How do you get over your nerves?

[ames86]

I have a hard time with getting very nervous when am about to stick people with needles. To the point that my hands start shaking badly and people ask me if am nervous. How to I stop this? I recently got a job at my local hospital and they will require that I draw blood. I want to do it with confidence and not look like a student.

Any advice?

[damrcngrl95]

I hope you get a reply to this. I'm wondering the same thing. Are there people who are just so confident in everything that they don't get the jitters about anything?

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

I am a pretty confident person but I also have a benign essential tremor. I usually try to hold their arm or whatever firmly. I also set everything up before I stick so I'm not fumbling around.

[rubato, ASN, RN]

Practice is key. I was very nervous my first year of school, but am completely confident now. So much so, that I have actually started IVs on patients without fear. Just know that it'll get easier and you'll gain that confidence.

[sharpeimom]

Every time you repeat a task, or one similar to it, your confidence will grow. I made myself flashcards listing every supply I'd need and every step in the task, which I'd put in my pocket before I left home. Before I got out of the car, I'd do a quick review of each card. I'd repeat the review right before I had to do it.

If you're a student or preceptee, you'll be working under close supervision and that in itself is tremendously reassuring. If whomever is watching you makes you nervous, tune them out, without letting it show on your face. If a preceptor is deliberately trying to knock you off guard, (they do exist!) mentally tell him/her to go to heck and go on with what you're doing.

It will get easier and easier every time you repeat a task like drawing blood and the good thing is that once you've drawn blood from a 400# diabetic, you can do it on almost anyone.

[athrun340]

nothing will make you more confident than experience. I don't think i felt comfortable drawing blood until after a year. And during that one year, i felt incompetent, nervous, and even hated drawing blood at some point multiple times but you gotta stick through it. This is what they call growing pains and if you overcome this, you'll become competent and confident. Dont feel bad if you miss a vein. It happens to everyone.

im sure after a couple of blood draws, the shaking wil go away. The nervousness will be there for a while but the more you repeat the same skill, the more you'll become cofident. good luck.