Need advice

[ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN]

I am once again starting a new job in nursing, this time attempting the hospital side again. I graduated in 2010 and initially attempted to work a tele floor but felt so anxious, so overwhelmed, felt like I had no support, that within a couple of weeks I switched into a clinic position which was basically just phones. After two years of clinic work, I feel I have no nursing skills or experience. I accepted a med/surg job in a smaller hospital but I am getting the panic/nervous feelings all over again. Just practicing IV starts on a fake arm yesterday got me feeling low in confidence and scared. I get tripped up on all the steps of how to do things and I'm worried I won't be able to stay organized with six patients, even at night. Did anyone else feel very uncoordinated with the manual skills and felt like you would never get it right? Then I feel it is hard to focus because my nerves get in the way and its this vicious cycle

[healthproRN]

Hello, I totally can understand the challenge you face. Doing something new in any forum is always daunting and can cause anyone to be nervous. It is totally normal! :) With anything, you get good when you do things over and over and over again. Although I did well with nursing in theory, that is understanding how to do things from books, it was another story when I actually had to prime IV tubing, draw blood from a central line, or even just change a dressing. It took me forever, and I felt I was fumbling throughout. The confidence will come with practice. IV starts are challenging as well in terms of the skills we nurses learn, so remember to give yourself a break, take a deep breath, and just keep practicing. And better on a plastic arm than a real one! In the end, you will only get good when you do it over and over on real patients, so once you accept that, I think it will be a step toward getting over your nerves. If you are a visual learner, this is a website that I was introduced to a few months ago. Fellow nurses have raved about it. Perhaps this could be a good supportive tool for you as you get back into it: Mosby's Nursing Suite - Confidence Connected - Mosby' s Nursing Suite. Go to the videos tab and check it out.

Having six patients is definitely challenging, but you will get it. Believe me. I went through the same thing, and although you do not believe it, the nerves do pass!

Good luck! You can do it!