New Grad Jitters

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Hey guys! My name is Becky and I am on about week 6 of orientation out of the 12 weeks that we get as a new grad nurse at a local hospital. I just have something to vent about and was wondering if others feel the same way. before my shifts, i get so nervous and I feel like I learned nothing in nursing school. I get the worst anxiety because I just want to be a good nurse. Does anyone have any tips/or tricks as a new nurse to make these nerves go away? Is anyone else that is a new grad feeling the same way?

Becky:)

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Specializes in Hospice.

Take a deep breath and ask questions. I get more confident with every day.

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Hey guys! My name is Becky and I am on about week 6 of orientation out of the 12 weeks that we get as a new grad nurse at a local hospital. I just have something to vent about and was wondering if others feel the same way. before my shifts, i get so nervous and I feel like I learned nothing in nursing school. I get the worst anxiety because I just want to be a good nurse. Does anyone have any tips/or tricks as a new nurse to make these nerves go away? Is anyone else that is a new grad feeling the same way?

Becky:)

I feel exactly the same way. And once I make a mistake or get yelled at I get so shakey and nervous it gets WORSE. Ugh. I hate this. I am wondering why I left a perfectlyt good job to go back to school and torture myself like this. What was I thinking?

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Take a deep breath and ask questions. I get more confident with every day.

quoted for truth. :up:

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I'm with you. I feel the same way. I work nights, and recently discovered the earlier I get up before my shift, the worse it is. If I wake up and have to wait 4 hours before my shift, I can't do anything first because I spend the whole four hours anticipating what my night will be like. I get to the hospital and my stomach gets all nervous and weird. I usually am very shaky when I get to work (combo of coffee and nerves!). And...as mentioned, once I do something wrong or get yelled at, it become worse.

I think this is normal to an extent. New grads are always nervous. My experience is exacerbated because I am getting 7 weeks training as a new grad in the ICU. I've been terrified at times, never really feel like I'll be able to handle it, and am in pure survival mode. Some nights are better than others...but I always feel a bit nauseous. I've been told it takes 6 months to a year for that feeling to go away!

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I am already dreading tomorrow

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hey, I am right there with you. I am working on a great unit and I have a great manager, but there are days I get so stressed out. It's comforting to know this is "normal", but I can't wait to start feeling like I know what I am doing.

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Specializes in Med/Surg and ANCC RN-BC.

I'm in the same boat. I'm in my 7th week of orientation out of 12 and I get so nervous every time I go in. I just feel so incompetent and don't know squat. I heard it takes new grads a year or so to really feel comfortable being a nurse. Just always ask your preceptor for help and ask questions to things you don't understand. It's funny, all the nurses I work with say that you don't learn anything in nursing school.

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My preceptor has informed me I need to quit asking so many questions...(I really don't think I ask too many, just ask for clarification and reassurance if I'm not 100% sure of something I'm going to do...).

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My preceptor has informed me I need to quit asking so many questions...(I really don't think I ask too many, just ask for clarification and reassurance if I'm not 100% sure of something I'm going to do...).

Sounds like mine! Um hello that why you are with me. If you dont know the answer just say so and I will ask someone else. My preceptor has no patience, I dont know why they have her training people.

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I am so happy to see that i am not alone! I had so much anxiety before work the other night that I only got one hour of sleep! The shift went better than others, but i still feel like i'm not getting it. the mornings are the craziest, but i feel like i'm starting to get somewhat of a system down. note the word somewhat haha. i feel like i need to know everything and do it all perfectly or its not good enough. and i agree with a previous poster who said you dont learn much about nursing in school, just the basics! its so much different than the real world! I almost quit the other day because of my stress, but its nice to come here and vent. hopefully one of these days i will be comfortable!

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I am so happy to see that i am not alone! I had so much anxiety before work the other night that I only got one hour of sleep! The shift went better than others, but i still feel like i'm not getting it. the mornings are the craziest, but i feel like i'm starting to get somewhat of a system down. note the word somewhat haha. i feel like i need to know everything and do it all perfectly or its not good enough. and i agree with a previous poster who said you dont learn much about nursing in school, just the basics! its so much different than the real world! I almost quit the other day because of my stress, but its nice to come here and vent. hopefully one of these days i will be comfortable!

I feel this way too!

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