38 days off orientation

Seeking Advice

Hello everyone! This is my first ever post, and I’m currently sitting in the parking lot outside of work so I’ll make this quick. I’m a new grad in the ICU since I had done my internship there last summer. Despite knowing everyone and where everything is, I get myself so incredibly worked up before every shift without fail. I’m so stressed that I’m going to miss a lab notification, message a doctor when I don’t need to, or don’t when I do. I feel like I suck at giving bad news to pts and family, and I’m just in a constant state of stress it feels like. People keep telling me that I’m doing well, but I get in my own head about mistakes. An example being sticking a pt for labs when they had a midline, I just wasn’t thinking and my coworker caught me red handed. (Pain) Does this mental battle ever end? I should also add that I’m a newly 23 F, and am the youngest nurse on my unit…. Ever… Setting records I guess 😅 Every shift I come in I just feel like I’m a 14 year old girl who’s clueless and scared of her own shadow. Does anyone have any tips? Any and all help is appreciated. 🫶🏻

Posted Sep 13, 2025, 10:41 PM UTC

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