Nursing is a rewarding career choice, allowing you to provide care to patients who are sick or injured, as well as teach families about health issues, and assist them with their daily activities.
The job requires patience, compassion, and empathy. Becoming a nurse takes years of training and practice, but there is one area that cannot be taught: confidence.
To help, we have put together all you need to know to become a more confident nurse and improve your skills and patient care (see also ‘What Is Basic Care And Comfort In Nursing? (Everything You Need To Know)‘).
Why Is Confidence So Important For Nurses?
Confidence is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the feeling of trustworthiness or security; assurance.” This definition shows us that confidence is something that we feel inside ourselves, rather than something that is given to us or bestowed by others.
Confidence is an important part of being a successful nurse. Without it, you will struggle to perform at the highest level in your role., and you may find yourself struggling to cope with difficult situations, which can lead to burnout and stress.
In many cases, the nature of the role means that nurses often feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities (see also ‘How To Cope When You’re Emotionally Overwhelmed?‘). They worry about making mistakes, and they fear that making a mistake could cost them their license, or their wider career.
These worries can cause nurses to feel anxious and stressed out and can have a detrimental impact on overall confidence. This, in turn, can have a knock-on effect on skills and patient care. If you want to build up your confidence, then you must learn to manage these fears in a healthy, productive manner.
Building Up Your Confidence
The first step towards building confidence is to identify what makes you feel confident. What do you like doing? Do you enjoy working with people? Do you love learning new things? Are you good at problem-solving?
There are many different ways to develop confidence, so don’t limit yourself to just thinking about how you look.
Think about what you like doing, and what makes you feel comfortable. You might also consider talking to other nurses or reading books and articles about nursing.
By uncovering what makes you feel more confident, you are identifying a strength in your skills, and this helps offer an anchor – you know for sure that there is something that you are very good at.
Once you have identified what makes you feel confident, think about how you can apply this knowledge to your work. When you are caring for patients, try to focus on the positive aspects of your job.
Look for chances to make a difference, and remember that every day you spend helping someone else is a great opportunity to show off your strengths.
When you are dealing with challenging situations, try to take a moment to reflect on why you feel confident in certain areas, and where you lack confidence. By understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, you can begin to address any gaps in your skill set.
It is also important to understand that confidence comes from within, not from outside forces.
No amount of praise from colleagues, managers or even family members will help you if you don’t believe in yourself.
The best way to build confidence is to be honest with yourself, and acknowledge when you need to improve – this will build your inner strength, wisdom, and confidence.
Tips To Build Confidence
Now that we have taken a broader look at the importance of confidence, we have some top tips to help you build your confidence practically.
Build Your Knowledge
One of the best ways to build your confidence is to ensure that you have a strong knowledge base to work from; this will allow you to provide safe, effective care for your patients.
As well as ensuring that you have the right qualifications, it is also important to keep abreast of developments in healthcare. Make time to read journals, attend conferences and listen to podcasts.
By ensuring that your skills are as good as they can be, you will naturally have greater confidence.
If you find that you aren’t performing up to par, admit it. Don’t beat yourself up over it, just accept that you may need to do some extra training or practice to build your skill level, knowledge, and overall confidence.
Build Self-Confidence
In addition to having confidence in your role, you also need to have confidence in yourself. Try to avoid comparing yourself to others, and instead focus on your own abilities.
Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and no one person is perfect. Instead, focus on improving your own skills and abilities.
Learn From Mistakes
Mistakes happen, but they shouldn’t stop you from trying again. By acknowledging your mistakes, you are showing that you are willing to learn and grow. This shows that you are committed to being a better nurse, which will give you the confidence to continue.
Take Care Of Yourself
Taking care of yourself is essential to maintaining your confidence. If you are feeling stressed, tired or unwell, then you won’t be able to perform at your best.
Ensure that you get enough sleep, eat healthily, and exercise regularly. These small changes will go a long way toward boosting your self-confidence.
Ask Questions
Asking questions is an excellent way to gain new information, so ask your peers, mentors, and superiors whenever you need to know more about something. You never know who might have valuable advice to share.
Always be honest with yourself. If you are struggling with a particular area of nursing, then you should seek out additional training or education (see also our article on STEM subjects). However, if you are simply unsure of how to proceed, then don’t worry – there is nothing wrong with admitting that you need help, and there is always someone to ask.
Find A Great Mentor
A mentor is someone who can guide you through difficult times, and offer support and encouragement along the way.
Find a great mentor by asking around, attending events, and getting to know other members of the hospital team. When you find a mentor who shares similar values and beliefs, you will feel much more confident.
Be Honest With Others
When you are working with other people, always be honest with them. If you are struggling, tell them what you need to improve upon. They will appreciate your honesty, and you will receive their support and encouragement.
Don’t Let Your Fear Hold You Back
When you start a new job, you may feel nervous and apprehensive. But remember that every day brings new challenges and opportunities, and you must take advantage of these – and this is particularly true for nursing.
If you let fear hold you back, then you will miss out on all the wonderful things that your job offers, and this will impact not only your love of the role but your overall confidence.
Get Organized
If you want to become a confident nurse, then you need to make sure that you are organized. Make a list of everything you need to accomplish each day and stick to it. If you fail to plan, then you will surely fail to achieve anything.
Final Thoughts
Remember: you cannot control everything that happens in your life, but you can choose how you react to those situations. The key to success is to always try to remain positive, even when things aren’t going well, and you have fears and doubts.
This will allow you to keep your spirits high, and maintain your confidence – and the more you learn and achieve, the more your confidence will soar!