New nurse with severe anxiety

[Kbowling]

Hello I'm hoping someone can help me. I've only been a nurse for 2.5 months and I'm having a terrible time adjusting. I'm on a busy med/surg floor working night shift and I have severe anxiety and panic attacks. I'm not healthy and I cannot eat or sleep because I just hate it. I don't know if I'm just overwhelmed it if I hate being a nurse but i can't take care of my patients when I'm having anxiety like this. It clouds my judgement. Before I was a nurse I did home health care as an STNA and I also worked in the office. I have been offered a position there but they want me to continue to work at the hospital a little bit too. I just don't know if I can go back to the hospital because it sends me into a panic attack. Someone please help.

[silentwolves, ADN, BSN, RN]

Hi TheOMPRN! I'm having a lot of he same issues with anxiety. I've managed to make it to 8 months at my job and just crashed... Had to leave work due to panic attacks that I couldn't settle down from. I am working on a rehab floor at a long term care place. I just can't keep up the tough face anymore. The problem now in trying to find a less anxiety inducing job is he lack of experience... If I'm lucky to even get a call back, the first thing that comes up is my lack of experience...

so, my short term disability ends this week and I'm already terrified of going back on Monday. Seeing my doctor and psychiatrist and on meds, but nothing really helps...

[britpanda]

If Klonopin only worked for all of us......sigh......Also, I was bothered by the idea of taking these kinds of meds and having them in my system at all during my shift. My law enforcement hubs kept reminding me that if you did get pulled over for something...anything...with this in your system you could get a DUI. Of course, you'd have to be pretty loopy right, but a risk still. How was your functioning on the Klonopin? Do you really felt like it made a huge difference?

Sorry for the delayed reply. I feel as though the Klonopin did make a difference in my ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. I noticed no change in my functioning level. I woke up without any lingering grogginess and was able to function well at work. I only took it a handful of times when my anxiety was at its highest and haven't taken any in about 4 months now.

As for the DUI thing, I hadn't heard that before. Surely if you can prove you have a prescription and your blood level is in the expected range then they can't ticket you? That doesn't make sense to me, but I guess it's best to err on the side of caution.

[DowntheRiver]

I can tell you that you're not alone. I've been there and I'm on the other side of it now. Feel free to PM me - I have today off and the next two days as well.