Lacking confidence

[tamb15]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to these discussions, but I had a question for anyone who might know how to boost my confidence. I am not new to nursing. I have worked on an oncology ward and also for a hospice company which I am currently at. I have never worked in an emergency area or icu and I tend to withdraw/freeze up in emergency situations. I feel like I am good at the type of nursing I do, but I lack confidence in other areas. I get stressed in certain situations especially if people know I am a nurse and expect me to know what to do in every kind of emergency, although I lack the experience in these areas. Is there a short term program, maybe even something online that someone could recommend for me to gain some quick hands on knowledge of how to handle certain situations? Just wondering if theres something out there I don't know about that might help me.

Thanks!!

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Have you ever taken an ACLS course? While it doesn't seem as if your current position requires it, certifying with ACLS would certainly boost your confidence in your emergency preparedness.

Keep in mind, though, that as in everything, unless you work in highly acute settings, you will eventually become rusty without using your skills on a regular basis.

[trishrnbsn]

It doesn't matter what area that you work in, when you change areas it is all new and scary. I work in ICU and if I had to go to Oncology I'd be a nervous wreck and wouldn't know the first thing to do. So don't settle yourself short, every area of nursing is different, there are some of the basics but they are like night and day when you switch. When I started ICU I felt like I was as dumb as a rock but I had to keep telling myself it was ok cause this is a totally new area and I learn new things every day. When you started oncology you didn't know anything about it but you learned. So keep your chin up girl it's ok, we learn something new every day and you aren't supposed to know everything