IMPOSTER SYNDROME in Nursing School

Like, I always think of, like, someone's gonna catch me. I don't know what I'm doing. Someone's gonna figure this out. Like, I just have no idea. But I can. Like, you feel like you're, like, playing along.

Hello, everybody. Welcome to the nursing school show again. I'm Christina. I am a registered nurse. And I realize that I never say that in our YouTube videos. I'm never saying that I'm a nurse. Okay. Anyway, here we are. Nicole Palmer. I will let you introduce yourself, actually, because you were on a few weeks ago.

Yup.

When we talked about confidence.

Yes, we did. I'm Nicole.

Hi, everyone.

I am as well, a registered nurse, and I am the lead nurse of nursing sos.

She's our lead nurse because she's awesome. She's so great. So in this video, we are going to be talking all things imposter syndrome in nursing school. Because my friends, let me just tell you, I don't. I don't know, Nicole. Like, we get messages about this all the time.

All the time, all the time, every day.

And I know for me, I mean, both my hands are raised all throughout in school, even now, you know, you. We just have so many times in life where you just don't feel, like, good enough.

Yep. You just feel like, how can I possibly handle this? How am I going to do this? And you question, are you actually going to. When the reality is you will.

Like, do I know anything? You know, like, we get this with nursing students graduating. Like, I don't know anything. I'm not ready. I'm not ready for the real world. No one is ready for the real world, my friend.

No one is. No one is. And that's okay because everyone feels the same way.

Everybody, everybody, everybody. Did I tell you this last time, Nicole, that I think maybe we talked about this on the confidence video, but when I started nursing S.O.S. that was probably the biggest thing that I had learned that had nothing to do with nursing, was that everyone feels the same way. Like, I was in nursing school, actually, when I started nursing SOS and then I started getting emails from other students saying, like, these students were thinking the exact same things I was thinking. I don't. I don't know enough. I'm not ready to graduate. I'm not smart enough to do this. I don't know how to put in an iv. I'm terrified of all these things. Like, these are all thoughts going through my mind. And I thought I was the only one. And that is a total lie because, like, just the sheer Number of emails that we get from nursing students that are like, I just don't know what in the world I am doing. Like, it is astonishing.

It is. And it's something that nobody really talks about because everyone feels like they are the only one that feels that way. The only one that feels like they're not ready, they're not ready to graduate, they didn't learn anything, and it's just not true at all.

So let's talk. Okay. So imposter syndrome.

Yep.

What is imposter syndrome? Like, I guess there's probably a textbook definition of it somewhere. I did not look that up.

Nope.

Maybe I should have. But I guess, like, when I think imposter syndrome, I think, like, you are trying something new, and you just. You don't feel good enough to do that thing. Like, you. You feel like an imposter. Right. You feel like, I'm not supposed to be. I'm not good enough to be doing this. You know, those kinds of things. Is that right, Nicole?

Is that how you think, too? Like, I always think of, like, someone's going to catch me. I don't know what I'm doing. Someone's going to figure this out. Like, I just have no idea, but I can. Like, you feel like you're, like, playing along, being like, I can do this, and you just kind of have to keep playing along, and then it happens.

That's a great way to put it. Like, you're playing. You're just kind of. You're. You're a fish in water. You're just kind of swimming. Just keep swimming.

Just keep.

Okay, I'm just going to keep going. Even though I have no idea what I'm doing.

Exactly.

Yeah. And actually, that's so funny, because when I was in nursing school, one of the biggest thoughts that I would continually, like, constantly have was, what if they find out that I have no idea what I'm doing?

Yep.

Like, what if I get almost to graduation and one of my instructors, like, realizes, well, she actually doesn't know anything.

Exactly. I think I had the exact same thought, especially before, like, sim lab or clinicals. I would always get, like, oh, great, what are they gonna find out? Like, I don't know what I'm doing. What's gonna happen today?

Like, I genuinely know nothing.

Yeah, but why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we sell ourselves so short?

