Sarah
We have all been there. Test results come out, the entire class is sharing how high their scores are, you look down and... you did not do as well as you hoped. Or your in clinical, discussing a patient with a professor when you cannot remember the answer to what should be an easy question. That's when imposter syndrome creeps in, when the false thoughts that you are not as good as the rest of your peers appear. We have all been in this position, but often it feels like an incredibly lonely and isolated experience. Because no one likes to talk about it.
Let's go back to that initial scenario- not doing well on an exam. First off, getting a good grade means something different to everyone and the number does not always reflect the effort someone has put in. Often, the classes I struggled the most with, I had to put in the most work for. But, that was not typically reflected in the grade I received. I am still more proud of the B I got in Microbiology than a lot of the classes I got As in. However, the person fighting for that B or C often does not want to share that information. Especially when the class is celebrating the 95s or 100s everyone seemed to receive. And I have yet to meet a person who excitedly shares when they fail an exam. The loudest voices often drown out the grades people are trying to hide, making people feel like they are the only one struggling. In reality nursing school is hard. Everyone has struggled with a class, failed a test, had to redo a check off, not known the answer, felt like an imposter. You just don't know that because they are simply the stories that people do not want to share.
So what can be done? Well, for starters you would not be in nursing school if you where not capable of it. Even when it seems like you cannot do anything right (and trust me there will be weeks like that), if you ask for help and go to your professors they will work with you to figure out how to improve. Everyone here wants you to succeeded. And that includes your peers- don't be afraid lean on your friends. Trust me, no one understands what it is like to be in nursing school better than other nursing students. Even if you do not want to make a giant announcement, I have found telling a friend you trust that you have failed a test or don't know how to perform a skill leads to two scenarios. Either, they share how they are also struggling and you learn that just maybe you are not alone after all. Or, they can help you understand where you are going wrong. Both are helpful. If you are on the other side, if you are an expert at taking blood pressure or the best at doing med math, use your knowledge to not just share how good you are but, to help others get there as well. Because just as we have all been there, we all have things we excel at as well.
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