When you are in nursing school, you learn all the practical skills you will need to do your job sufficiently. However, no matter how much knowledge you gain, it can still feel incredibly intimidating to venture out and do the real thing. Practice and reality are two very different things for a nurse to experience. That is why it is understandable that getting used to things might take some time. Keep reading for some tips on feeling more confident and comfortable as a nurse.
Sharpen Your Skills
Practice makes perfect, and as a nurse, your skills are one of the most important things to master. Of course, we can’t expect perfection, but the more you practice, the better you get and the more confident you become. As such, you must practice as much as possible, especially for the daily skills you will use. For example, a huge chunk of your role will involve IV therapy, so you should practice starting IVs, as it will help prevent blown veins and other complications.
Talk to Coworkers
One of the easiest ways to feel more comfortable and confident in your role as a nurse is to network and get to know the people in your workplace. Many of us underestimate how great it can be to feel connected to our coworkers. Networking helps encourage trust, communication, and teamwork, which are all incredibly important aspects you need when working in a healthcare environment.
Don’t Stop Learning
Many people don’t know that nurses have a variety of roles in different areas that require specialized training. For example, your education will differ if you are an oncology nurse compared to an ICU nurse. However, the main takeaway you should get from this is that you should never stop having a curious mindset with a hunger for knowledge.
As such, ask to observe if there is a procedure you haven’t seen before. The more you broaden your scope of healthcare knowledge, the more comfortable you will become. You might even find an area in the field that you like more than where you currently are.
