1. nursingstandard.com volume 30 number 42 / 15 june 2016 / 37
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careers
A giant leap could boost
your self-confidence
Time spent reflecting can help to eradicate work self-doubts
By Mandy Day-Calder
B
eing a nurse, how
often do you come
off shift criticising
yourself or doubting
your decisions?
If you often question
yourself, you are not alone
– even the most experienced
nurses can lack confidence
and self-belief.
Increasing demands are
being put on all healthcare
staff, so confidence and inner
resilience are essential skills
to help you cope with the
pressures of modern nursing.
Reflecting on a shift or
particular situation can help you
to identify what is preventing
you from feeling confident and
trusting your ability. It is also
a good way to learn about
yourself and plan what you can
do differently in future.
Ask yourself:
» Did you feel competent with
your level of knowledge and
skills? Did feeling out of
your depth clinically result
in a crisis of confidence?
You must acknowledge
and work within the
limits of your professional
competence. If you struggle
to do this, do you need to
update your skills, or would
an assertiveness training
course help?
» Did you feel pressure from
the nursing team? Is this
pressure perceived or real?
You may be subconsciously
putting pressure on
yourself, which can lead
to self-doubt. ‘Imposter
syndrome’ (feeling like a
fake) is common. Opening
up to a trusted colleague,
friend or counsellor may
help. Learning to recognise
and challenge your thought
processes can also help you to
see things more objectively.
If you think your working
environment is overly
competitive or hostile,
would it help to discuss
the pressure you are
under with your line
manager? Perhaps a more
supportive culture
is needed for the
whole team to
perform well.
Getty

2. nursingstandard.com
careers / highlights
38 / 22 june 2016 / volume 30 number 43
1st
Nursing will top the list of the five best careers
in the US by 2017, beating teacher, accountant
software engineer and network administrator
careerdescriptions.org
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Nurses from all branches can apply to
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CONTINUED
Boosting your
self-confidence
No one wants to feel they are
unfairly treated at work – whether
it is a suspicion that other people
are promoted above them without
reason, that they get more than their
fair share of unpopular shifts, their
views are not listened to or they
receive no explanation about why
things are happening.
There is growing evidence that this
is not just galling, but bad for your
health – or at least for how healthy
you view yourself. This could have
implications for NHS recruitment
and staff retention, as well as for
approaches to sickness absence.
The latest research comes from
Sweden and was conducted by
WORKPLACE ISSUES
Studyhighlightslinkbetween
unfairness and staff sickness
Work dissatisfaction can affect health, recruitment and retention
By Alison Moore
University of East Anglia lecturer in
organisational behaviour Constanze
Eib and researchers from Stockholm
University. It found that perceptions
of ‘procedural justice’ – processes
in place to determine rewards, pay,
promotion and assignments – are
related to employees’ health. When
these perceptions changed, so did
how they rated their health.
Alamy
If people feel fairly
treated they have fewer
days off sick
Constanze Eib
» Were your expectations
realistic? All nurses should
set high standards of care,
but if you are trying to
achieve the impossible
– or expect others to do
so – you are likely to feel
let down and be unable to
acknowledge what is being
achieved. Internalising these
feelings can lead to further
loss of confidence and self-
esteem. To cope in a busy
clinical environment, it is
essential to learn to stand
back, assess the situation
and work out what can
realistically be achieved.
» Do you look after yourself?
Despite being an expert
at looking after your
patients, are you giving
your own wellbeing the
same attention? Poor
nutrition, lack of sleep
and prolonged stress can
stop you thinking clearly
and rationally. Changing
your inner beliefs and the
way you speak to yourself
can lead to a happier and
healthier life. Try to focus
on areas you can improve,
and don’t beat yourself up
about those outside your
control. Start by being as
kind to yourself as you are
to your patients.
Mandy Day-Calder is a freelance
writer and life/health coach