Shaky hands

This might be a silly question but I'm concerned about it. I naturally have shaky hands--all my life really. It's not that I'm nervous but just a natural thing for me. Would this really be a set back in a nursing career? What patient would want to see a nurse start an IV line with their hands trembling??? This really bothers me! Thanks for any input.
Hi Suzy,I have always had shaky hands, it seems to be a heriditary thing. It did make my patients nervous, and i would give the "heriditary speech"..it would ease their fears some. Would go on to put in an IV without problems. Over the years the skakiness has gotten worse, especially in the morning. It is much more difficult for me to insert an IV, so I usually defer it to someone else if possible. If not....I just do it. I also no longer thread needles Now my biggest concern is signing meds out on the MAR...those squares are getting smaller and smaller I swear.Don't let it become an obstable to you...in the overall scheme of things in nursing, starting IV's is a very small thing.Dawn
Thanks Dawn for your reply. Mine is a hereditary thingy as well. It has hindered me from getting an earlier start in nursing but now I'm willing to give it a try!
Hi,,, Suzy,,,, I too have shaky hands,,,, before any,,, any! procedure,,, they start to shake worse,, I try to ease,,, my patients,, and in the past,,, my preceptors,,, It is normal and I will have no problem,,,,, & I don't,,,, I am very good at IV's,,, pleb,,, Just don't watch me!,,, lol,,,,, ~kitamoon
Quote from ChainedChaosRNHi Suzy,I have always had shaky hands, it seems to be a heriditary thing. It did make my patients nervous, and i would give the "heriditary speech"..it would ease their fears some. Would go on to put in an IV without problems. Over the years the skakiness has gotten worse, especially in the morning. It is much more difficult for me to insert an IV, so I usually defer it to someone else if possible. If not....I just do it. I also no longer thread needles Now my biggest concern is signing meds out on the MAR...those squares are getting smaller and smaller I swear.Don't let it become an obstable to you...in the overall scheme of things in nursing, starting IV's is a very small thing.Dawn
Good for you!!! I managed to make it thru all my clinical rotations, shakey hands or not. I too have only 5 months to go until graduation (God willing!).
Quote from suzy253Good for you!!! I managed to make it thru all my clinical rotations, shakey hands or not. I too have only 5 months to go until graduation (God willing!).
Ya I got the twitchy hands too. Hereditary or genetic or whatever, I found that if I tap my foot while I'm doing something the shake goes away a bit. If you are starting a IV hole the neele in your hand and the other hand can hold the arm with 3 fingers and tap the pinky in the air. I don't know hwy but it works for me.Still I hadda stop painting the front door trim. Ya cant really tap your foot when on a laddar can you.
Hi, I've never posted to this coard before, but I saw your posting about shaky hands. I have an essential tremor and so not only my hands shake but so does my head. I had to work a little harder in nursing school to figure out the best way to prop my arm so I could start IV's, and explaining the shaking to instructors and fellow students, but no one ever told me I couldn't be a nurse. I get comments from patients sometimes, but I either explain it to them, or make a joke about drinking too much caffeine. I've never had a negative response from a patient and when I worked on the open heart unit, I did better starting IVs than any of the other nurses.Now I am Charge in a PACU and have the respect of my fellow nurses for continuing to do hands-on patient care even though the tremor has worsened some. I have good days and bad days when the tremor is better or worse than usual, but it doesn't stop me from doing my job.
Quote from tnvolmomHi, I've never posted to this coard before, but I saw your posting about shaky hands. I have an essential tremor and so not only my hands shake but so does my head. I had to work a little harder in nursing school to figure out the best way to prop my arm so I could start IV's, and explaining the shaking to instructors and fellow students, but no one ever told me I couldn't be a nurse. I get comments from patients sometimes, but I either explain it to them, or make a joke about drinking too much caffeine. I've never had a negative response from a patient and when I worked on the open heart unit, I did better starting IVs than any of the other nurses.Now I am Charge in a PACU and have the respect of my fellow nurses for continuing to do hands-on patient care even though the tremor has worsened some. I have good days and bad days when the tremor is better or worse than usual, but it doesn't stop me from doing my job.
Have any of you tried any meds for the shaky hands? My hands too shake and i looked on this website and there were a couple meds mentioned you can take that are suppose to help.http://www.essentialtremor.org/Cherylmommy to 4
OK Pun Intended.....Where there's a WILL or a WIGGLE there's a way.Congrats to all my co-shakers on achievements above and beyond.
Hey guys... Do you know a support group for people having congenital essential tremors? I have tremors too and i was diagnosed by a neurologist... Please Reply!!