Clinical Anxiety

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hello,

I am junior SRNA that just finished my 4th month of clinical and second rotation. I am currently on Christmas break and have never have wanted a break so bad. I was wondering if anyone has had the same feelings I do regarding clinicals. I am SO scared to go back. I almost have a panic attack just thinking of going back to clinical in a new place. We switch site every 2 months so this adds to the anxiety level. Since I am just a junior I feel like I still have no idea what I'm doing and have been babied in the OR. It's hard not to compare myself to others in my class that are already running their own rooms. It's very discouraging to me and I am, unfortunately, not as strong as I thought I was before coming to anesthesia school. Sometimes things people tell me in clinical really get to me and I know that I shouldn't take it personally. Everyday before clinical I contemplate how I could possibly get out of it. This makes me so sad because anesthesia is all I've ever wanted to do and I'm so blessed for being my program. I don't talk to this with any of my class mates because I feel like they are so far ahead of me clinically. Does anyone have some advice as to how to deal with this insane amount of anxiety and stress? Or is anyone in the same boat? Please tell me it get better, I will try and remain positive. Thanks!

I am in an FNP program so obviously it is very different from yours, however I do feel similarly with my clinicals! I feel like I am being babied compared to my classmates. I felt this way halfway through this past semester when I found out my classmates were doing things I was not doing. I just told myself "oh this is just how my preceptor does things w students" and I didnt ask to change anything. Looking back, I wish I had asked my preceptor if I could do xyz or i wish i took my initiative on my end. Since I didnt, I am telling myself that for my next rotation coming up I will be very proactive and learn and do as much as I can by really

Putting myself out there.

I felt SO nervous that I didnt know anything last semester that I was perfectly comfortable not doing what my classmates were doing. But now i think it hurt me because I dont have the same experience. I dont think my anxiety about clinicals will ever diminish even when I am actually fully competent as an NP! So I keep telling myself that even if I know more, i'm never going to have less anxiety so i better just jump in with 2 feet!!

I definitely have a better game plan foe the up coming semester so that I dont get babied and if I see myself heading down that path, I will talk to my preceptor about it.

If you are still enjoying anesthesia and are just having anxiety about clinicals than I am sure that is totally normal! Everyone learns in different ways and at different paces and no one has the same clinical experience. It does get better! Figure out what will help you have less anxiety about clinical (could you prepare more or

Prepare differently in some way to help?). Find something! Or maybe you can talk to your preceptor about how you feel you are behind compared to your classmates so they will work with you extra? (I know that cannot be voiced to all preceptors!).

Hang in there! All clinicals are surely anxiety driven!!!!

Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

I was always nervous with clinical site changes also (I'm FNP as well). It's just part of the game so just kind of have to deal. Some of my preceptors let me float along while others really pushed me into doing more which I was thankful for. I know your situation is different but just go for it. I didn't see many lacerations to suture but when I finally saw one I asked to try and I did. Not great. But I did it.

Same thing with other skills. Your preceptor is there to help you learn and won't let you screw something up royally.

Also you may consider talking to the doc about meds. My last semester I started getting anxious about graduation, certification exam, jobs, etc. and I got to where I barely slept. No motivation. Couldn't bring myself to do anything (clean my house or study). Finally decided to talk to my doc and I'm feeling much better now. I'm thinking my 10 mg lexapro will only be needed for a few months but it's helping me deal and actually SLEEP.

Just something to consider. I thought about CRNA for a bit but the thought of poking people so close to the spinal cord talked me out of it lol. So I salute you!!!! And I've had preceptors tell me they'd be worried if I wasn't nervous ;)

Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

Hi,I have in your shoes awhile ago. I was constantly told move faster, your not as good as the other students, and known as the slower student. Yes, experienced performance anxiety, tunnel vision and probably panic attacks r/t PTSD from clinicals. I was verbally demeaned and shoved by practitioners. My coordinator at school said i deserved it probably. I thought it would get better and stayed the nice person. Unfortunately I was dismissed..I felt devastated but relieved emotionally. Financially destroyed..

Sorry some schools wont support you. I was told maybe i wasn't cut out for it after>100 k in debt.

So get some medication and some counseling. Understand many of your preceptors were treated like sh*t, now its their turn to do the same.

Best wishes and that's my reality.

Wow Skip ?that sounds absolutely horrible. Especially if the coordinator told you you probably deserved it! Where's the school support there!! To the OP-if your school is treating you badly then that is definitely a different ball game than just anxiety about clinical and comparing yourself to other students!

Thank you for your reply BioBSN! I appreciate your encouragement. I'm sure whether NP or CRNA school presents similar challenges. For this rotation, I am going to try and be a little more outgoing. The fear of messing something up sometimes comes off as me not taking initiative so I definitely am going to try and not be so scared. Thanks again and good luck with school!

Well skip I really can't say I feel any better after reading your post but I appreciate you sharing your experience. Luckily, I feel like my school is pretty supportive. I'm really sorry to hear of all the trouble you went through. I hope all is better for you!

