How to be confident..?

[Flightless Bird]

Hello everyone,

I am currently a nursing student and have 8 years of medical assisting experience under my belt. As a medical assistant I was always paranoid when I would administer any kind of injection or medication even after 8 years of doing it. For example when I would give a Bicillin I would triple check the medicine, the patient, allergies, injection site, etc. I would have 2 different coworkers check after me. I mean I would be so paranoid that after giving it I would think about it for hours and question if I gave it in the right location? Did I inject too fast? Was the person in pain because of the medicine or my doing? It's like I am a prisoner of my own thoughts. Don't get me wrong I love being overly cautious because it prevents medical errors. I am not a careless person by nature. But I am starting to feel like I am coming off as unconfident (to staff and to patients) and am driving myself crazy at home after work. As a nurse I know this will get worst due to the bigger scope of practice and responsibility. At the hospital I rotate at I see nurses give medication without a second thought (obviously after doing the rights of med administration). How do I get confident enough to not doubt my abilities? Advice?

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

You won't have time to obsess so much if you're working as a floor nurse. And you won't find two people with time to check up on your obsessions, either. Problem solved! I used to look up IM injections sites every time I gave an IM injection- even though I already knew them. Eventually, I stopped.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

One of the advantages of becoming a nurse is that you will get a through education in medication administration--I'm sure a much more complete one than you got as an MA.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Could you have developed OCD? Should you get a professional evaluation for this?

You are absolutely correct, your increased responsibility as a nurse will compound this issue.

Good luck, let us know how it's going.

[Flightless Bird]

Could you have developed OCD? Should you get a professional evaluation for this?

You are absolutely correct, your increased responsibility as a nurse will compound this issue.

Good luck, let us know how it's going.

I wouldn't be surprised if I had a little bit of OCD but I feel like this may stem from lack of confidence. Almost like I don't "trust" myself. The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt another person, this is why I also really think about what I am going to say before I say it. I am knowledgeable and I am confident in my education and abilities but I still don't trust myself because I know I am human and can and will make a mistake one day. I guess I am trying to ask how do I get over my "humanness"?