The switch from med school to working in a hospital can take a lot of people by surprise. You are now in an environment where your actions have consequences, and you have several responsibilities attached to your role. This pressure can be hard to handle for some fresh graduates. Nurses have a difficult time adjusting to life after nursing school and often feel stressed out.
The first year of nursing is usually the hardest. Not only do they have to adjust to a stressful hands-on career, but adjusting to the new normal after a pandemic can be pretty tough to wrap your head around.
This article will talk about some of the struggles nurses go through in their first year of nursing. With a focus on health struggles, we’ll raise awareness about how difficult nursing is as a career and how nurses can remain motivated to save lives every day.
After reading this piece, you should better understand some of the health struggles nurses go through, with a newfound respect for these fantastic professionals.
Mental exhaustion
As if the stress of the job wasn’t enough, it’s not uncommon to hear about nurses studying alongside their careers. The remote learning system has made education considerably easier for nurses around the world. Nurses can pursue whatever certification course they want, whether it’s a bsn to dnp online or a master’s degree; various institutions provide online degrees to candidates to enhance their skill set and move up the career ladder. Yes, online education has made things more accessible, but the fact remains that more and more nurses are burning out. With long stressful shifts and content-rich coursework, staying focused is extremely difficult. Many new nurses feel the physical effects of exhaustion and have a hard time coping.
Injuries on the job
Nursing is a highly physical job; therefore, you can expect minor scuffs here and there during your tenure, especially in the first year or so after graduation. As nurses don’t particularly know how to avoid unpleasant situations, they might unknowingly get stuck with hostile or non-cooperative patients and end up sustaining injuries.
It is common in psychiatric institutions, where patients are known to lash out at staff and attendants. Psychotic and manic patients often lose touch with reality and end up hurting people while being restrained.
In extreme cases, nurses could suffer broken bones and bruising while dealing with hostile patients. It’s always best to learn about calming techniques that help extinguish situations and solve issues before they escalate. It is one of many reasons why senior nurses attend to psychiatric patients because they’re trained to handle these situations better than anyone.
Malnutrition
As nurses embark on new adventures in their lives, many dive right into the job and don’t take time out for themselves. Walking around the halls, running between floors, and tending to patients can take a toll on their health if they don’t take care of their diet.
Nutrition is a crucial part of nursing. Many nurses skip important meals during this time because they don’t manage their time correctly. Forgetting to eat and pulling double shifts without proper rest leads to nurses feeling ill and weak and medical errors.
Compromised immunity
If you enter a nursing career, be prepared for more sickness and disease than you initially expected. The sheer prevalence of sick people coming in for treatment is astounding. By being around sick people nearly all the time, nurses are often exposed to various illnesses, and sometimes their immune systems give in to an infection.
This is especially true in the first year of nursing, and the best way to boost your immunity is by consuming a well-balanced diet packed with vitamins and minerals that strengthen your immune system.
It would help if you also considered taking oral multivitamins every day to strengthen your immunity further. It would be tragic if you fell sick during your first year of nursing because it’s during this year you learn the most about your job and make your career.
Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues of our time. A fair number of people see it as nothing more than a psychological thought disturbance, but the physical effects of anxiety may be severe.
The most common physical symptoms of anxiety present themselves as increased heart rate and an upset stomach. For first-year nurses, dealing with patients, assuming responsibility, and being responsible for another human’s well-being can be stressful.
In extreme cases, the nurse may suffer panic attacks which could severely impede their chance to carry on with their job responsibilities. An effective way to deal with anxiety is through meditation. Mindful meditations are known to bring in the sense of composure over the individuals and relax their mind
Conclusion
Nurses play a vital role in the medical industry. They help save lives, but they also play a supportive role to doctors in performing surgeries. During the initial year, nurses face issues regarding anxiety and weakness, all of which are common.
Highlighting these health issues showcases the dedication of nurses to their careers and is a reason they’re considered the backbone of the medical health sector. It is high time society starts appreciating them for their services and their part in saving lives.