I don't know. And it's not even just nursing. It's, like, everything, too. I think it just. It really multiplies a nursing school because you have so many of these things thrown at you all at once, and you're just trying to, like, catch things in the air. You're like, oh, I got that. I got that. Oh, I missed that one. Missed that. You know, it's like, it's this constant game of, do I get it? Do I not get it? So, so embarrassing to really. But, like, we do it to ourselves half the time.

Yes. And I think. I mean, that's probably part of the reason why nobody talks about it. Because you feel, like, so embarrassed. Like, oh, my goodness. I don't want to admit that I feel like I still don't know what I'm doing, but we are all feeling that way. And I can guarantee that there are days that there are nurses out there who feel the exact same way.

Yes.

Guaranteed. So it's like. It's just every aspect of everything. But you're right that nursing school definitely amplifies it.

Yes. And I think that that, like, nobody talks about it, and that's really why we do these videos. It's really. Actually, you know, Nicole, I brought you on, like, we had talked about this, doing these kind of videos here on YouTube because we want nursing students. We want you guys to know that you are not alone, because nobody talks about this stuff. Nobody talks about that they don't feel confident in nursing school. Nobody talks about. Oh, man. Like, my instructor's gonna figure out, you know, that I know literally nothing, and they're gonna kick me out of the program. Or, you know, nobody talks about, you know, just the not feeling good enough. Like, we scroll Instagram, right? We scroll Facebook, we scroll TikTok. And everyone's like, yeah, my life is perfect. Look, I just got a Maserati. I don't even know what a Maserati is, but, you know, whatever. I just, you know, my life is. No, come on. I had baby throw up on me this morning. Like, our. Our kids are so sick right now, and I'm, like, just trying to get through life. Right. Have clean clothes on. Come on.

Exactly. And you still feel like you have no idea what you're doing, right? Nope. Yes. I feel like it's just. It amplifies so much in nursing school because you're right. You're learning so many new things, and you're being put in all these situations that are of your comfort zone, and it's stuff that you're not used to and that you really haven't done before, and it's to such a high level. Like, you're taking care of people.

It's A.

That's a big deal. So it feels so much more like I really have no idea what I'm doing, and it just. It like snowballs on itself.

Yeah, I really have no idea what I'm doing. And that's really scary because, like, the stakes are kind of high, you know?

Exactly.

And I guess with that, like, honestly, any nursing student, you know, what I would tell tell you is that take when you are at clinical, when you are at skills lab, when you are working with patients, just take a step back. Like, take a minute. You know, if you are really in this place where you're feeling like, I, I don't know this. Like, I, I am not good enough. Like, I. I don't know what I'm doing, that's okay. Like, please know that we all start from zero. Like, you know, five years ago, you were hoping to get into nursing school, and now you're in nursing school. And yes, you know some things, but you don't know everything, and you will never know everything.

Exactly.

And that's okay. That's okay. But, like, when you're at clinical, if you feel like you have a knowledge deficit, if you feel like, you know, you. You need a little bit more time to give a medication or something, that's okay. Like, don't rush yourself. Like, there's also this, like, kind of safety aspect with it too. Like, we don't want you to be overconfident and say, like, yeah, gung ho, I can totally do this.

Exactly.

When. When you should be taking a step back and making sure things are safe. Right. So if you are feeling not good enough, that's like, if you're feeling like an imposter, it's okay to feel that way and just take it slow. Like, build your confidence up. The more you try things, the more you do things, the more confident you will get and the less you will feel like an imposter.

Exactly. And I think that's so important to take that step back because we all are having these feelings of feeling like, you don't know enough. And when you take that step back and you say, hey, do I really actually know this? Like, let's be honest. And do I know it? Right? Do I know enough about this medication? Do I know enough about this patient and really being honest with yourself? And if you feel like you don't ask. We're here to help. Right? We're all here to help. And we all remember that feeling of being so unsure of yourself.

Yeah, absolutely. And I think we talked about this last time, Nicole Right. You as a nurse.

Yep.

Like, me as a nurse. If there's a student with me that's like, I got this. Nope, I'm going with you to everything.

