need advice-nurse with anxiety disorder

[sasha2006]

I was wondering if anyone out there could offer some advice. I am a student nurse currently doing a rotation on Med/Surg and am finding that it can be difficult for me to concentrate and focus on occasion.

I have been diagnosed and treated for a generalized anxiety disorder but i have found during this clinical rotation that i have had days where it is difficult to concentrate and prioritize care.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to keep organized and keep thinking when your anxiety level is high?

I am often caring for 4-5 patients as a student nurse and when i have been presented with complicated patients it is all i can do to try to keep up with my group of patients.

My instructor is aware of my disorder but says, and i agree, that it is not an excuse but rather a challenge that i must learn to deal with.

Any ideas on how to keep on track?

Thank you,

Sasha2006

[bargainhound, RN]

Try to block out/filter out chaos around you that does not apply

to what you are assigned to do/what applies to your patients.

This takes practice.

Make yourself take deep breaths/ concentrate on making sure

you are breathing when you feel panicked.....it helps.....and you

may be surprised to find that you are not breathing when you

get overwhelmed.

Give yourself permission to focus on your assignment/job.

You are not there to be Miss Personality to everyone in sight.....you

do not have to respond/socialize with everyone present in the hall....

all the staff, visitors, etc. You will learn who key players are and

who you need to at least acknowledge, but if you focus on

social behaviors with everyone, you will get nothing done.

Give yourself permission to politely extricate yourself from

time-wasting conversations/etc.........that will also help you

have more time to take care of your patients.

Keep some sort of organized worksheet.

That is different for all of us.

Use whatever helps you the most.

If you get used to having certain things written down

on your worksheet in certain places, it makes finding/using

the info much faster.

Sometimes you can use what the unit provides.

I usually use what they provide, plus my own notes; but

sometimes that does not work and I keep theirs for reference

and use my own. I also make sure I have sticky notes and

extra blank paper on my clipboard to use for phone calls, notes

to myself, etc.

I also put a sticky note at the top of my clipboard (on the clip

part) with a list of things I must do. For example: I&Os, Meds

(I list times), notes, tape report, assess forms (etc.....whatever

you need to do during your shift time). It is just a double check

for me to mark off as I go....and when anxiety is high, I can look

at the list and do one of the tasks and this helps the anxiety come

down.

I have also found that when I am in a situation when there is more

than I know to do, I just focus on what I do know to do and let

others do what they know to do. This frees them from tedious

things and also gives me a feeling that I am contributing. I have

gotten compliments for this. It does not happen very often, but

when it does, that is what I have found works for me.....just do

what I know to do.

[suzy253, RN]

Great advice. I also suffer from GAD, am a nursing student and do pretty much the same (i.e. listing meds by times to be given, any special treatments, notes, etc.). Whatever works for YOU. Trying to filter out everything else going on around you that doesn't concern you is sometimes difficult but essential.

Just stay focused and remember to breath!!!