Need advice

I am once again starting a new job in nursing, this time attempting the hospital side again. I graduated in 2010 and initially attempted to work a tele floor but felt so anxious, so overwhelmed, felt like I had no support, that within a couple of weeks I switched into a clinic position which was basically just phones. After two years of clinic work, I feel I have no nursing skills or experience. I accepted a med/surg job in a smaller hospital but I am getting the panic/nervous feelings all over again. Just practicing IV starts on a fake arm yesterday got me feeling low in confidence and scared. I get tripped up on all the steps of how to do things and I'm worried I won't be able to stay organized with six patients, even at night. Did anyone else feel very uncoordinated with the manual skills and felt like you would never get it right? Then I feel it is hard to focus because my nerves get in the way and its this vicious cycle
Hello, I totally can understand the challenge you face. Doing something new in any forum is always daunting and can cause anyone to be nervous. It is totally normal! With anything, you get good when you do things over and over and over again. Although I did well with nursing in theory, that is understanding how to do things from books, it was another story when I actually had to prime IV tubing, draw blood from a central line, or even just change a dressing. It took me forever, and I felt I was fumbling throughout. The confidence will come with practice. IV starts are challenging as well in terms of the skills we nurses learn, so remember to give yourself a break, take a deep breath, and just keep practicing. And better on a plastic arm than a real one! In the end, you will only get good when you do it over and over on real patients, so once you accept that, I think it will be a step toward getting over your nerves. If you are a visual learner, this is a website that I was introduced to a few months ago. Fellow nurses have raved about it. Perhaps this could be a good supportive tool for you as you get back into it: Mosby's Nursing Suite - Confidence Connected - Mosby' s Nursing Suite. Go to the videos tab and check it out.Having six patients is definitely challenging, but you will get it. Believe me. I went through the same thing, and although you do not believe it, the nerves do pass!Good luck! You can do it!