Exactly.

All the things together versus a student who's, like, asking all the questions. And, you know, I am much more comfortable with a student asking all the questions, like, how do I do this? I'm like, okay, yeah, let's do it together. You know, it's. Well, you know, I don't know. Just as a nurse, it makes me feel a little bit better to know that our students are, you know, asking questions and trying their best and not getting a. You know, they're not. Overconfident is a great word for it, you know?

Well, it shows that they don't know what they don't know.

Yeah.

So they're afraid of what they don't know, which is good. That's okay. Because you're recognizing that you don't know it and you need help.

We all should be afraid.

Yes.

We all should be afraid of what we don't know.

Exactly.

Because we all, like, none of us know everything. I do not know everything. Nicole, you don't know everything? Nope. Actually, I had an instructor in nursing school, and she had this phrase. She would always say what I don't know could write volumes and.

Very true.

I agree. I don't know hardly anything about anything.

Yeah.

Do you know some things. But we're, you know, we're always learning, always growing. And so, you know this idea of imposter syndrome, the more you practice, the more you step outside your comfort zone, the more you put yourself out there, I think, the better it gets. What do you think, Nicole?

Yeah, because you start. I mean, you start playing the game of being like, yes, I do know this. And you just have to almost reassure yourself that you do know more than you think you do. And the best way to do that is to actually do it. Like, to. To prove it to yourself in a safe way, of course. But to prove to yourself that, yes, I do know enough about this patient to talk about him at rounds or whatever comes up. Like, you. You have to put yourself in those uncomfortable situations safely, of course, but to grow and to really start to kind of break through that feeling of not having a clue.

Yeah. Not having a clue. I mean, friends, your first sbar report that you give, like, the first bedside report you give, you are not going to get it right, and that's okay. Like, the nurse that you're giving report to is going to have a thousand questions for You. And that's okay. You know, you will get better. And then, you know, the first time you have a med pass at clinical, it's going to take you about three hours. Yeah, you know, that's okay. I mean, maybe not three hours, but, you know, it's going to take you a long time, and that's okay. We have to be okay with starting from scratch.

Yep. Starting somewhere. You have to.

You have to start. We all start. We all started. Zero. And it's just how it is. And that's okay. I think that's. I think that's the biggest thing. That's okay.

Exactly. I love it.

So I would like. We didn't do this last time, Nicole, but I would like. If you are watching this video, can you leave a comment and tell us what do we want them to tell us? Nicole, have you felt this way?

Yep. Where have you felt this way? Like, what are some of the situations? You don't have to get too specific, but, like, is it clinical? Is it Sim lab? Is it when you're sitting down to take your exam? Like, where are you feeling it?

Yeah, where are you feeling imposter syndrome? That's a great question. Like, I think for me, I would say a clinical probably was the. The most, like, clinical. Would you say that for you, too?

I would say that for me, too. I feel like sometimes with exams, it didn't come across necessarily as imposter syndrome, but more of just feeling like, what was that? Like, I have no idea what just happened type of thing, but I feel like it's a different experience because you're sitting down, taking a test rather than caring for another human, which is like, just puts it in a different. A different category.

And not only that, like, caring for another person.

Yeah.

With someone else. Watch. With your instructor watching you with a clipboard, like, checking things off, like, with the red pen and just going at it. If there's, like, one thing, like, no wonder nursing students sweat under our gloves. Right? Right.

Takes you 10 minutes to put them on.

Man, I tell you what it is. It's not fun to have that instructor right there with the clipboard.

I like, now that you mentioned that, I specifically remember putting in Sim Lab my sterile gloves on and literally being there. Like, I cannot get these things on. And she, like, literally was, like, laughing at me.

Like.

Like my fingers were like, yep, nope.

I remember I've said this in other videos, Nicole. I don't know if we've ever talked about this specifically, but every single skills check off that I did, I failed at the first time. Did you know that?

Actually, me too.

What? I have no idea. That's so great.

It wasn't like failed. It was like, you can come back and try.

They're like, nicole, let's come back. You need to come back.

