overwhelmed...

I have been a surgical nurse for about 11 years now eversince I graduated in 1996 I worked in the OR afterwards... I have lived and worked in the UK for 6 years and then last December 2005 moved here stateside the first 6 months I was here I worked in a hospital in Tennessee and I really had a bad experience there being new I felt so demoralized with everything. anyway I decided it was the end of the rope for me so hubby and I moved to another place now I am working still in the OR as weekend nights option person at first everything was alright I was enjoying it starting over again and I have no problems with the people I am working with now I am in this position for 6 months and it's just begining to hit me that they hired me because the person working this shift is sick and well dying and it is I who has to take over her place the training is good but I feel sooo bad about it because I thought I was going to be working with her but not working towards replacing her... she is very good at what she does and i feel i have got a very big shoes to fill she has been there for 30 + years... i know with proper support I can do it but now I am begining to get anxious and overwhelmed thinking of the role I am going to fill in I am begining to doubt my ability and thinking of changing speciality altogether. I am confused but that I am thinking too of the safety of my patients I feel that I am not ready to be doing such role... I like what I do and I like the hospital I don't really want to leave can't afford to lose my job for financial reasons too... but at the same time I am scared of this responsibility...any advise??

First take a deep breath. You can do it. You have been doing well on this new assignment. They do have resource nurses or other nurses who can support you after your "preceptor" leaves. Start thinking positively. Think: What if everything is fine, I can do the job and care for my patients in a responsible, professional, effective, caring manner. Just keep sayng that to yourself and imagining what it feels like to be successful. Everyone there wants you to succeed. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent all this time and money on training you. You'll do fine. Just believe in yourself. There are always guardian angels watching over you in more ways than you realize.