As all nurses understand on a deep level, nothing prepares you for being a nurse aside from actually being one.
When you become a new nurse, you’ll soon know that everything you’ve learned in nursing school provides you with the basic skills, serving as your nursing foundation. Still, there are many other aspects of being a nurse that you’ll only be acquainted with when you’re working on the floor, such as task prioritization, quick decision-making, and dealing with emotionally taxing situations.
When this happens, the excitement that new nurses feel when they enter the workforce may quickly turn to self-doubt. Unfortunately, new nurses are prone to experiencing impostor phenomenon or syndrome, which could lead to emotional exhaustion and burnout.
This article explains impostor syndrome, its impact on newly qualified nurses, and strategies that nurses can use to address self-doubt.
What is impostor syndrome?
Impostor syndrome (IS) is a phenomenon that occurs when an individual has baseless or unfounded feelings of incompetence and self-doubt. When you have IS, you feel as if your accomplishments are coincidental or the result of luck, and that others will, in time, also be aware of it. People with IS typically have low self-esteem and feel self-conscious about their abilities.
There are five types of impostor syndrome, namely:
1. The perfectionist: Believes that if work isn’t done perfectly, then it should have been done in a better way.
2. The expert: Believes that if they don’t know everything there is to know about a certain topic, then they can’t be called an expert.
3. The natural genius: Believes that if they are not innately good at something they have never tried previously or don’t accomplish a task correctly the first time, then they are frauds.
4. The soloist: Believes that they are not competent if they have to ask for help to learn something new or accomplish a task.
5. The superperson: Believes that to be competent, they must become the most diligent and hardworking person in the team.
Impostor syndrome in new nurses
When what you’ve learned in school appears to be lacking for real-world nursing challenges, and you find yourself having a difficult time adjusting from nursing school to clinical settings, it might be easy to slip into doubting yourself and experiencing impostor syndrome. A 2023 study shows that feelings of IS among nursing students and clinical nurse specialists are caused by role ambiguity, transitions, minimal clinical experience, and even a lack of self-compassion.
Unfortunately, impostor syndrome affects many new nurses, influencing their performance and impacting patient care outcomes. According to many studies, up to 75% of recent nurses report feelings associated with impostor syndrome, especially during the transitional period for newly graduated nurses. Nurses who experience IS are likely to experience burnout, which could lead to high turnover rates.
Tips to combat self-doubt as a new nurse
With an increasing number of new nurses leaving the profession, it’s essential to address common challenges new nurses face, such as impostor syndrome, and equip them with the necessary tools to become skilled and resilient healthcare professionals. Here are some helpful tips to overcome self-doubt and impostor syndrome as a new nurse:
· Take note of how you’re feeling. Be aware of the common signs of impostor syndrome, such as feeling self-conscious, anxious about making mistakes, and having difficulty accepting praise or success. Take note of these feelings and how they impact you and your work.
· Talk about your feelings with someone you trust. People who are experiencing challenges may have a hard time opening up about their struggles, which can make them feel like they’re alone in how they’re feeling and further aggravate their feelings of self-consciousness and anxiety. Opening up to someone you trust can help you build self-confidence and gain new perspectives about yourself.
· Stay grounded in reality and practice self-compassion. Whenever you feel like you’re feeling bouts of self-doubt, take a moment to acknowledge your skills and abilities. Understand that there should be a realistic time to learn new skills and that you should give yourself grace. Practice talking to yourself in a kind manner when you
· Practice self-care. It might be easy to get lost in anxiety and self-doubt when you’re in very stressful and challenging environments. Make sure that you take the time to engage in self-care activities on a regular basis, such as exercising, eating well, and meditating. These activities can help you gain clarity and resilience, especially during the challenging time of being a new nurse.
