How did you manage your anxiety during clinical?

MassADNstudent · Sep 21, 2009

Just being as prepared as possible. Reviewing my meds and labs, have an idea of what I need to do during clinical specific to my patient(s), and just skipping coffee in the morning.

I have difficulty sleeping at night, especially before and after clinical. I read about a breathing technique that helps to calm me down, at least a little bit. What you do is alternate your breathing through each nostril. You might press one finger against one nostril, only breathe in deeply through one nostril and breathe out through the other by switching the side of nostril you are pressing against. This apparently is suppose to stimulate one side of your brain at a time. Also it slows down your breathing which will naturally help to calm you down.

Sarah Hay · Sep 22, 2009

Just keep at it and your confidence will go up.

LibraRNinNY · Sep 22, 2009

I agree that preparation is the best way to combat anxiety. Keeping a regular workout routine also works wonders! I know it's hard to fit in exercise during nursing school, especially if you're also working, but the benefits are incredible. You'll sleep better at the very least.

I will say that a bit of anxiety/fear is not necessarily a bad thing. During my second semester (med-surg at my school), I was scared to death of my clinical instructor. If someone wasn't prepared or seemed to be slacking, she would swoop down on them like a hawk on a mouse. I was terrified that it would happen to me, so I would prepare for HOURS the night before a clinical. Was it stressful? You bet it was, but I learned more in that semester than in any of the other ones. It's just a matter of using your anxiety as motivation, rather than letting it break you down.

user.name · Sep 23, 2009

I was so nervous at first. On my first day, my clinical instructor decided one of us was going to start an iv first thing in the morning. And of course she chose me. I was shaking the whole time and couldn't stop for long enough to put it in. Luckily, she was good and jumped in and physically helped me. I was very nervous my entire first semester, but as I was put in stressful situations it faded for the most part. Now I feel relatively confident compared to then at least... it's only a little over a year since then. I just kept putting myself in situations that stressed me out and volunteering to do things that made me nervous (things that i was allowed/prepared to do of course). Sounds awful, but it worked. Also, just remember you are a nursing student, you're not supposed to know everything, even though some people may think so. I've started asking lots of questions. I make sure before I go into the room that I know exactly how everything is going to go as far as I can predict at least. When it was possible and it wasn't something that required an instructor I would bring another student in the room with me. Prepping helped to a certain extent, but I could never do it right before bed because then there would be no sleep and dreams of nursing things. haha. good luck!