Lots of Anxiety

[donnarn7994]

Hello everyone! Just wanted some advice or to see if anyone else has felt this way. I have been a RN the last 15 yrs. I had a lot of personal issues going on in the last year, several deaths, fmly member in and out of drug rehab, etc. I was fortunate to have been able to stay at home during this time. I am ready to go back to work, I think, lol, but I am finding myself facing a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety. I am not sure what area of nursing I want to do. I would like to try a new area, but I find me questioning myself about my abilities and if I can handle a large load of patients, etc. I know I still have good nursing skills and all it would take would be a little time to get back in the groove and things would be fine. But, each time I want to apply for a job, I chicken out. Am I going crazy? I lost my car (repo) so I have no way to get around, so I depend on my husband to take me places. I just sit at home on my bed all day, watching my soaps and eating. I have no life anymore. I appreciate any suggestions or comments on how to get myself back in the game before I really go nuts! lol

Donna
d_chisolm@hotmail.com

[cali510]

You sound just like me. It gets to be easy to just sit around all day and not even go outside when you don't have a job to go to. Unfortunately, there comes that time when the car gets repo'd or you realize the end of the month is coming and you don't have the rent money. Then reality sets in, that the convenience of lounging around just isn't there anymore. Time to force the issue, anxiety or not. If you want a new area but have doubts about patient loads, then I suggest that tried and true way to go with less stress: home health. Get a job with a home health agency doing shift work. One patient, one nurses note for each shift, each day, and you're done. No fuss, no muss, because your patient should be stable with routine care. You can relax when you only have one patient to take care of. Give good care, get things done, and don't have to run up and down a hallway like a chicken with its head cut off. Give it some thought. And to perk your system up and get involved in life again, get yourself on an exercise plan. You can go to a gym or work out at home, but do something to get your blood circulating. You will feel better and be more inclined to cut down on the eating and TV. Good luck.

[hppygr8ful]

Originally Posted by cali510

You sound just like me. It gets to be easy to just sit around all day and not even go outside when you don't have a job to go to. Unfortunately, there comes that time when the car gets repo'd or you realize the end of the month is coming and you don't have the rent money. Then reality sets in, that the convenience of lounging around just isn't there anymore. Time to force the issue, anxiety or not. If you want a new area but have doubts about patient loads, then I suggest that tried and true way to go with less stress: home health. Get a job with a home health agency doing shift work. One patient, one nurses note for each shift, each day, and you're done. No fuss, no muss, because your patient should be stable with routine care. You can relax when you only have one patient to take care of. Give good care, get things done, and don't have to run up and down a hallway like a chicken with its head cut off. Give it some thought. And to perk your system up and get involved in life again, get yourself on an exercise plan. You can go to a gym or work out at home, but do something to get your blood circulating. You will feel better and be more inclined to cut down on the eating and TV. Good luck.

Cali gave you some really good advice - the beautiful thing about nursing is if you are creative in your approach you will be able to find a job that doesn't stress you out. I made the the move to home health after 5 years of working psych and I have never been happier. It typically doesn't pay as well as a hospital but it's more than your making now rightt!

As for the anxiety - some of that is normal with everything that's been happening in your personal life and with the state of the world in general. You may find that a low dose anti-depressant would be helpful. I would caution you as I would any working nurse not to start taking things like Xanax or ativan (too any nurses have found out the hard way what damage those drugs can do - see my postings under nurses in recovery)) but if you have any health insurance go see you your doctor sometimes high levels of anxiety are caused by thyroid imbalances. If you don't have health insurance go to a county clinic. Mostly though getting back out to working and seeing for yourself how self affirming that is will help so much.

Peace and Namaste


Hppygr8ful

Peace and Namaste