Scared to be a nurse

[CaitlinAnn]

As the title says, I'm scared, no terrified, to be a nurse! I graduate this July and assuming I pass my boards, I can then begin working as an LPN. What scares me most is messing up and feeling like I won't know what to do. I know that most of a nurse's education happens after nursing school, but right now I feel so unprepared. I know some of the average advice for graduating LPNs. Work medsurg, or go to LTC. But no one talks about this general feeling of anxiety and fear that myself and a few others feel.

So I was wondering if there was any advice you would be willing to give me to help calm my anxiety. I want to be a competent, great nurse, but there are still things that I feel uncomfortable with that I need to overcome.

Advice on how to be a great nurse and how to behave as a new nurse would be great. I know I definitely need to work on confidence.

Thanks!

[pharmgirl]

omg, I remember that feeling well. I still get it. I got my lpn in 09 and my rn in 10. It used to make me sick thinking that i was the one responsible for these patients. One thing that helped was that before I started on the floor as an lpn I accepted a position as an extern. It was a good way to get my feet wet. The second piece of advice I can give is....listen and learn. Find out which nurses you can trust, who are good nurses and ask lots of questions. If you don't know....ASK! Don't think that just because you are now "the nurse" means you have to know everything, you don't. And absolutely no one, and I mean not one single soul expects you to. I've even had seasoned nurses ask me questions, simply because they forgot or don't do something on a daily basis. I'm still a new nurse, I dont get sick too much anymore but I've learned that if I have any doubts....ask!

You are not alone out there. You are not an island. You have other staff nurses, your charge nurse, yes, even doctors sometimes, that will help...and the silly thing is? all you have to do is ask! Once you get into a routine, it will become easier and easier but you will never stop learning. At least, I hope I never stop learning. That is the great thing about our profession.

Good luck to you. Be confident in your schooling but not so much that you don't hear your coworkers who are trying to help you. You CAN do this!!! Really! You CAN!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

First, congratulations for being close to graduation.

Next, everyone who graduates feels the same way. I know I did. You will learn to comfortable in your own skin after you get some experience.

[browpe24]

I am so glad that you wrote this comment. I feel the same way and I am not even in the nursing program yet. I am afraid that I will not meet expectations, that I will ask to many questions, or ask the same question over and over again. Making huge mistakes, or just simply failing. I want to do a good job as a nurse also, so I completely understand how your feeling. Whenever someone does write a comment like this I am so thankful. :) It is very comforting to know that there are others out there that feel the same way I do. I know that you will do a good job because you have a conscience about taking care of people and making sure that no one gets hurt. I hope that you keep us up todate. Tell us about your day and I know that there will be plenty of us to be there to support you.

Sincerely

soon to be a nursing student

[Chin up]

I love you guys. Being so removed, but remembering when, it is nice to hear the passion and anticipation from the young, "baby" nurses and nurses to be. You are a breath of fresh air. Heres to your long, super career! Cheers!!!

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

I'm scared too! RREEEALLYY scared. I mean I feel like I know enogh, but I feel like the more I learn, there is SOO much more that I realize that I still don't know! I'm so glad there are others like me!

[cdash724]

Everyone goes through what you're feeling right now. We've all been there, believe it or not. My advice to you would be never forget that fear. I've been an RN for 4 years in a CVICU, which is where I started fresh out of school, and I was scared, nervous, and anxious on my first day of orientation. Although those feelings will subside some, I felt as though I didn't truly feel 'comfortable' as an RN until after 2 years of working fulltime but the feelings you're having are GOOD-you realize what an immense responsiblity you hold in your (soon to be) profession and that'll help you to not make careless mistakes. Here's a little advice. If you don't know something (a surgical procedure, technique, skill, med, etc), ASK or LOOK IT UP! Coworkers will respect you more when you admit you're not a 'know it all' right out of school. We KNOW you don't know, so don't act. It ruins whatever trust/relationship you're trying to build as a newbie with your coworkers. Another thing is HAVE COMMON SENSE! I know this isn't something you can necessarily learn, but if you're the type to just blurt things out before thinking things through, SLOW DOWN and think about it. I once had a student tell me that we weren't finding pulses on my patient because it was caused by a DVT... BE HELPFUL! In the ICU where I work, we all help each other out immensely and there will ALWAYS be someone you can go to for help whether it be a coworker, charge, resource, etc. Whatever orientation you get, TAKE ADVANTAGE of it, utilize your resources, see what classes/learning opportunities are available to you through your hospital and GO TO THEM. As nurses, we are always learning no matter how long we've been in the profession. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation this summer and you'll be FINE!! I'm sure you'll have some days that'll make you question why you went into nursing in the first place and you'll also have amazing days that leave you feeling on top of the world. Just remember to BREATHE and take it one day at a time. Before you know it you'll be giving advice to new nurses about to graduate...

[JSlovex2]

i think your feelings are natural. you will gain confidence with experience.

on another note (and i just made a thread about this) i would encourage you to continue your education to obtain your RN. where i work LPN's are being phased out - meaning they are no longer hiring LPN's. there used to be a LOT - but now they are encouraging the ones they have to get their RN and as i said, they aren't hiring new ones.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Head on over to the new grad boards and check out all the advice there.

Wouldn't it be great if nursing school taught us how to be a "great nurse" right off the bat?

Keep your eyes and ears open. Find a mentor. Ask questions. Don't be afraid of the "older" nurses, most of us don't bite and have a vested interest in you succeeding...the more great nurses a floor has, the better it runs and the safer it is for the pts.

Seek out opportunities for learning. If someone asks a question during report that leaves you baffled, ask for clarification and explanation. If a test is ordered and you don't know what it is, google it. Likewise diagnosises (diagnosees?) that you don't recognie. For a long time I had a 3 ring binder that I kept info in from WebMD, mayo clinic website, etc.

Figure out which docs are nice and like to teach, and if something is going on with one of their pts that you don't understand don't be afraid to ask them.

Be confident but not arrogant...I've been at this over a decade and still come across things that are new. I just sent my sis to a cardiologist and found out she has a bicuspid aortic valve...never heard of that before, and I work tele...next time I see a cardiologist on the floor, I'm gonna ask about it; I already googled it extensively.

Keep a smile on most of the time. Med rooms make a great place to hide and bang your head on a wall when you need to!

Best of luck to you!