I didn't know that about you. I'll make sure I put baby powder on my hands.

Every single one. Yeah, that and I remember the sterile gloves thing. I think that's just a traumatic experience for everybody because you're literally like, I. I physically can't.

I can't. There's only so much stretching.

What is that? I gotta tell you, that's terrible.

And it's a lot like, think about what we're doing. We're putting on gloves, and it causes so much trauma.

Oh, man. Friends, so if you're watching this video, I promise you are not alone.

Not at all.

Not alone. This is just how it is in nursing school. It's. It's an adventure.

It is.

That's probably a word for it. Probably a word.

Oh, man.

So, yeah, okay, what did we cover so far? We talked about imposter syndrome and what it is, and we talked about how to overcome it. I don't know. You guys are not alone. I'm telling you what. Any other thoughts on imposter syndrome?

No, I just think. I mean, you're basic. Like, you can do it. Like, you just have to take a step back, think again. Can I actually do this? Do I know enough? And then just dive in and dive in.

I think that's it. I'm so traumatic. I have, like. So I'm just thinking about that. That was terrible. Okay.

Like, borderline blocked it out.

Like, no kidding.

I didn't remember it until you started saying that.

Like, oh, that wasn't fun. That's terrible. So many things I've blocked out. Actually, there are so many things from nursing school I've blocked out that particular memories have. Or, like, particular events that I go through have brought back. Like those. Those things about nursing school that was just not okay. It's just not a fun thing to experience. Yeah. So key takeaways for this video. Friends, if you're feeling like you can't do it, I promise you, you can. And I promise you that every single one of us has felt the same way. And yet here we are, Right? You know, we. We got through nursing school, we passed the nclex, and we are here as nurses to tell you that you are not alone.

Not at all.

Nursing school is a bummer sometimes, but it's going to be okay.

Yep. It will be. You can definitely do it.

Something else I wanted to mention, too. I know we have a lot of our members, obviously, who watch our YouTube videos, but, Nicole, you and I now, we do coaching calls every week just like this, basically, inside the community. So I think that's super fun. So, friends watching. If you are interested in, you know, getting coached by Nicole and I, having questions answered, you know, if you just want a safe place to freak out.

Yes.

To, like, say, hey, you know, I just don't get this. And, you know, if you need us to tell you that that's okay.

Or if you can't put your gloves on for 10 minutes, you just want to tell someone. Yeah.

Just through it. Oh, man. What was it? There was a comment in the Facebook group a couple weeks ago where one of our students said that nursing school is like, sitting at a red light and having to pee.

Yeah. Yep. Describes it perfectly.

Does. That's great. Oh, that's so funny. You know, join the community if you just are feeling like, I can't do this and I need help and I need someone to laugh and cry with. We're here for you to laugh and cry with you, friends.

Yes, we are.

Yeah. This is just how it goes. I don't know what else to say about it other than it's. It's a lot, but we get through it. All of us feel like we are imposters.

Yeah. 100%.

It's gonna be okay. You just keep going.

Exactly. Just keep going. You've got it.

Yeah. All right, my friends, we'll see you next time with Nicole. Actually, I forget the topic for next time, but it's going to be great. And actually, can you leave a comment down below if you have a topic that you want Nicole and I to talk about in a future video? Because we would love to do that.

If you.

If there's something that you're struggling with in nursing school, like, mindset thing or like a family thing or, like, let us know if we want to talk. We want to just have more conversations like this that are just open and authentic. That word authentic is kind of weird. I. I think, like, it's quite overused.

It's real.

Real.

Yeah.

Yeah. So that, like. So that you just don't feel like you're allowed.

Exactly. We're here to tell you that you are not alone. We'll tell you over and over again.

We will share all of our stories of failure and triumph with you and just spill all of it here on YouTube. It's what we're here for.

Exactly. It is. It's what we're here for.

You can laugh with us or at us. It's totally fine either way.

Totally fine.

So cool. Let us know what topics you would like to see for a future video and we'll try to do that for you.

That sounds fun.

Bye, friends. Bye.