.

And while there are some who would expect you to know it all, why buy into that fanciful thinking on their part? A mature adult knows that isn't possible and believing that is it makes you a fanciful child too.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

Wow! Somebody with a plan and taking control of her anxiety rather than just crying about it. Good for you!
Yeah, I do not want to see my nurse, surgeon, lawyer or firefighter crying about the stress of their job.
Other than criticizing the plan OP made for herself to focus her energies on something she had control over what alternative has been offered? She acknowledged nursing is overwhelming but chose to take small doable steps as her self care plan. Sure that won't work for everybody but OP put out there that it worked for her. Mission accomplished.
And while there are some who would expect you to know it all, why buy into that fanciful thinking on their part? A mature adult knows that isn't possible and believing that is it makes you a fanciful child too.

Maybe you missed the later post wherein she admits to being on anti-anxiety drugs. So it's not only that she just has super duper coping skills. And being on meds, she should at least be able to "get" that other nurses have anxiety.

roser13, ASN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

Wow! Somebody with a plan and taking control of her anxiety rather than just crying about it. Good for you!
Yeah, I do not want to see my nurse, surgeon, lawyer or firefighter crying about the stress of their job.
Other than criticizing the plan OP made for herself to focus her energies on something she had control over what alternative has been offered? She acknowledged nursing is overwhelming but chose to take small doable steps as her self care plan. Sure that won't work for everybody but OP put out there that it worked for her. Mission accomplished.
And while there are some who would expect you to know it all, why buy into that fanciful thinking on their part? A mature adult knows that isn't possible and believing that is it makes you a fanciful child too.

Ummmm, small do-able steps plus, oh yeah, medication. The title of this thread, all by itself, is self-congratulatory.

"Anxiety?? What is that?? I don't 'get' having anxiety as a nurse. I conquered anxiety with A Plan. Oh, and yes, (when pressed) there is the little matter of the anti-anxiety meds that I am on."

So, there's that.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

Horseshoe said:

Maybe you missed the later post wherein she admits to being on anti-anxiety drugs. So it's not only that she just has super duper coping skills. And being on meds, she should at least be able to "get" that other nurses have anxiety.

No, I read that part. I included that as part of the first draft of my response and forgot to add it later. I read into the OP's second post that she admitted to having anxiety and fear but wasn't still "into" it and crying about it.

I just think that nursing can be overwhelming, and I felt the anxiety and fear of the responsibility we have for the first couple of months. I've worked through it in this way, and I thought it might be helpful.......The other thing I negated to mention and probably should have: Don't be afraid to go to your doctor and seek a medication alternative if everything else isn't working. I take an anti-anxiety medication. I needed it, or otherwise this job would've became all consuming.

What is really sad is how the situation the OP is in is not at all unique. Today's nursing climate for new grads is brutal and not likely to get better. Medication may become the norm if hospitals keep up their ridiculous expectations.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2015

I conquered anxiety with A Plan.

Good point, she over played that hand a bit.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2015

Mavrick said:

No, I read that part. I included that as part of the first draft of my response and forgot to add it later. I read into the OP's second post that she admitted to having anxiety and fear but wasn't still "into" it and crying about it.

I just think that nursing can be overwhelming, and I felt the anxiety and fear of the responsibility we have for the first couple of months. I've worked through it in this way, and I thought it might be helpful.......The other thing I negated to mention and probably should have: Don't be afraid to go to your doctor and seek a medication alternative if everything else isn't working. I take an anti-anxiety medication. I needed it, or otherwise this job would've became all consuming.

What is really sad is how the situation the OP is in is not at all unique. Today's nursing climate for new grads is brutal and not likely to get better. Medication may become the norm if hospitals keep up their ridiculous expectations.

Well, I actually think she has approached things rather well in terms of gathering her resources and attacking the day. The problem I had was her attitude that she was somehow superior to others, when in fact, she actually DOES have an anxiety problem, so the whole "I don't get it" just falls really flat, imo. She would have been better off to say "I totally GET the anxiety new nurses are feeling, and here's what I'm doing to address my anxiety and compensate for it." That I could have embraced, but imo it was very poorly addressed. Just seemed really condescending and as someone else said, very "self congratulatory."

BradleyRN · Nov 5, 2015

I take an anti-anxiety medication. I needed it....

The title of the thread is "I don't get the "anxiety" part of nursing"?

You're telling people not to cry?

You seem a little flippant about the things you "occasionally miss", and perhaps that gives you an edge in the anxiety department. And I'm sure the pills help as well.

In my experience, there are many specialties to choose from in nursing. Being in the one most suited for you will go a long way in reducing anxiety. But, of course, the main vein of anxiety seems to flow throughout nursing and is caused by the conditions and workloads that we continuously accept. If you can't do your job safely, it makes you want to cry. And there's nothing wrong with that.

klone, MSN, RN · Nov 5, 2015

NETY!!!

Y'all scared her off!