all time anxiety with clinicals

[Nursingbsn2b91]

Hi guys,

Im currently in nursing school & in a month i will be starting clinicals. The thought of this is giving me really bad anxiety. Like I'm freaking out because I'm not sure if i can handle everything.

A little background about me. I started developing anxiety when i became an ER scribe. I had no hospital experience and walked into the ED clueless. My anxiety was so bad.My second shift of training as a scribe, i almost passed out on the floor. The patient we had seen was not even a serious one. By that i mean there was no blood involved, no trauma, no wounds, nothing. I don't know what happened to me but I felt really light headed and sweaty and before i knew it, i was walking into a wall and just dropped on the floor.

It was so hard for me. So many times I thought about quitting because I couldn't deal with this anxiety or whatever was happening to me.

I so badly wanted to be a scribe that even with sleepless nights and no appetites i kept pushing myself to get through it. And I did. The anxiety went away after a few shifts and I became so good at my job. I LOVED working in the ER and LOVED learning so much from all around me.

However, that anxiety feeling that I had when I was in training for the scribe has returned. & I'm feeling that same way again.

This time, its different. Being a nursing student in a hospital, I'm going to have more patient contact. I'll be cleaning wounds, assessing patients and doing a lot more stuff than i ever had to do as a scribe. Thinking about wound dressing is making me feel squemish. I know this is normal but I'm freaking myself out even more. I even tried watching some youtube videos about wound care & I feel a little uneasy.

I went through this when i first transitioned into being a scribe and now I feel that I'm going through it again with being a student nurse.This time I feel like its worse. I don't know why I keep freaking myself out. I just don't know how to feel with dressing wounds and dealing with all these squemish stuff.

This is normal right? I so badly want to be a nurse. I love the health field, i love the job, I love creating relationships with patients and communicating. But this anxiety feeling is taking over me & I hate it so much.

I know I just have to get through the transition but I hate this feeling.

I keep telling myself, I got passed this with being an ER scribe, I can get passed this with clinicals.

Its just the start of clinicals is just very nerve wrecking.

[luffle]

It is normal to be nervous. Many students are nervous even when they've had experience in the health care setting. Since it is your first semester, they probably will not let you go off on your own without any instructions or guidance. Usually there is some sort of orientation about what to expect, maybe a tour of the unit you will be on, and a scavenger hunt to find the crash cart, fire extinguishers/alarms, exits, supplies, etc. You will probably get only one patient to work with during your first clinical week and it's good to check if that patient is willing to work with a student to make it less nerve wracking for you. Most patients I have met welcome students. They meet so many people throughout the day that assess their health that they could probably teach you a few things. You can also find support from your classmates. They may be as anxious on the first day as you are.

[Davey Do]

Welcome to AN.com, nursingbsn!

Anxiety stems from fear. Fears that stem from no current threat are due to projection. Projections are the result of a perception as the result of experience and feelings toward that experience, or the unknown. Fears and anxieties that stem from unknowns are conjectures; made up scenarios.

The cause of your fear and anxieties fit into the above, nursingbsn. You have already attempted to deal with your anxiety through exposure; desensitization:

I even tried watching some youtube videos about wound care & I feel a little uneasy.

Anxieties can be dealt with through exposure, desensitization, and identifying why certain circumstances elicit fear and anxiety.

A good therapist can assist you in identifying and dealing with your fears and anxieties, but there are other ways. There are self help books and online information.

Good luck to you nursingbsn!

[katyq82]

I was very anxious to start clinicals as well, I felt like I was going to throw up and/or cry that first day. Actually I did cry, but not in front of any patients. :) Then I put on my big girl panties and a smile and I did fine. And you will too. I found that I was often asked by patients or family for help with things that I was not qualified or allowed to do. I would just smile and nicely say that I would find someone who could help them. And then I would make sure to keep my word and find someone to help. Your instructor should be there with you and will let you know what you can/cannot do.

Some things that help me when anxiety is getting the better of me: making sure I get plenty of sleep, doing guided meditations at night while I am falling asleep, talking with other students and sharing fears/concerns helped me realize I am not alone in my fears, picturing myself succeeding... Some people face anxiety all their lives and treatment can be very helpful for those who need it, as we will always have new and nerve wracking situations to go through- it doesn't end with clinical. Good luck!

[Nursingbsn2b91]

yeah the first day is more of an orientation but then we will be having one to two patients to take care of. The hospital that I'm doing clinicals is a teaching hospital but it is also a trauma level based hospital with lots of crazy stuff. So I'm at least lucky that the nursing staff is going to be helpful. But I hate talking to other students cuz even though they say they're nervous as well, they all seem so calm and I dont want to be seen as the only student that is freaking out on the inside. I just want to get the transition over with so I can get back to my regular life style without all of this crazy anxiety.

[Nursingbsn2b91]

thank you so much! I'm really looking forward for this. I've worked so hard to get here I'm not going to give up easily. Just have to get through this anxiety and face my fears. Who knows, maybe I'll like wound care so much I'll want to be a wound care nurse. lolll

Now that would actually be funny