Advice

[Tedstar]

Hello All!

I need some advices out there. I am a senior nursing student, graduating in 3 months. As it gets closer to my graduation date, I began to doubt myself about the profession about my nursing knowledge and patient education. I feel that I lack the critical thinking knowledge and I can't seem to teach/educate well. I hesitate when speak because of the fear of not saying the right things. What are things to do to help increase my self confidence and things to do to help my inner self doubt?

[Hollybobs]

Keep a record of all the positive feedback you receive and have received whilst being a student. Read it. Remember it. Dig down deep inside and look at what qualities you have that will make you a good nurse. Sometimes it is harder to look at your lovely qualities than it is to be self-critical if you are prone to self-doubt. Maybe ask a friend if you really struggle with this, your best qualities can be the ones you take for granted as they are ingrained.

Work on anything that needs working on! Become very competent, this gives a natural confidence and this will take time. Evaluate, read, practice, reflect, discuss, look at role-models. Who is the perfect nurse? No one. We all have weaknesses, at least you are trying to improve and you care and want to be good at your job.

In the meantime...fake it 'til you make it! This can work a treat. Maybe pick an appropriate role-model and think how they would approach or say something :).

[Tedstar]

Wow, thanks. I haven't looked at it that way before. Thanks for opening up my mind.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Yep, you lack the necessary critical thinking skills. That comes with experience.

You can increase your self confidence by not analyzing your performance.. beforehand.

We ALL had these doubts. You made through nursing school.. you can do anything!

[Davey Do]

I began to doubt myself about the profession about my nursing knowledge and patient education. I feel that I lack the critical thinking knowledge and I can't seem to teach/educate well. I hesitate when speak because of the fear of not saying the right things. What are things to do to help increase my self confidence and things to do to help my inner self doubt?

A Wise man once told me, "You have to doubt before you believe".

Just the fact that you're doing a self evaluation says that you're on the path to becoming a better Nurse. Professionals who were great from the get go aren't all that prevalent, so join the crowd, Tedstar!

Another wise man once told me that "Everything was hard before it became easy".

An remember: Practice provides opportunity for possible improvement.

The best to you, Tedstar!

[Tedstar]

Thank you!

[amoLucia]

You may also be experiencing a case of 'soon to graduate-itis'. Happens to many but good news is it is self-limiting. You've built up some immunity by having succeeded in school this far, so the '-itis' should soon pass without intervention.

Hang in there.