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I hate(d) the anxiety so much, I just couldn't tolerate it. So, what I did was go at it 'full-tilt-boogie', jump in with both feet and take on the worst first! Once you get your feet good and wet, trying something new is not so scary. I found it quite exhilarating to not feel so constantly afraid anymore. It's just experience you build on; nobody expects perfection first time out of the gate.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Im not trying to sound mean, but you gotta suck it up. The more you let this get inside your head, the worse its going to be a vicious cycle and if you don't stop it now, you probably wont be able to. It will get better but you have to change the way you're thinking. If anesthesia is 'all you ever wanted to do' then you'll sit yourself down, screw your head on straight and get with it.

Case in point. I DREADED going to work when i first started working as a nurse. I was nervous, scared to mess up and well guess what happened...I screwed up and ended up having to resign from my job and find a new one. So like i said, you gotta snap out of it, have some thicker skin and be confident in what you doing. If you're not confident in yourself then no one will be confident in you, or you skills.

Specializes in ED, ICU.

I am an ICU RN currently considering CRNA school. I have to agree, Skip's post is one of the most discouraging things to read regarding Crna school. However, it's a reality (a very scary one) and it could happen to anyone. You sound passionate about your career choice, so I think you owe it to yourself to give yourself the best chance possible so that doesn't become your reality. Since you feel supported by your school you should take some initiative and talk to either a peer you trust, a mentor, or staff member if possible to get some guidance. If nothing else you can get some advice/ideas on how to better prepare. I can only imagine the amount of stress and pressure you encounter on a daily basis, so some sort of release is important too - maybe some yoga or a boxing class? Just a thought í ½í¸Š good luck, keep pushing!

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, OR, Med-Surg.

Hello,

I'm a senior SRNA. It actually does get better by your senior senior year. The junior year does come with challenges but make sure you are confident, prepared, and well versed with your meds. The anesthesia profession love to see confidence portrayed as many will be looking to you for direction when things go wrong and you have to be able to manage and direct people to get things done to care for the patient. We both know there are some people who are not good preceptors and some really don't want to train students and then there are those who act like they came out of the womb born as CRNAs and were never students.

In addition to ICU, I also come from an OR background as an OR nurse so I was totally comfortable in the environment. I remember in my class we had one student whose anxiety levels were so high that she actually passed out in the preop area while interviewing her patent. She had to be taken the ER. Of course this raised red flags because the staff felt like how can we leave her in the room with a patent if she's going to keep passing out. The poor girl was also intimidated with the pimping that came from the CRNAs and MDAs. Now she is doing a lot better.

The min thing is to get your anxiety under control because patients can also pick up on this and this can make them even more nervous. Make sure to read up on your cases and know the procedure inside out. Portray confidence.

Hopefully things will work out for you. I remember when I finished nursing school I always wanted to be an ER nurse. When I went to the ER and I actually hated it. It was just not for me. Hopefully this wont be the case but some people in anesthesia can make it really hard for you when they are trying to weed out people who they think wont be able to cut it. Fortunately for me, I'm with an anesthesia group that has an exclusive contract with the clinical site where I train so I don't rotate out for anything except for peds which is nice because all of the staff know our skills and where we are clinically. The good thing about not rotating out is not having to deal with the new round of pimping by staff who don't know you or where you are clinically. The downside about not rotating is you don't get to see how other sites do things.

The first year of anesthesia school is the hardest but now that I am a senior its totally different. No more care plans this year except for specialty rotations and cases I haven't done before. The pimping is no more on medications and basics but now on perfecting your art of anesthesia and timing your wake ups to prevent delays in case turnovers. We're down to 2 classes this semester and in the spring we're down to 1 semester. I'm telling you it does get better but if you really want this, you're going to have to take it but don't let your anxiety get you kicked out of your program. Words of advice from our program director was to never let them see you sweat. Keep it inside and when you get a break, go into a closet and cry or vent or whatever you need to do but never let them see you sweat.

One of the MDAs I work with says his big thing is you may not know what you're doing but if you display confidence as if you know what your're doing, it decreases staff anxiety in the room and it goes much further with the docs. I remember when I did my first nasal intubation. I was so nervous on the inside that I was sweating but I never let it show how nervous I was. The MDA said I did an excellent job and that he didn't know that I was nervous after I placed the tube when I told him.

You'll do fine but you have to keep the anxiety level hidden because we all know the CRNAs talk about students with each other as well as the MDAs discuss students with other MDAs as far as who's good and who's struggling. I was the only student in my first year to get offered a job with the anesthesia group whereas most job offers are in the senior year. I was told by the MDA that everyone has been talking about how advanced I am with my skills and the confidence I display which let me know they watch everything about you and they all talk. You definitely don't want to get labeled in a negative way.

Specializes in ICU.

Just wondering if you are doing any better/completed the program or dropped out? I've been accepted to CRNA school and am filled with dread. Having an underlying anxiety issue, I'm just not sure I can emotionally handle the stress of school. Looking for advice from someone "who's been there" and what you did to overcome it. Im pretty close to going with my gut and giving up my spot...

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