The Transition: The Struggle of a First-Year Nursing Student

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: When one believes that one is not intelligent enough or capable enough to handle a certain position; often common in the healthcare field among residents, physician assistants students, nursing students, and other health-related careers. As a first year nursing student, I do feel like a phony... but a DUMB phony...

My second semester of nursing school has been nothing but trials and tribulations. For lack of a better word, it has been hell! I had to completely change my study habits: Memorization does not work anymore, test results become more depressing to look at, and on top of all of that: Life, work, and external problems occur. Annie thought she had a hard knock life! But through all of this, I still cannot deny my passion for nursing. Although I often question if this is all worth it, and currently, I do not see any improvement, I am patient enough to know that good things happen, but not at my time. I am not going to do a perfect blood draw right now, nor have accurate blood pressure reading all the time, nor know how to approach patients with perfect communication, nor know every single drug and adverse effects in one day.

Nursing is a field with everlasting learning, meaning that no matter what experience you have in nursing, you are always learning new things; you are always learning new ways and new methods to give the best patient care.

Yes, I am losing hair and sleep each and every day, but I got accepted into nursing school for a reason: to struggle now to eventually become a competent nurse later. I have to let go of my fear of performing patient care and let my confidence settle in when performing skills. I have to stop walking so shamelessly in my scrubs and walk with a step that looks as if I deserve this uniform. I have to stop doubting myself when I have not even reached my full potential yet. Everything is a waiting game, with failures and falls. But, even though my knees may be bruised up, and the road is bumpy, I can still walk, I can still see the road, and I will succeed no matter what. And so will you!

-futurenursehappiness