I'm Looking Forward To Starting My Job But I Feel So Nervous...Is This Normal?

I am finished with my nurse training. My last day as a student was April 14th 2013 and I have been offered a my first position as Staff Nurse on MAU at my local hospital. After 5 weeks home catching up with friends and family, doing a bit of spring cleaning and pottering in the garden with my dogs the time for my induction programme is upon me. Suddenly I am hit with the realization that I now have to prepare myself to take up that position and give it my best. First my induction, then my supernumery shifts on my ward, followed by working through my preceptorship programme. Once that is achieved then it will be a steady development into that professional person I aspire to be. I wonder what experiences and opportunities will come my way to stretch and challenge me. Well, dear new graduate, do you wonder what knowledge, understanding and realizations you will acquire over the next 12-24 months that will allow you to embody a professional and competent nurse? One who comprehends the legal and ethical requirement of her/him and one who is truly capable and reliable? I bet you have observed such nurses, bustling about going about their business. Generally they are clear-eyed, physically capable women and men who appear to know what they are doing and why and, dare I say it, enjoy it. Firstly and most importantly if you feel scared and anxious about starting that hard-won first position you really MUST understand that you are not the only one. I am on my Trust induction days now (day 2)and all my newly qualified friends echo this sentiment of trepidation. 'Will I be able to deliver what is expected of me?', 'Will they think I'm not up to the job?' and 'What if I make a serious drug error or other serious mistake?'. We all think this and I've been told by more experienced nurses as well as midwives that they would be concerned if I was not feeling like this and was 'overconfident'. So give yourself a break...I know it's much easier to say than to do. Believe me I feel exactly the same but it has been a comfort to realize that even experienced nurses (like some on my induction programme) who are moving from a comfortable old job to a new one in a new trust also feel anxious and nervous. Even though they have many years of track record behind them they all say that they feel out of their comfort zone and that they are going into a strange and unknown situation. In short you are not the only one who feel uncertain of themselves and their skills and knowledge, apparently you should feel reassured that you are taking your new duties and responsibilities seriously enough to feel that you will need to dig into your reserves and to undertake a transformation from newbie to competent, safe practitioner. I hope it will be an adventure.