The Nerves!

[StudentOfHealing]

I suppose I posted this in the wrong section but oh well... here we go (=

I have a skills check off this Friday. I am as nervous as can get. When I did my hand washing, bed making, and bed-bath skill check off I was sweating bullets. ?

I am very anxious. I am the nervous type. Not due to shyness or any type of social anxiety but the fact that if I fail, I only have one more chance makes me nervous.

I want to know how to fix this. I know it won't be fixed from now (Wednesday) to (Friday). However I do know I can at least... diminish my nerves. I know I with some will strength can go in. do the skills. pass. no sweat. no nerves. just confidence. I know though, that it's not just this time... I know I need to start applying my deviation from nerves to a calm serene yet alert state of mind. I know I will need this as a nurse. I am willing to begin this transition. But I need some advice and some tips. Some insight... perhaps from a fellow nervous-"worryor"

I have felt that I cannot take a BP... but I prove my self wrong many times. I CAN take a BP. Most of the time I do get the correct readings. I am beginning to gain confidence ..

however when I asked the RN who helps us in skills lab, I was taking her BP and I saw that with her I was shaking very much. She noted to me she saw my leg shaking vigorously.

She noticed my hands and she said the reason I heard so much artifact sound was because I was shaking.

I try to stay SO still that I begin to tremble... isn't that ironic? Well.

How can I calm down?

How can I keep my hand from shaking so much?

The bullets of sweat?

All this is nerves. I know, I know HOW. I think I need to trust my self more.

I don't know why else I shake and rattle so much.

Well ... any any advice would be helpful.

Please & Thanks.

[Certifiable, BSN, RN]

Practicing over and over again calms the nerves. Because that way you remove or at least diminish the emotional part of the stressor- and you can become a calm thinking machine. If you want to try and simulate the stressful enviroment of an exam, jump up and down a few times so that your blood is pumping loudly in your ears and try and figure out calming techniques while going through the motions. maybe it'll work, maybe it won't but it doesn't hurt to try.

I found taking a BP really hard and I kept thinking that I had a hearing problem... but somehow I made it...

My problem is that since my 1st year when we learned BP's in skill labs, I have not encountered a manual BP --- everywhere in the hospitals and clinics I visited had electronic ones! Hard to keep up that particular skill when there is no opportunity to practice. And manual BP's in good nick are not cheap in my country... If I ever need to use it, I am not ashamed in saying to a fellow nurse that it's not my expertise and I'd need to practice a bit.

But again, the most important thing i can tell you to do is PRACTICE!