Feeling Not "good enough" Good?

[BelleNscrubs04]

Rant:

Is feeling "not good enough" in Nursing school good? Or at least normal?

More often than I'd like I find myself feeling like I just don't know enough, or remember enough in nursing school. It wears me down. I'd really like more days where I felt confident and capable. Like many here (& most of my classmates in a competitive program) I'm use to excelling at things that I put effort into. I make good grades A's and B+'s but I just never feel like I'm doing a good job.

Is this feeling of continued incompetence (3rd semester NS) suppose to teach me something? Is it a hint that I'm just not cut out for this? (if so, most of my class isn't). Should I study even harder? Practice my skills on my family?

My self esteem is taking a real hit. When is the build you back up part coming?

[RB2000]

well, first let me say that you are experiencing what is called “nursing school blues”. this is a normal thing even as far as into your last semester. when you are ready to graduate you are going to think, “oh man, am i ready to do this on my own?!” listen, almost all of us have been there so you are in good company! : ) should you practice more…yep! should you study more…yup! is that going to make a difference…probably not! you know what is? 6 months-1yr as a nurse you are going to realize “wow! i can do this!” you will have good days and you will have some rough days. however, there is light at the end of the tunnel! : ) you will feel confident some day. i think for me i started to feel a little better when i was doing my capstone. i had a preceptor that i was working with, but they gave me a full patient load. i realized that i really can do this. the good thing about where you are it usually makes you safer, because you are afraid of doing something wrong. don’t ever lose that! remember, we need to keep our patients safe! good luck! there isn’t anything wrong with you just because of the way that you are feeling. i would actually think there is something wrong if you don’t feel that way from time to time.

[BelleNscrubs04]

Thanks! I was just having one of those days. I have them a lot in nursing school but usually I'm able to commiserate with my classmates at Starbucks as we contemplate why we are killing ourselves to feel inadequate. : ) Noone really know the answer, except we must. I know many bright, capable, and accomplished people who left well paying careers to do this. We're a special breed I guess. Glad ALLNURSES is here to fill in the gaps when I need to rant and blow off a little steam.