New Male Nurse x 5 months and still anxious..super dooper anxious!

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I am a new nurse, graduated last December and I have been working on Cardiac/Respirtory Unit (CABG's, Vents, Dysrhythmias, Vtac, kinda like setting, MI).

I have been a nurse for the last 4 months and I am so Stressed out "overwhelmed". I can do the job just fine and finished my shift just fine as well. But with lots and lots of heart palpitations and anxiety and it's dragging me down.

For the last 4 weeks, it had been difficult for me. As I mentioned, my situation: 3 pts having way too elevated Blood pressures, calling rapid response team, on top of that admissions then having an MI. I kinda know what to do but I am scared. I thought I was actually doing ok. But everytime there's an incident, it drags me down again and increases my anxiety thus I don't even want to go to work anymore, not that I can't do the job, but I can no longer tolerate the stress level, it's affecting me and my family now, simply because of this stressful, dragging, tiring, draining feeling.

Is this still normal? I know some of the things I have learned at school. But I kinda studied it myself to figure out what my problem is, and it boils down to me experiencing an incident I never had before, Like MIs, or two of my patients having super HIGH BP which was happening at the same time, plus an admission. So to me, I just need more exposure, I guess.

But how will I get rid of the "anxiety". I am so so anxious, there are times that I just wanted to scream and cry.:cry: I know I'm guy. But it has been a hell of a ride for me since I became an RN.

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What you're describing is pretty normal and common for this point in your career. The first year or so of nursing, making the transition from nursing student to practicing nurse, is notoriously stressful. You pretty much have to just grit your teeth, hunker down, and get through the first year. Trust the rest of us when we tell you that we all went through something very similar when we started out, and we made it through, and everything turned out okay.

A fair number of new grads feel that the problem must be where they're working, and they quit a job and start somewhere else, and maybe do that again, only to find that they feel the same way in the new job(s), and, unfortunately, that seems to just postpone getting to the point where you finally get over the hump and start to feel like you know what you're doing.

Things will get better for you as more time passes. In the mean time, be sure to take v. good care of yourself outside of work -- healthy diet, plenty of sleep, plenty of exercise, and the best support system you can rustle up. Some people find things like various forms of meditation helpful for anxiety. I would encourage you to not get started self-medicating with legal or recreational substances, obviously.

I truly don't mean to sound dismissive by saying don't worry about it, we've all been there -- but pretty much everyone has been there. What you're going through is a pretty universal experience for new grads. Hang in there, and things will get better as you get some more time and experience under your belt.

Best wishes! :balloons:

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Specializes in Oncology/BMT.

You have two options...

#1 - start taking Xanax or Valium

OR...

#2 - try another speciality

I started off in a medical ICU (lots of resp failure, sepsis, GI bleeds, DKA) and had HIGH anxiety. My preceptors said I was an excellent ICU nurse. I was really good at hemodynamics and vent stuff. But I had high anxiety! I gave it almost a year and then moved on. I now work on a short stay unit. I take care of patients who are getting chemo, blood, or IV infusions and patients undergoing heart caths, interventional radiology procedures, biopsies, and GI lab stuff. I very much love it and feel comfortbale. I use many critical care skills, but in a more controlled setting.

Your unit sounds like an ICU step-down. I get nauseous at the sound of CABGs. They can be difficult patients to care for. Is there anything else you liked in nursing school. One of my friends from nursing school started in a transplant ICU and ended up working in pediatric ortho/neuro/trauma. I know first hand that most nurses switch their specialty or position during the first year.

Hope my advice helps!

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@elkpark Thanks for your words of wisdom and encouragement.

@ SteffersRN87

Did you take Xanax or Valium? and if so for how long?

It's a step down unit. My preceptor had also mentioned that I do have a great potential of becoming a great nurse. And I see that in myself, again my only real problem is my anxiety.

I don't know what other options I have since I know very little about the world of nursing the fact that I am new.

Your guess is right, it is more of the acuity or cases of our patients that is dragging me down. It is not the people that I work with but it is more of the patients that we care for. I do love this job, I am just unhappy with what's going on with me physically and mentally. I am still able to think critically and use my judgments competently. I was an A student and studied my butt off when I was in the nursing program. But all my hopes and dreams are coming down with me.

As of now, since I became an RN, my brain and my heart is literally crying because I think I don't know how to cope with my problem.

