Firstly any newly qualified position are difficult, the transition from student to nurse (if you are a nurse) is incredibly difficult, the responsibility feels all consuming at times! I promise this does ease, I would say around 6 month mark, however it can take longer. I think I started to feel semi confident at 12 months but confidence started increasing after 6 months.
A notebook is so useful to write things down, it’s easy to refer back to, it can help you when things are so busy you can’t think straight.
My biggest tip is building trust, the more trust you can build the more likely you will be able to de-escalate any potential violence or current violence. The best way to build trust is do what you say you will do, even if it is as small as yes I will make you a cup of tea now. If you can’t do something you tell them as soon as possible and explain why if appropriate.
Remember these people are stuck in the ward day in day out, what may seem small for you (sorry I can’t change the tv channel this second) is huge for them.
Encourage lots of activities with the patients if they can engage , ward meetings are also a good place to start engaging patients and can help raise problems before they start.
Realise it is a life long learning job, you won’t know the answers to everything and that’s ok!
Supervision- psychiatric nursing is so stressful the violence, name calling, lack of resources can take its toll. Make sure you have regular supervision to discuss your current work stress and also it provides a good place for growth and development.
Basics- make sure you take your breaks, or at least make sure you have time to eat and drink on shift, when the shifts are busy it’s so easy to neglect yourself. When you are tired and or hungry it can be even more difficult to process and deal with.
I know it may not feel it right now, but it does get easier. The more experience you get the easier it is to deal with things. I remember being vile at home for the first few months as I couldn’t deal with what you have mentioned in your original post, however in time it gets easier.
Lean on your more experienced colleagues for guidance and wisdom and support, however also remember you got the job for a reason and that you are liable for your own actions, by this I mean don’t let anyone tell you what to do if it doesn’t feel right. I remember my early days I was doing a night shift and another more experienced nurse on the morning shift lambasted me in handover for taking a patient out of seclusion said I was a bad nurse etc, they lasted 9 hours out of seclusion on my shift and was back in within 40 minutes of their shift, they took great pride in telling me this on their next handover to me. On my next night shift the patient came straight back out as they were settled. I remember panicking what the experienced nurse would think of me, then I realised I must be doing something ok as the patient was fully settled on my shifts and the other nurse probably just wanted an easier shift which is not ok by any stretch of the imagination. If it was now I would have told them so but I was very young and inexperienced!
sorry for the long post, hope this helps in some way! Every newly qualified has felt the way you have felt xx