shaky hands

gibson0726 · Sep 19, 2009

DO NOT GIVE UP!! No way, no how. You didn't say how far along you are in the program, but I promise, the confidence and comfort level will increase with each passing semester. It is very normal to get stressed when our clinical instructors are watching. Can you say check offs??

I also have extremely shaky hands. I'm the same as you, when someone is watching me, it gets worse. I actually just did my first blood draw and my fellow nursing student made fun of me afterwards because my hands were shaking so bad. I don't think that is something that we can control, and I don't agree with your instructor saying that to you.

Just remember, school won't last forever, and it will get better after we are out..or at least that is what all the RNs tell me.

Good luck and hang in there.

Chris NS · Dec 28, 2010

same thing but i dont think mine are to bad, i wwhat to get into the surg tech program or

MA

amy85246 · Aug 4, 2011

I am so relieved to find other people that have the same problem as I do. I have always had a slight tremor, but just like you I get horrible anxiety when I know someone is watching my hands and it makes it so much worse. I am starting a Traditional nursing program this Fall and in all of my pre-nursing classes people have laughed and said I can't believe you're going into nursing with shaky hands. I am so worried my clinical instructors will fail me because of it. Also I don't even know why my hands shake so it's hard to figure out what to do about it. Every doctor I've seen has said I must just have constant anxiety since they've checked for low blood sugar and hyperthyroidism.

NewlyANurse · Aug 6, 2011

I stumbled across this thread by accident, and I'm so glad. My hands have always been shaky too, and I've had several of my clinical instructors mention it... Fortunately most of them were understanding and just said to relax. UNfortunately, though, having the shaking pointed out even in a non-threatening way only made me more anxious and the shaking usually got worse.

I did have one patient mention it once. It was my first day on my ICU rotation and I had a patient getting ready for discharge. I had already established a pretty good rapport with my patient and he had joked that I should lay off the coffee (which I've found does make a small difference)... Anyway, I was embarrassed that he recognized the shaking but I knew that he was not concerned that I was incapable because of it. I went in to d/c his IV. My instructor came in with me but knew that I was capable of taking out the IV and that I would be more nervous if she hovered over me, so she was on the other side of the room...... As I got the last piece of tape loose and pulled out the catheter, the patient screamed. I quickly looked up at his face and saw that he was messing with me-- but my instructor ran over in horror, and the patient's RN came sprinting into the room! :rolleyes:

Don't give up though! The more experience you get, the less anxious you'll be. It's a vicious cycle but it can be managed! :)

allnurses Guide · Aug 6, 2011

Some medical things you can do for benign essential tremors:

1. Cut down on caffeine or other supplements than can increase sympathetic response/metabolic rate. No energy drinks......lol.

2. You can consider getting a prescription for beta blockers

Non medical:

1. When drawing up syringes or when doing an IV etc. use something to steady your hand. When I draw up a syringe my pinky of the hand I am holding the syringe with is touching the hand holding the vial. When I start an IV I usually keep 1-2 fingers on the patient with the hand holding the IV. This is usually enough to make any tremors unnoticeable.

I have always had trouble with shaking hands, but so far it hasn't slowed me down yet.

kollette27 · Nov 17, 2011

I am currently in the BAT2 program at a local technical college. If you all do not know, it is for business offices, as well as medical offices and includes billing and coding. I am only in my second semester and decided that beginning next semester, I am going to add Medical Assisting as take a dual major (because it is increasingly hard to find a job in this economy without oober-mad skills and education). But, I also have Multiple Sclerosis, and the only symptoms that I have are chronic fatigue and heat sensitivity. I lost my last job due to the chronic fatigue, but have learned that caffine is the ONLY way I can manage it. I take Slimquick twice a day (which has been a lifesaver) and get double espresso shots in my daily frappuchino when I am taking a break from the slimquick. These things have worked wonders, and I only tend to have major fatigue issues rarely. The problem is that sometimes my hands get so shaky that I have a hard time even typing, so I am wondering if going in for MA is even practical? I didn't go in for nursing because of the fatigue (you guys work sooooo hard, I just don't think I am capable of that type of hard work), I dont think even overdosing on caffine would help me get through one nightshift at a hospital lol.

I am probably getting myself worked up unnecessarily at the moment because I have not even started that program yet, but it does concern me. I do notice that getting frustrated or nervous makes it a lot worse, and it is not like that everyday. When I am typing in class, I may make several mistakes in a row, and then my hands will start shaking and I have to go outside to smoke and clear my mind, and then usually I am all better when I come back in, but I also know that smoking lends another problem. I'm sure that I cant just go outside for a smoke at a medical facility, and most hospitals in my area wont even hire you if you have smoked within the last six months (they run chest xrays as a preemployment test), so that means that I need to quit, but I have been trying for years. I cant take anything that will help me quit because it is contraindicated with people that have MS. The eciggs gave me pneumonia twice, so I have resigned myself to being a lifelong smoker, but then this opportunity came up and now I do not know what to do. What I mean is that, even if the current shaking (really mild, but annoying since I know it is there) is not too awful, if I can quit smoking I know it will get a lot worse because it has in the past when I was able to quit for a few hours (yeah, I know HOURS!?! lol)

It seems that I am darned if I do and darned if I don't, but I really want this, I have four precious children who I want to have as many advantages as possible, but if I cannot work myself into a career, that will not happen and I need medical insurance for my condition and I cannot find something with insurance that I am physically capable of doing.

Oh, and I am a very polite smoker, I swear. I never light up around people who don't smoke, and always ask a smoker before I light up in their house or cars, it is just basic ethics in my opinion, but it is still almost impossible to quit even though I don't smoke in my house or car, but my husband smokes with no intention what-so-ever of quitting, and that is mainly why I'm sure.

I wish you all the best of luck in your courses and careers. I believe that I am just going to give it a shot, a chance not taken is a missed opportunity I guess.