I'm Freaking Out and Frantic! Please Help Me!

Wow! This has been such a blessing today! Thank you SO, SO much for sharing this! I made my first med error yesterday and I have been "just sick" (No pun intended) about it! I have been trying to talk myself out of all the thoughts of quiting and quiting nursing all together! I'm already feeling a teeny bit better having read this! I think I need to use someone Else's perspective until mine come back around! Thank you again for sharing!

Well-written, and very true! I guess that's why you're rn/writer haha. I'm a new ICU nurse, and I'm guilty of the "Will I ever be good at this?" thoughts every now and then, but then I remind myself: one does not become the most able nurse in the unit after only a few months lol, how far my skills/thinking have progressed, and the GOOD things I have accomplished for my patient during the shift. I have told other new nurses to try to do the same thing. Although I must say, focusing on my negatives has helped me in that I work to improve what my weaknesses are. Nursing's tough, and I think we just put a lot of weight on our shoulders because of the huge responsibility that it is, but all we can do is our best each shift and work to improve our weaker areas. And, most importantly, leave work at work and not play the "oh no, did I remember to do x? Did I tell her x?" When I'm really not sure if I told them something important, I just call when I get home, but that's rare that I have to do that. I make a point now to make sure I mention the really important thing first in my report so I don't forget it once I get to the end lol.Thank you!

Thank you!!! There are so many people who struggle with this - as one who is "wired" to be an anxiety prone perfectionist (and lived to tell the tale ) I want to help but it is difficult to give as comprehensive a response as you have with this blog/article.

Nicely put, and so needed. I love the line "panic tosses reason out the window" How true is that! Thanks for writing and sharing this.

What an absolutely wonderful article. I am a new nurse in a stressful specialty area, and I haven't read anything that pinpoints the thoughts in my head so closely as this. I am still in the process of learning the fine line between helpful reflection ("What could I have done better?") and self-defeating inner commentary ("I am clueless; I should have done X, Y, and Z"). When I get home from a shift, I give myself a few minutes to go over what I could have done better, but then I have to lay it down and move on, or else I do become a mass of "stomach acid and piano wire."Thanks again for this; I think it should be a sticky on the "Nurses practicing for less than 1 yr." forum. :redpinkhe

As long as a new grad is in a new job that is condusive to learning.

Best article I have ever read that has helped me. every description is me. Thank you for such an encouraging and helpful article from the bottom of my heart.

this article needs to be made a sticky.leslie

Wow. That was me to a T my first year of nursing. It is slowly getting better but I remember wanting to quit so bad even if that meant I worked at Starbucks the rest of my life. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are not freaked out all the time. This is such a great article. Thanks

I thought I was the only one who felt like this. I will be emailing it to myself to re-read when I have one of those days

The writer was spot on with everything I have gone through in the last year and a half since graduating!! How did you get into my brain, dear writer??? Ah, you must've walked in my shoes....thank you so much for this article. You have helped me immensely. I was ready to run for president of this freaking out and frantic club, and, mind you, would have been elected hands down. But now I'm gaining a bit of perspective and wisdom, as well as that ever elusive self-confidence. My panic attacks are far less frequent; the self flagellations few and far between. I'll continue to pursue sanity rather than misery. Thank you for making me feel okay as a new nurse.

Good grief...........where was advice like this when I was starting out??!!As always, Miranda nails it---cuts right through the BS and tells it exactly the way it is. Great work!!!