New RN seeking advice

[Nursetaylor3]

I've been an RN for about 6 months now working in a nursing home/ rehab center. Im having a lot of issues with self confidence and thinking that I shouldn't even be a nurse... I think most of it stems from not being confident in what I know and thinking that because I don't know something it means I'm just not good enough... I was wondering if anyone had any tips on like where I could find assessment chest sheets or just places to keep learning things because I'm slowly forgetting what I learned in nursing school.

[SmilingBluEyes]

You are a new nurse and building confidence takes time, patience, endurance and experience. From what you post here, you are where you should be at this time. And I might add, you sound like a person who cares very much about what she is doing. That is more than half the battle. Find a mentor if you can, to help you though the rough times and don't ever give up. Hang in there, learn what you can, and be kind to yourself. Nursing school was just the start; the real learning begins when we are new nurses. Trust me when I say: We all went through this as new nurses and if you are strong and keep trying, it will get better. I promise.

[caffeinatednurse, BSN, RN]

Try not to worry about what you're "forgetting." Keep reading and learning about those medical conditions and medications you encounter at work of course, but realize that nursing is a life long journey, and that not everything you need to know can be learned during nursing school. You will forget things, learn new things, and re-learn things that you once forgot.

Not being confident about skills and knowledge that you don't yet have is normal as a new nurse. Be patient with yourself. Be forgiving. Allow yourself to be a novice until you know better and can do better. Allow yourself to ask questions. Learn as much as you can, every day. And then one day you'll be on here telling other new nurses that it's okay to be new and scared.