No confidence, forgetful.

[Jellyunicorntoast]

I'm a new AN of one month who just graduated from nursing school. Working in a Paediatric ward. I feel so stressed working, but I really want to work as a nurse. I don't know why I am not observant, not focused and forgetful, plus easily stressed.

when I am stressed things tend to go all over the place in my mind for example I am busy chatting the I/O for my patients when the call bells just keep ringing. So I never get to finish the IO because the Bella just keep ringing! I get distracted and start to become stressed and can't seem to focus on where I left off. So I get scolded in the end for being 'slow'.

I have a problem in my math ):

Today was my first day workibg alone and when I got stressed I did the wrong things at the wrong time. So angry at myself for this...

Other Nurses don't have this problem..

I am also careless.. The IO charts are 1/4 full of cancellations because when doing the totalling I add wrongly and I just don't know how to focus properly and do my best even when I try.

I am not consistent in doing well some days I do good and some days when I mess up it affects me and it really messes everything else. The Nurses tell me to ask them questions if I don't know anything so when I ask they really get angry because I ask when I really don't know. Sigh.

i want to do something to make myself focused and sharp and become a good nurse. Any suggestions? Please help me.. It tears my confidence....

My preceptor has been working here for 8 years and she is very impatient with me so when I ask her questions she doesn't really like it.. It's hard to ask her. She says she doesn't feel like teaching me anymore and she's constantly getting scolded by the ward Sister because of my wrongs in what I do.

[Hollybobs]

Confidence? It will come with time and becoming competent. One month in and it is natural to feel like you do.

Asking questions? It is tough when you feel like you're annoying someone but there is no way around it. Research the answers to questions you have in your spare time (obviously not not if urgent/emergencies) and any you can't answer then you have to ask. It is part of your role and you will always have "to bother" someone, whether it is asking a Dr or waking up a tired patient for an urgent reason etc. Bite the bullet and just do it. There comes a point when you don't need to ask many questions and voila!...you are a competent and well-respected member of the team.

Focus and memory? These problems are partly arising because of stress and many thoughts and feelings whirring around. One way to fix this is mindfulness. So with each task, don't worry about the impression you are making or how well you are doing or any other worries. Just focus on collecting equipment, speaking with your patient and each step of the task. Between tasks, think about what order to do the next tasks. If other thoughts come into your head which aren't relevant, put them to one side until the end of the day.

In your spare time do whatever you need to do to manage your stress and have fun- preferably in a healthy way.

I promise this stuff helps! I've done all of this :).

[Jellyunicorntoast]

Thanks so much... Especially about the 'put the feelings aside till the end of work' and 'bite the bullet just do it and don't worry about bothering others' thanks! I will use it í ½í¸‚ Thanks...