New nurse, feeling helpless and depressed

Nurses Stress 101

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I've been a nurse for about 6 months now in med surg. Ever since being on my own after orientation I have had a ton of anxiety, stress, sleepless days/nights over worrying. I don't know what to do anymore. The day before I have to go into work the anxiety starts creeping back up. The day of going back to work, I can't sleep, I get an upset stomach and spend much of the day crying. I go to work each night in tears. Most of the time once I get to work and get report and get going things end up going ok but then there are the disaster nights where I don't know how I am going to get through the night. I think these nights are what cause me to have so much anxiety. I am always terrified that I am going to have an awful patient load or something awful will happen. I feel trapped, it's such an awful feeling dreading work. What do I dp??

Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

Hi kroserrn,

is it becoming any better for you?

Maggie

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I'm a new nurse too . I'm about to get my first job as home care nurse and I'm scared to death. I was a good student and know my theory but real life is different. Home patients are stable but things still can happen.You can ask for help on the floor but what can you do at home? How to stay calm? How to have the brain that work when you need it?

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I had to respond to this posting, because I too, feel this exact same way. I have been a nurse now for almost 1 year (in April it will be 1 year). I work the night shift on a fast-pace telemetry unit, where the turnover is insane. I have also been depressed since the moment I started this job last year. My anxiety is through the roof. I never ever ever know what to expect when I walk into work. I find myself very dependent of my fiancé and family at home, as I always have to have someone around me at home before I go to work, someone to help keep me distracted from my pent up anxiety of knowing I have to go to work. I find myself crying all the time, asking myself why am I doing this? When I was a young and optimistic adult in college, who at that time thought she had the determination to achieve anything she wanted, never thought that I would be where I am today (which is working nights, weekends, holidays as a nurse on a unit that is so fast paced, making me have horrible anxiety). This is not what I want. It's scary, wondering if this is just how it's going to be. I can relate to the previous posts. I just keep praying to God, asking him for guidance.. What's keeping me optimistic is the idea of working in the OR, which is something that I have always had an interest for. This Spring I am attending a career fair where I will be planning to speak with the OR team. Hopefully something will pan out for me, along with the rest of you nurses who feel the same way I do. Tonight instead of just asking God to guide me in my career, I will also say a prayer asking him to guide all you nurses too

Kelly BSN, RN

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I remember having these feelings every time clinicals came around on med surg doing school. I was seeing a counselor at the time and he introduced me to tap therapy. It was amazing ...still use it to this day.just google it!

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Kelly,

I hope you are doing better. I commented on this post back in January. As I mentioned then, I have the same problem as you, and I also often depend on family members. I just wanted to give an update that will hopefully encourage you.

I went in to nursing dreaming of being a pediatric nurse and in school I also became interested in OB/postpartum. After getting my medication increased and starting to see a counselor in January, thing seemed a little better. I am still anxious from time to time, BUT I now know how to control it. Anyways, in Feb. I decided I needed to make a change because I just am not happy where I am. So, I decided to spontaneously go down to our Women's and Children's Unit (Which is peds, OB/postpartum/Labor and Delivery) one morning after a long night shift on the Med-Surg unit, and waited an entire hour outside of the directors door just to introduce myself and I had no expectations. I had been looking for job openings for the unit, but I knew they didn't have any.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the director came out of the meeting and was surprised to see me. I introduced myself, told him I checked the posting frequently and knew there wasn't any opening, but that I was extremely interested in working for him and wanted to introduce myself in person. Now a month and three interviews later, I have a PRN position that has full-time hours available and he is promising me full-time status in July.

Although I haven't started yet, and I know this unit will have its' own stresses, THIS is where I want to be and THIS is where my passion is, so I believe it will make work more enjoyable and bearable for me to go to.

So, I think it is awesome that you are planning to speak to the OR team. Be assertive, professional, and confident. You never know what could come out of a simple introduction! Also, I had a plan B; if I wasn't on the Women's and Children's unit after I finish my BSN program, I would begin getting certified as a Certified Diabetic Educator. This is still something I am highly interested in, but want to spend time on the Women's and Children's unit. You can do it! And good luck this Spring when you meet the OR team! :)

Sincerely,

Things are looking up, RN

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Ive been there, done that! Trust me, I know how you feel if no one else does. I myself started on med surg floor and I was always scared going to work, when I get home, I cant sleep but to wonder what I may have done wrong. I often also question myself "Why the hell are you doing this". I quit my first job (without a notice) after 5 months just to keep my sanity. I didn't even care if I had no form of income or if anyone wasnt hiring a new RN with less than 6 months exp. thats how bad it got. I even remember my manager telling me how "young in my career" i was and that I was burning bridges and this and that. and that nobody would hire me for quitting the way I did. BUt My heart was never in med surg, and its hard performing well in area you have no interest. I knew I wanted to be a psych nurse and I asked God for guidance, after 2 months, (of being jobless, but HAPPY and sane at home), I got my dream job as a psych nurse in which I wasn't even qualify. I am not writing to brag, but to tell you that your time will soon come. Nursing isnt made to be hard, once you find the unit or department you belong. I go to work smiling EVERYDAY, literally, because I finally find my place. I look back now and remember how bad I wanted to quit but God has a better plan. Keep your head up ma'm. See if you can float else where and see where you like or fit. Keep us updated. I look forward to your testimony

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Oh god, my first year ...

I still pray every morning walking up the ambo bay. It's coming up on 5 years in June and I still encounter illnesses and/or traumas I've never worked before.

haha, makes you appreciate the simple heroin overdoses even more.

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It's been about 9 months now. Things are somewhat better now. My first unit was the worst. The second unit I was on went much better...great staff but it took awhile to get comfortable. I was so anxious from the first unit that I kept expecting everything to be awful. Last week I switched to my third and final unit of my residency. This unit,gsu, is very busy...but I survived the first week ok. I still get teary eyed but usually only on Mondays. Thank you everyone for all of your posts. Hoping to survive the next few months and then hoping to get into postpartum which I have a passion for. Hoping that oncei find my passion everything will click.

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I too felt just like you as a new nurse. I spent from July 2015 til Jan 2016 feeling queasy, full of anxiety, and on the brink of tears all the time- I did break down in tears on the way home usually...occasionally in a bathroom at work, or a supply closet. I overwhelmed easily. I was so sure I was going to be fired, that I sucked, someone would figure out I knew nothing....my bp was up, I dreaded work, my skin broke out at age 48, and my hair started falling out...I work in a busy med tele and med surg unit..I have 6 patients.Then something amazing happened. I didn't suddenly become great, or speedy. I just hit my limit, and said I can only do my best, and right or wrong, I will ask for help, and I will stay and finish paperwork for hours if needed....as long as meds and patient care gets done during shift, then it will be ok. No, it's not ideal, but til my time mgmt improved it's what I did. I felt ashamed of being slow...there were times I was supposed to be off at 715am and would be there til 10am charting. Somehow, in the last month, I started finishing it all.most nights by 730am, and a bad shift meant 830am. My director did my employment review and was pleased with my progress, despite my feelings of sucking. Keep trying! You can get there! I still have days when I cry-but it's now the exception not the norm. ♡hugs♡

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To those who mentioned prayer,...Thank you...I pray for guidance every day...I will start praying for all of us new nurses.

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