Shaking when giving meds!!!!

RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Apr 27, 2008

sucks, i know. i havnt done that with meds, but certain skills for the first few times. you will get over it. when you give meds, just make sure you know everything b4 you even go in the room! know each med, and everything they would quiz you about; the basics stuff, then tell your instructor everything b4 she/he gets a chance to ask you anything, and you will feel better. as you give the meds, tell the pt what you are giving them, and chat; smile; joke. you will be just fine!

i always felt like i was really good at fooling my instructors, that they were telling me i was doing good and just fine and all that- i felt like i was fooling em, but you know what, i was doing great! and i really DO know what i am talking about!

tell yourself that! trust yourself!

gl! hth

-H-

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2008

You know...the first 4-10 times I drew up meds in sryinges, or drew up insulin, or etc.....with needles/IV bags...I shook like I was trying to give adreline to a heart attack patient in the middle of an earthquake.

But, you know what...I was prepared with what every med was for, and after getting used to the instructor watching me...did fine the rest of the program...it's like anything else...practice will make it better.

heavenly14313 · Apr 27, 2008

it's natural to be nervous in those situations and your instructor sees it many times a day each semester - so remember that!

one thing that helped me (i just finished my first semester passing meds) was introducing my teacher to my patient. Usually this would start a convo. b/t them and take some of the attention off of me :)

And this isn't just with students either. THe telemetry floor I was doing my clinicals on had a new, i think nursing director? idk, some guy in charge lol and he was about to start a new IV b/c that p/ts nurse was busy. So our teacher gathered a few of us to watch (we were bored and that will be one of our new skills next semester). There was my teacher, a family member, and like 5 of us students. Now obviously this guy knows what he's doing - he's in charge of that whole unit... BUT his voice was soooo shaky and he would run out of breath before he could finish a sent! there were lots of "ummms" and when he would reach for things his hands were literally shaking!

With that said, I think most instructors understand it's more about being watched and having an audience than it is the actual skill.

MrsCD · Apr 27, 2008

Thank you all so much. I feel better. I just wish we can do more meds and have more time in clinical.:wink2:

aloevera · Apr 27, 2008

A lot of us went through the exact same thing!!!

I remember shaking pouring meds, doing sterile dressings, etc. in school......I was so afraid that the teacher would flunk me!!! Little did I know that most of the students were in the same boat, they just didn't say anything about it....the instructors are used to it...

As time goes by, you will be rid of the shakes, for sure....

Concentrate on what you are doing and try not to think about anything else.....Good Luck, welcome to nursing !!!

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2008

I think you will be fine. I have a couple of classmates that shake when being checked off. They survive, too.

One thing as a side note - be grateful that your clinical instructor doesn't say anything about your anxiety and is encouraging. Be very grateful about that.

shock-me-sane · Apr 27, 2008

I used to always shake when drawing up meds. One time (thankfully the needle was capped) I totally had the syringe fall out of my hands onto the floor. Of course it was right in front of my instructor. Oops, at least she was nice about it.

I don't shake anymore. One of the things that I have learned through NS is that act as if. So I act as if I know what I am doing and act as if I am not nervous. And after awhile I started to believe it.

Good luck and don't stress about it!

southernbelle08 · Apr 27, 2008

I have another perspective on it -

I was VERY bad about this and, at first, chalked it up to being nerves and having lots of anxiety. The first time I tried to start an IV, I was shaking so bad I couldn't even stick him. As soon as we walked out of the room, my instructor did say something to me about it. She told me I had to get control of myself and that we'd try it again before the day was over. Well, of course, that only made my anxiety worse. However, I remembered something a 1st semester instructor had told me and when I went in to do it the second time - I took a deep breath and while I didn't make all of the shaking go away, it wasn't anything that was noticed and I got my IV stick. Also, my instructor didn't say a word after that stick.

Fast forward to my final semester - I could honestly say I was NOT nervous anymore and really had no reason to shake. Still, I shook to some degree and I commented to fellow clinical mates about it because it really frustrated me. Along about this same time, I was suffering from migraines and when I went to the Neurologist she noticed something during my exam and asked if I ever shook taking blood or doing IV sticks. I thought it was crazy that she would ask that! She told me she noticed a very slight tremor that was probably made worse by anxiety and the medicine she was putting me on for migraine prophylaxis, Propranolol, would help with that. It did and I haven't had any trouble after starting this medicine with migraines or shaking, lol.

I'm sure your's IS just nerves and will subside, but I wanted to share my experience anyway just incase there is someone else out there like me. Best of luck to you!! :)

MrsCD · Apr 28, 2008

I am really happy that everyone went through this. I am very appreciative for my clinical instructor. She is very helpful and always tells me I did great. I just have to stop stressing over it so much...the next time I give meds I will think of all of you, take a deep breath and "act" like I know what I am doing!!!! Hopefully, it will work.