Chapter 8
Gaining Confidence
I Have a Voice
Before this case, I didn’t realize how important communication and interprofessional collaboration were in caring for patients.
I’d developed many medical and technical skills in school, but there were some skills I was missing. To perform my job well, I needed to develop the confidence to share important details and advocate for my patients, stronger communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with other members of the interprofessional health team.
Quite often, these skills are gained through hands-on experience, instead of in the classroom. Seeing first hand that my patients needed me to advocate for them and that I played an important role within the healthcare team, gave me the confidence in voicing my opinions.
Final Thoughts
(Tap each box to learn more)
Teamwork is hardwork
Communication breakdowns happen
Sometimes we experience challenging interpersonal conflicts
Support matters
It's important to learn about patient resources
Professional development is an ongoing process
Questions for Herminia
Is being confident the same as ready to work?
Confidence comes when a healthcare professional is competent in skills. Each skill requires both the knowledge and the practice experience to become competent and confident.
Competence and confidence helps a practitioner to speak up or advocate for a patient and safety. It takes time to develop competence and confidence. This nurse gained competence and confidence as she transitioned to the new Canadian health care system.
As the confidence and competence of the nurse increase over time, it also increases work readiness of the nurse in the current practice setting.