Gaining confidence

[Katniss88]

While I was in nursing school I struggled with finding confidence in clinicals, it became such a problem that my instructor took me aside to talk to me about it. Inserting foleys or any other nursing skill for the first time on my own would make me very nervous, once I completed the skill I gained confidence. I have been a nurse for a year now, but I still feel like a new nurse. The areas I still struggle with are speaking with patients and their family, talking to doctors, and critical thinking. I really lack confidence in those areas and I know that it shows. I see other nurses who have the same amount of experience as I do, just take charge and have that confidence. If I were to transfer to a med/surg floor I feel like I would struggle just like a new new nurse just out of school because I lack confidence. Although I feel like I have come a long way since first starting as a new nurse, I'm still frustrated at myself.

[Katniss88]

This makes me wonder if you've considered talking to a professional about your issue.

Yes, I have thought about talking to someone about this. The reason I haven't is because I didn't think it was such an issue to seek professional help. I am a shy person anyway so I have had to work through my issues of being shy or timid in order to do my job.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

Yes, I have thought about talking to someone about this. The reason I haven't is because I didn't think it was such an issue to seek professional help. I am a shy person anyway so I have had to work through my issues of being shy or timid in order to do my job.

When personal issues begin interfering with your basic functioning (which includes success at work), that's the time to get some help. Anxiety is SO treatable, sometimes just reading a book and doing the exercises is enough to improve it. Anxiety is kind of habitual, too, a habitual response to new things, or to greater responsibility. Usually the anxiety is based on thoughts that aren't very realistic. Say you hear new crackles in the lung bases on your half-shift assessment. You might want to have someone else 'check' for you cuz you don't trust your own ears or assessment skills. What makes you question yourself to DEATH is anxiety that has YOU, if you screw up, responsible for practically killing the patient and a future as a failed nurse (unrealistic thoughts!). It's like 'worst case scenario' is the place your mind goes to first, before engaging your clinical skills and knowledge. It's a 'habit' you can 'break' with short term therapy, just to get some objectivity about your anxious thinking and sort of 'reprogram' your thoughts toward the reality of what you see, feel, hear and know.