Nursing Motivation - For the Tough Days
1. Grades do not define the nurse.You can still be a C + student and an extraordinary caregiver.
2. Your strengths as a nurse may change on a day to day basis. Be kind to yourself if you arenât on point with your favorite skills. Maybe todayâs the day you nail another skill instead.
3. Itâs ok to want a time out, and escape from nursing, or studying. It doesnât mean youâre a slacker. It just means you are human, and recognize that in order to safely take care of others, or excel in school - sometimes you need to avoid the world for a bit, process things and refresh.
4. Apologizing to others when you donât understand something is a disrespect to yourself. It actually takes a lot of guts to admit when youâre uncertain and need assistance.
5. If itâs taking you longer to do things, do not become disheartened. Speed may be essential in time management, however, so is accuracy. Speed may come when you feel comfortable, and a little confident, but it may well be that slow and thoughtful is your way.
6. Recognize what you are doing well. Thereâs an awful lot of negative commentary already around. When you make your list of things youâd like to improve upon - make a matching one of the things that are uniquely your strength. Remember them on the toughest days.
7. The difficulties you are experiencing are legitimate. Itâs ok if others do not understand. It doesnât minimize the importance of these concerns to you. Believe in yourself, even when others do not.
8. Begin a reflective journal. It may feel more comfortable to write out your concerns. Also write on the days you are doing ok, and have made small steps in progress. Read over on your toughest days, see how far youâve come, reflect on things youâd like to work on from time to time. Reflect on those small things youâve accomplished. Theyâre not as small as they appear.
9. Remember that every nurse was a beginner at some point. Every nurse questioned their abilities at one stage in their career. Every nurse has made mistakes. Every nurse has experienced overwhelming frustration. Perhaps every nurse has considered, whatâs it all for? What every nurse may have in common, is endurance and fortitude.
10. Choose 50 of your favorite motivational quotes - and maybe a few humorous ones. Print out each one individually, and seal each of them in separate envelopes. On the tough days, failed exams, days youâre burned out, days you just want to quit it all - choose one envelope randomly. At the very least, the humor will distract you a little, and the inspiration will remind you of your goals.
















