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.
This is a helpful post. Gives me hope for the future. I don't have a job yet, but I'm praying I'll be a good nurse very soon. I know I'll probably have anxiety at first when I get a job, but I hope I get more comfortable fast. I think our fears and anxieties come from deep within, and our brains are our worst enemy at times. All a nurse can do is try their very best and make smart decisions. No ones perfect. :) I hate that some nurses have such deep anxiety that they can't shake. Hearing those stories have prevented me from getting a job quickly after graduation. I'll be honest, it has scared me! I see more stories about negativity and hating their jobs than good stories! It's sad.
I didn't read every reply, so forgive me if this has already been said; but to me not having some anxiety as a new grad sounds suspicious and dangerous. On one hand as a new grad you shouldn't have so much anxiety you are paralyzed and ineffective. But on the other, I strongly feel you damn well better be at least slightly apprehensive or anxious before a shift as a new grad, because that anxiety isn't weakness - it's awareness of your inexperience, respect for your patient's well-being, and reasonable caution as a professional!
What scares me about someone who isn't anxious as a new grad is that they might be that same someone who doesn't ask questions, isn't afraid to admit they don't know,or is reluctant to ask for help - and therefore is the most likely culprit in a dangerous mistake.
I myself have only been a nurse for 2 years. To this day (and I hope every day of my career) I realize a certain amount of anxiety (or what I would define as eustress) is a good thing in what I do, because the day I start becoming complacent and overconfident is the day I start making stupid and scary mistakes. I know this because as an ICU nurse I have observed that many of the rapid responses and codes I respond to have a complacent or overconfident nurse at the root of the problem.
We are responsible for taking care of and advocating for human lives for a living. If that doesn't inspire some amount of stress, anxiety, and yes - the occasional tear - you should probably reevaluate your position as a bedside nurse.
Perfectly stated. I could not agree with you more. Being a Nurse is a stressful job. That is why it is so important to have coping measures and family/friend support. In addition, when the stress becomes too much to get help and not be afraid. This attitude that we have it all together is a misconception. I have been a nurse for a long time and still have many days of stressful moments but many days of absolutely loving my job. There is no other job I want to do.
Sorry never said you did. Your post prompted a thought of mine about how many people would never dream of stopping their heart meds, or diabetes meds yet there is a contingent of society that expects those of us taking pysch meds to just stop the and get on with life
I think I understand what Tenebrae was getting at. Another way to look at it is if the job is the cause of HTN, taking blood pressure meds to cope with it may mean time to leave the job.
OP, you have more than responded to the condescending tone of your original post. This thread has gotten too long for the johnny-come-lately posters to bother to read your replies, so ignore them.
If you are a nurse that is blessed to work in a hospital unit that staffs well with good nurse to patient ratios, that is great. In about 18 yrs of nursing, I have worked in multiple hospitals and each one is different with a different ratio and acuity of care. It is normal to have some anxiety. And a lot of anxiety depending on your unit. We are responsible for human lives after all. I am responsible for their lives. I have my own anxiety. I am always on edge and cautious wondering if someone is going to go downhill and trying to catch it early. If I see a nurse that seems overwhelmed, I help them and don't congratulate myself over my superior organization skills. Then, I hope when I am overwhelmed, someone will help me.
If you're as short-in on the nursing world as I've been garnering, then I'll cut you a little slack here...
In my first year to year and a half of nursing, I didn't *get* the anxiety either. Hell, I had baseline anxiety, and everything in my life was a source of anxiety, but nursing wasn't one of those fields. I excelled both didactically and in theory, and so I felt as if I knew enough to be safe, and I behaved as such. I think my success was both a mixture of good, solid preceptors and luck. Did I screw up? Absolutely. Did I let it bury me? No. Why? Because although I may have screwed up, nothing *really bad* ever came of it. And only once did something bad come of it did I learn that with the more knowledge and hands on experience I had, the more I had the ability to not only heal someone, but hurt someone. And now into my 2nd of nursing, I live with that uncomfortable anxiety every day. Not crippling, but lingering.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I was a nurse for over 17 years and I never lost that slight feeling of trepidation at the beginning of a shift. That was a good thing, because it kept me on my toes and prevented me from becoming complacent. "You've got this" is not necessarily the best philosophy in nursing...not that confidence is a bad thing, but you (collective you) need to remember that you DON'T know it all, and indeed never will. Humans are incredibly complex and you can hurt someone if you're not at least a little "anxious" when you care for them. JMHO.
It's not a good thing to get too 'cocky' while the wheel is still in spin because falling from a high horse is a long way down. At the same time it would be too easy to let anxiety paralyse you from going forward. I have to make myself think of all the positive things that happen, all the 'thank yous' from the residents and believe it or not, also from management. I guess we're all in this together.
Specializes in Med/Surg, OR, Peds, Patient Education.
Thank you for stating this . It is so true. I feel the same way also, and was perplexed as to why, as time goes on and experience is gained over the years, that anxiety is actually increasing.
Apparently, OP does not know what she/he does not know. She/he will one day and I hope that a grievous error is not made or if one is about to be made that she/he listens to someone who catches that error before a patient is harmed.
blackvans1234
375 Posts
I focus on the fact that I am expected to do unrealistic amount of tasks for an unrealistic amount of patients.
..And that three years ago, the ''normal'' number of patients I have now was the ''worst day'' the staff nurses used to have.
All of that plus more documentation, more micromanagement, more administrators trying to find ''rules'' that we break.