Everyone's telling me it is normal. But how normal can it be when it's already pulling me down.

By the way, I work NOC shifts. sleeping pattern's been affected too. I am in such a deep mess! Just don't know what to do!!!

Kindly, give me more strength readers! Thanks!

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Specializes in ER.

You are learning more, and you know more about what might happen. It was all there before, but you just found out about what you're into and the stress is starting to wear. You're seasoned enough to be afraid, but haven't been exposed to enough to be confident. You're starting to get tired, and maybe some of that old nurse jadedness about management is starting.

Yep, sounds about right. The only way out is through, but be forgiving with yourself and ASK for help if you need it.

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Hi...I just wanted to step in and say that an offhand suggestion to start taking benzos for anxiety is not a good thing. I've been through my own personal hell trying to get off these meds and it's VERY difficult. If one's stress level is that high, a life change is necessary--don't regularly medicate your stress away. That level of stress is your body & spirit trying to tell you they've had enough, IMHO.

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Specializes in Cadiothoracic, psychiatric.

Oh my... I'm in pretty much the same situation as you are. I have been a new grad for about 3 months on a very similar floor. We are considered med/surg, but we care for CABGs right out of ICU, MIs, Angina, intractable headaches, Cath lab patients, thoracotomies and so much more. I agree that it is very overwhelming. I get anxious too... and I can never seem to get off on time. I'm always staying late to finish charting or catch up on meds. Thankfully the people I work with are very supportive. I think that is a key thing... I know I can ask a question, no matter how silly it is, and not feel like an idiot. I have even thought of transferring to another floor, but at the same time I feel that if I can stick it out a little longer, then maybe I'll start to feel better. Hang in there... but know that you aren't alone!

150 Tips and Tricks for New Nurses and First Year Nurse--these are two books you might consider looking at. I bought them at Barnes and Nobles and found them to be very helpful.

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I will consider those books. To make my story worst which I didn't include earlier is I think I'm getting "depressed." Honestly you guys, I don't even have time for myself. I would spend my time with my son as much as I could, he is now my stress reliever. Yet still, once I know I'm scheduled to work, every thing falls apart again then depression kicks in. (Just sharing my emotions right now and unable to put all my thoughts together all at once).

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NewDude, I'll soon be in your shoes (hopefully?). Just wanted to give you support.

I can just see me as you. We are type A personalities. We want to be our best, and we really throw it down, to the point of exhaustion. I like (:redbeathe) Canoe's idea that you are in the middle of the storm, you keep going as you have been, on the right course and you will come out on the other side. All the "thinking" is what is messing you up. When you come out into the sun, find a moment to sit and look at the sky (beer in hand) and say, "yeah, I AM A FREAK'N EXCELLENT NURSE!"

Almost forgot to {{{{{NewDude}}}}}

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2ndWind you hit the nail, that's what I was thinking too, I think I'm being hard on myself, because I "may have" that type A personality. I wan'na make sure I do things, the right way or "my way".

It's been very very difficult you guys. I'm going to work tonight with a dreadful feeling. I maybe nonchalant physically as one would see me. But deep down inside, I am screaming and crying! I may sound redundant. But I am really crying for help. My wife does not understand how difficult it is being a Nurse!

But is it just me??? did you all go through this too?

Is it my coping mechanism?

I never had this kind of problem or feelings before, where I am too overwhelmed.

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newdude

I agree with the other posters, the transition from student to nursing practice is stressful, even distressing. As you get more experience you will become more confident and relaxed and the dread of going to work will become an occasional feeling not a regular feeling.

Patricia Benner described the different stages in a nurse's career in her book From Novice to Expert; Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. I don't know if you read this book in nursing school, or if you are familiar with Benner's work, but this book is worth reading no matter where you are in your nursing career.

kindest regards

dishes

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Is there any way you could come off noc shift and try days? With the stress level being what it is for a new nurse, the total disruption of your internal clock could really excerbate all the anxiety you're feeling. I've not done nights, myself, but I know several new nurses who found that the anxiety level decreased somewhat for them in moving from nights to days just because they were finally resting. Night shift is HARD! (bless all of you nightshifters!) And if you're not person who is wired to do them, it could definitely make the perfectly normal (and it is normal, and very common) new grad anxiety unbearable. Just a thought.

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