graduation anxiety

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i am currently in school to be a rn and the closer i get to graduating the more anxiety i feel b/c being responsible for other peoples lives is really scary and a huge responsibility and so i just kinda wanted to know if anyone went through the same thing....and when you did start working as a nurse were you even more scared or did you feel like you knew what you were doing and everything was ok....i know i cant just quit school but i dont know if i will be able to do it......:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:......any feedback would be appreciated

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Specializes in SICU.
i am currently in school to be a rn and the closer i get to graduating the more anxiety i feel b/c being responsible for other peoples lives is really scary and a huge responsibility and so i just kinda wanted to know if anyone went through the same thing....and when you did start working as a nurse were you even more scared or did you feel like you knew what you were doing and everything was ok....i know i cant just quit school but i dont know if i will be able to do it......:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:......any feedback would be appreciated

have you done your preceptorship (or capstone, or whatever your school calls it) yet? i just graduated, and i found that my preceptorship helped immensely with my confidence in being able to provide competent nursing care. up until then, i felt like i had book knowledge down pretty well, but i felt really awful about my clinical skills. being in the hospital all the time your last semester of nursing school really helps to increase your comfort level, or at least that's what i found.

but if your anxiety is so severe that you are thinking about quitting school, you should consider talking to your doctor or school counselor. the doc might be able to put you on an ssri to level you out, and the counselor can help developing your coping skills. i've struggled with anxiety before, and i know how awful it can be. making that step to actually do something about has made the biggest difference in my life.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.
i am currently in school to be a rn and the closer i get to graduating the more anxiety i feel b/c being responsible for other peoples lives is really scary and a huge responsibility and so i just kinda wanted to know if anyone went through the same thing....and when you did start working as a nurse were you even more scared or did you feel like you knew what you were doing and everything was ok....i know i cant just quit school but i dont know if i will be able to do it......:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:......any feedback would be appreciated

as another poster mentioned, talking about your anxiety with someone is always helpful. however, i think you are experiencing normal anxiety. does your school have a senior year preceptorship, or have you gotten to work as a cna/pca/tech? these things can help lessen anxiety.

i haven't started working as a nurse yet, but did just accept my first job offer--i'm excited but terrified at the same time. i think that anxiety with anything new will lesson with time--we were all nervous when we started nursing school, so being nervous about graduating and starting out in the field is only natural.

best of luck while you finish up ns!

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Specializes in PACU.

hey,

like the other people said, your preceptorship will really help you out. However, you ARE going to still be nervous. I think it is good that you realize that you are responsible for people's lives...I think it would be more worrisome if you weren't at least a little worried! :) I graduated in Dec and I, like you, was really worried! Everyone on my unit has been SO supportive of me. You just have to trust yourself and know that you can ALWAYS ask for help if you are even a little unsure!!! I always double check (drug guide, preceptor, charge nurse etc) if I have a question about something. Just dont let that fear keep you from doing the job i'm sure you are capable of doing! Good luck :)

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Specializes in ICU, Emergency Department.

Just a note, remember that not all schools have preceptorship/capstone programs. Mine doesn't. I made it a point to work as a nurse extern this past summer to get some extra floor experience because I knew I wouldn't have a senior preceptorship.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.
Just a note, remember that not all schools have preceptorship/capstone programs. Mine doesn't. I made it a point to work as a nurse extern this past summer to get some extra floor experience because I knew I wouldn't have a senior preceptorship.

Exactly. Mine didn't either which is why I worked as a tech all through nursing school.

I wish my school had a preceptorship, which is why I asked the OP if her school did.

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