The Student Room Group

Why am I like this?

As unreasonable as it sounds, I have applied to volunteer on a hospital ward and im reading some info about what I will be doing etc and my hands have gone really sweaty and im anxious:confused: I have this anxiety thing and am volunteering cause I don't have a job and would like a career in the NHS.
The thought of working in a hospital is for some reason scary yet I want a career in healthcare:confused: Should I still volunteer and think about another career cause I doubt the anxiety will go. I know I sound like a **** but this is what im like.
Reply 1
Anonymous
As unreasonable as it sounds, I have applied to volunteer on a hospital ward and im reading some info about what I will be doing etc and my hands have gone really sweaty and im anxious:confused: I have this anxiety thing and am volunteering cause I don't have a job and would like a career in the NHS.
The thought of working in a hospital is for some reason scary yet I want a career in healthcare:confused: Should I still volunteer and think about another career cause I doubt the anxiety will go. I know I sound like a **** but this is what im like.

Perhaps you should atleast give it a try and see how it goes first???
It could just be nerves mixing with your anxiety.
As its volunteering and in a hospital im sure they would understand if you gave it ago but then wanted to pull out for anxiety purposes.
Reply 2
If you're scared of working in a hospital, then MAYBE, just MAYBE healthcare isn't for you...
Reply 3
MNBStyle
Perhaps you should atleast give it a try and see how it goes first???
It could just be nerves mixing with your anxiety.
As its volunteering and in a hospital im sure they would understand if you gave it ago but then wanted to pull out for anxiety purposes.


Im expected to work there for at least 3 months since they have paid for a CRB check and everything, I'l certainly force myself to go in but im wondering how the hell I'l cope with a career if im like this now.
Reply 4
Pandy
If you're scared of working in a hospital, then MAYBE, just MAYBE healthcare isn't for you...


Maybe, but I almost failed A levels for the same reason cause I was scared of going in college.
Reply 5
Anonymous
Im expected to work there for at least 3 months since they have paid for a CRB check and everything, I'l certainly force myself to go in but im wondering how the hell I'l cope with a career if im like this now.

Maybe you just need to get into the swing of things and that will help you, working in a hospital is a big thing even if its only volunteery.
Reply 6
watch season 1 of scrubs

they are all scared too. (shut up, it is a DOCUMENTARY ok?). it will also make you laugh and relieve the tension :p: i think its normal to be scared of hospitals even if you've been training to be a doctor for years.
Reply 7
Hey I just found this http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/panic-eft.htm

I don't understand the technique though, what exactly is 'tapping'? He's not finished the sentences off.
Reply 8
goodLife
Hey I just found this http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/panic-eft.htm

I don't understand the technique though, what exactly is 'tapping'? He's not finished the sentences off.

Ive not read it properly, but i think it might be the same tapping technique used by Paul Mckenna.
Where you tap on certain pressure points on the body when your anxious.
Reply 9
MNBStyle
Ive not read it properly, but i think it might be the same tapping technique used by Paul Mckenna.
Where you tap on certain pressure points on the body when your anxious.


I thought it was more to do with tapping into thoughts... :redface:
Reply 10
goodLife
I thought it was more to do with tapping into thoughts... :redface:

Well its not really explained very well is it??? no need to be :redface: you gota good point
Reply 11
I used to work at the Children's Hospital in my city, one of only several specialist children's hospitals in the country, so it was always busy. My main job wasn't working with patients, but I did a lot of stuff which had an impact on them, and I had unrestricted access throughout the whole hosptial, so I got to see everything.

Admittedly, you see and hear some not so nice things, and with it being children it made such things so much worse (for example, when on the cancer ward/ICU or when you hear a child has died), but when you have a good day, that more than makes up for everything else... when you know, you've done something that has really made a difference (for example, in my job, I could have stopped operations, and had to deal with 'urgent' requests which had to be sorted so there was no impact on patient services), it's a great feeling. There is nothing like it - you feel so satisfied.

I would say that, without a doubt, the good days will more than make up for the bad... and the bad days, are character building, if nothing else. Plus I would further say the NHS is a great organisation to work for... there is something special about the people who work for the NHS - and that's the same with everyone I've met who works for the NHS, not just in my hospital - without these great staff, the NHS would collapse (I can't begin to add up how many extra hours I've done for no pay, or how many scarifies I've made for my job and my hospital, or the sort of things I've seen done by friends and colleagues too - such as working from 7am till well after midnight, without a break). You'll meet some great people.

Anon - if you have any issues you wanna discuss about working in a hospital, you can PM me. Ditto to anyone else.

EDIT: With regard to the anxiety I had that a little at first, when I started working for the NHS. But I got plenty of support and everyone is really nice (again, it's the people that make the NHS what it is). I had it even more after I got a double promotion. Everyone (my bosses) were so confident that I could do the new job, but at first, I felt I was in so over my head, and I nearly turned around and said "I can't do this". It was so much responsibility, both in terms of patient related services, decision-making and spending high amounts money, I was just so afraid I was going to make a big mistake and it would have an impact on our operational/patient services, but as soon as I realised that I was good at my job and became confident at it, I was way ahead of my colleagues and everyone (people from outside of my dept and my bosses) recgonised that and started turning to me for things. So it worked out well for us all.
I think it may be partly just a fear of the un-known. I am going to be studying for a degree in Occupational Therapy and I am pretty anxious about entering hospitals!

I did my work experience last year, I was quite nervous but only because I hadn't been on a ward before and I didn't know what I would have to do. There were a couple of things which made me feel uneasy, but that was to be expected. During training for careers in the NHS you (should!) gradually find it easier to cope in stressful and emotional situations.

But remember working for the NHS doesn't necessarily mean hospital work. As my careers advisor said to me, once I have done all my training I can choose to work where I want.

Hope this helps!

Hayley x