Nursing Student Jitters - normal??

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So, here I am, 29, married and expecting baby #2 - in a year I plan to start back to school one class at a time till my nursing practicum.

I have some jitters about nursing. I've been told they are normal, and wonder if anyone else had these and got over them?? Maybe it is just typical "fear of the unknown." Several nurses I've met said with education you "Get over it."

Here goes, please share your own pre-nursing fears and worries and how you overcame them!

* I am afraid of setting up I.V. needles (what if I miss a vein? do they teach you well enough in school on this? what is your experience?)

*I am afraid my natural sympathy gagging - gag when someone else gags will really take away from my professionalism!! LOL

* Are the hours as flexible as I hear? My hubby is a cop and has a rotating shift, so I kind hope I could work an 11pm-7am several times a week or something along those lines? What type of shifts do you all work???

What is your "specialty"? I have an interest in post-surgical care.

Thanks so much!!

Eager to learn!!

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As far as IV's, you may miss. Make it a point to do as many as you can. It's a great plus anywhere for a nurse to be able to get one in. Remember when you do it that everyone can have a hard time. Check out sites that talk about IV's, sorry, can't tell you any right now, but they helped me. As far as the gag factor, well, look at the fine tuned picture. What you are doing, I mean. Make the gory jobs as simple as you can when you do them. I do burn and wound care and I take one segment at a time.....

As far as the hours, well, I believe you can write your own ticket there. Everyone is short. Think of your family first, tell them what you can do and then get to work!

Be well

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Oh, forgot. My specialty is burns and wound care. All my best to your.

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Specializes in PICU, Peds Ambulatory, Peds LTC.

I finally over came my nursing jitters. You know why? Cause I finally graduated! Yeah to ME!!!!!!!!!!

Best of Luck to you!

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I think everyone has jitters....I have about 3,000 and it would take me all day to type them up. Welcome to All nurses and good luck! Come on over to the student forum and we'll all commiserate with you!

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i'm not in nursing student yet (hope to be in fall 2005!) but I already have the jitters! lol its natural! I'm not so nervous about needles, its the meds that scare me. I tiny mistake could be fatal, and that terrifies me!!

Just do your best and you will be fine! I've been told to work extra hard on the parts that scare me, better to face it straight on rather than hiding, right?!

Anyway, best of luck to you!! :)

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

Sugar-:

Don't worry. I finished RN school this last December, and JUST passed my nursing boards (NCLEX). I'm a 38 year old male, I work on an Adult Step-down unit (not sick enough to be in the ICU, but not well enough to be on the floor. An "in-betweener" if you will (grin). )

Plenty of jitters to come, but you will get through it. And don't let the gagging thing get you. I was a paramedic for years, and for some reason, when someone puked, I puked too (I kid you not. Once, when we just entered the door of a lady who was busy having her heart attack, -her daughter opened the door, we went through, she was on her couch in the living room, right next to the door. She threw-up, I looked at my partner, told him to get her on O2 15 liters, non-rebreather, hook her up to the monitor (what I said was "Set her up!" -which meant all of the above for this type of call) and I ducked right back out the door, threw up in the bush next to the door, then went back in and got to work. It was me. Earned me a bit of ribbing, but hey, thats the way I was).

Nowdays I don't get that way anymore (dunno what changed). My point? Don't let that stop you.

As for the IVs, if you miss the vein, then you will try again. You will miss a lot of veins over the years -don't sweat it. Even the best, will have "off days". It takes practice.

Ari, congrats on getting done with the program! Good luck on your boards test. Getting through this stuff, is a wonderful feeling!

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