Dealing with Pre-Shift Anxiety in Nursing
I remember it clearly, like it just happened. I got out of bed and quickly changed into my work scrubs, feeling both excited and anxious about my day shift as a care aide. After preparing my lunch, I happened to glance at my watch before leaving for the day. To my surprise, my pre-shift anxiety had woken me up four hours before my alarm!
When I talk to other healthcare workers, it seems like many of us experience pre-shift anxiety, but we don’t talk about it enough.
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Thankfully, I’ve learned from my experiences and come up with a few tips to help calm those nerves and have a successful shift!
Here are some tips:
Create a Routine:
Establish a routine before your shift. Go to bed early, take care of yourself (enjoy a bubble bath, use a face mask, or have a calming cup of tea). Feeling relaxed before sleep can help you rest better. Get your outfit ready, pack your lunch and bag the night before so you’re all set in the morning and have less to worry about.
Focus on What You Can Control:
I often worry about small things when starting a new job or returning after a break. To manage this, I make a list of my concerns and mark what I can’t control and circle what I can. Then I think about ways to address the circled concerns. When I began working as a care aide last summer, I had orientation at a specific entrance and I was afraid of finding it on time. The night before, I went there and located the entrance, so I felt more confident in the morning. My pre-shift anxiety didn’t disappear, but it became much less intense.
Positive Self-Talk:
Pre-shift anxiety often arises from negative self-talk. For example, saying things like “I can’t handle this” or “I don’t know enough” only adds to the stress. It’s not simple, but changing our mindset and saying things like “I’m eager to learn new things” and “I’m excited to assist others today” can set us up for success.
Connect with Supportive Colleagues:
With luck, you’ll find co-workers in your unit who are helpful and willing to assist when needed. Ask them your questions; they understand that we all have gaps in knowledge and feel nervous. Remember, it’s better to ask many questions than to make a major mistake.
These tips have been valuable during my clinical and work shifts. Although my pre-shift anxiety hasn’t vanished entirely and might never do so, these tips have reduced it when I put them into practice.
Starting a new job is challenging, but you bring in the latest knowledge and resources, making you a valuable member of your team. Best of luck!
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Overcoming Pre-Shift Anxiety
I remember it like it was yesterday. I hopped out of bed and quickly changed into my scrubs, eager, yet nervous to start my day shift as a care aide. I finished packing my lunch and decided to glance briefly at my watch before heading out for the day. I couldn’t believe it – my pre-shift anxiety had gotten the best of me that I woke up four hours before my alarm!
When talking with other health care workers, it seems as though pre-shift anxiety is extremely common, yet I don’t feel like it is talked about enough.
Thankfully, I was able to learn from my experiences and come up with a few tips to help calm those nerves and have a successful shift!
Here are a few tips:
Make a Routine:
Have a routine before your shift. Go to sleep early, do your self-care routine (have a bubble bath, put on a face mask, or drink a hot cup of tea). Feeling relaxed before going to sleep will allow you to have a much better night’s rest. Prepare your outfit, pack your lunch and bag the night before so you’re ready to go in the morning and have less to stress about.
Focus on What You Can Control:
I always get nervous about the little things when first starting a job or haven’t worked in awhile. It helps me to make a list of all the things I am nervous about, and cross out the things I can’t control and encircle the things I can. I look at the things that I encircled and think about ways that I can ease my fears. When I first started as a care aide last summer, I had my orientation days at a very specific entrance and I was terrified at finding it and getting there on time. The night before, I drove there and found the specific entrance so that in the morning I would feel more confident about where to go. My pre-shift anxiety didn’t go away completely but it lessened it significantly.
Positive Self-talk:
Pre-shift anxiety often stems from negative self-talk. For example, saying things like: “I can’t do this” or “I don’t know anything” will only add to the stress you’re already feeling. It’s not easy but when we reframe our mindset and say things such as “I’m looking forward to learning new skills,” and “I can’t wait to help others out today,” we are setting ourselves up for success.
Find Supportive Co-workers:
Hopefully, you will quickly be able to find co-workers in your unit who are supportive and who will help you out when you need it. Ask them all your questions; they know that we don’t know everything and are nervous. Remind yourself that it’s better to ask a million questions rather than make a big mistake.
These tips have helped me throughout my clinical and work shifts. My pre-shift anxiety still isn’t completely gone and I’m not sure if it will ever go away, but it definitely is minimized when I follow these tips.
Starting a new job is hard, but you’re coming into the field with the latest knowledge and resources, making you an asset to your team. Best of luck!
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