Imposter syndrome

[pinkiepieRN]

I've been out of practice for over a year now, due to family issues. I was a psych nurse for 2 1/2 years before taking time out to teach HS CNA students last Jan.-May. I was unemployed from June 2012-May 2013. I did not volunteer during this time.

I'm now in LTC/SNF. I know the medications, I know how to chart and I know how to talk to patients. I'm worried about being too slow with giving treatments or something going wrong (from everything from a plug in the feeding tube to VS machine not working to feeding a patient too slowly). My preceptor and I had 10 patients and it took me almost an hour just to get half of those patients medicated (between the sheer number of meds and meds that needed to be crushed and given in apple sauce). My preceptor ended up doing some of the treatments while I was on break. I feel like there's no way I'll ever get everything done in a shift!

I know I'm a good nurse. I got B's in nursing school and worked as a tech while completing school. I started work as a new grad immediately after passing the NCLEX. I keep trying to reassure myself that if I got through nursing school, I should be able to work as a professional nurse but I lack confidence right now.

I have tomorrow off and I'm going to relax and NOT stress about work. I did develop a "shift brains" that I'll try to implement when I get back to the floor on Thursday.

I know these things will come back to me with time and I should probably "fake it till I make it", but has anyone else been through this and can offer any other suggestions?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Practice, practice, practice. It takes 4-6 months, on average, to settle into a new job, any new job, and start feeling competent at your level. You don't say how long you've been in this job, but give it a little more time. You're completely normal to feel this way. It will get better.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I second what GrnTea said. You need to give yourself more time. Your still new at this job. With time and practice you will feel more confident.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I wrote about the Impostor Syndrome last year if you are interested in reading my thoughts on the issue. I definitely need to 'fake it' because I am not a social person, but nursing forces me into interpersonal situations that cause me great discomfort.

https://allnurses.com/health-stress-management/impostor-syndrome-source-755643.html