Nothing truly prepares you for the mental transition from being a student nurse to a new grad registered nurse. If I had to describe my nursing school journey, I would describe it as a rollercoaster. There were highs when I would pass exams, and there were lows when I would struggle with clinical checkoffs. Once I became an RN and joined the emergency department, I simply entered a different rollercoaster. This one was faster and didn’t come with a seatbelt — I had to hold on tight.

Being a technician in the emergency department while I was in school was one thing, but that transition to being a nurse was another. Some highs as an RN consisted of successfully beginning difficult IVs and efficiently caring for my patients. Lows ranged from caring for aggressive patients to imposter syndrome. In the beginning, it was difficult to trust my instinct as a new nurse. I questioned every decision I made and everything I would say to the patients and doctors. Simply put, I was terrified and filled with self-doubt. I wanted to put my best foot forward as a new nurse while still learning and retaining the information I learned on the unit. I wanted to make my preceptor proud, and I wanted to be proud of myself. Emotionally and mentally, I was hanging on by a thread and a prayer during some shifts.

Nursing school doesn’t teach you how to have confidence; that comes from deep within and with time. As a nursing student, it was easy to say to the patients, “I’ll get your nurse.” It hit my confidence hard once I realized I could no longer use that line and had become the actual nurse. Even if I didn’t know the answer to a patient’s question or the reason why the doctor ordered a certain test, it was up to me to do the necessary research while still providing quality care.

Building confidence became easier because I would always remind myself of how hard I worked to be where I am. Obtaining a new graduate position in a specialty at a leading hospital was a huge achievement. As difficult as something may seem, if you’re able to look back and see how far you’ve come, your confidence will grow. You were able to beat the odds then, and you’ll realize that you’ll continue to do so. I was very hard on myself the first few months in the emergency department as a nurse, but I was constantly reminded that I was a new nurse, and everything will come with time.

As I approach my first anniversary as a new grad RN, I have gained more confidence in my decision-making, speaking to doctors, and caring for my patients. For example, I recently was able to identify that a patient was having a reaction to a blood transfusion and brought it to the admitting doctor’s attention, after I immediately discontinued the transfusion. Once I consulted with the admitting doctor, he agreed with my decision to discontinue the transfusion. If I had decided to stay silent and not had the confidence to advocate for my patient, who knows how it would have impacted my patient’s well-being? Nevertheless, I’m still on alert even with my newly acquired confidence, since no day is the same in the emergency department.

If you are a new nurse, I would advise and encourage you to be patient with yourself.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and great nurses take time to develop. You survived nursing school, you passed your NCLEX, and you will be a phenomenal nurse. Give yourself time. Don’t ever stop learning, remaining humble through it all. Humility will get you further than pretending to know it all. You’re not expected to know it all so quickly, and you shouldn’t feel as though you must. When you feel as though you’ve been knocked down and everything is overwhelming, feel the emotions, but do not stay there. It’s important not to suppress those emotions. Seize any opportunity you’re provided to learn, and remember to take care of yourself as well. Take a trip. Go to the movies with friends. Pour into yourself. Lastly, do not ever forget to celebrate your wins and give yourself grace.