ENCORE! #292: What is Nurse Shock?

I remember being a brand-new nurse and thinking my biggest challenge would be learning critical-care pathophysiology. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. What really caught me off guard was “nurse shock.” It's an intense, disorienting phase where real-world nursing feels nothing like what I expected. In this powerful conversation with my nurse bestie and fellow educator Stephanie Griffeth , we talk about what nurse shock actually is, why it happens, and most importantly, how to move through it without losing your confidence or your spark. In this encore episode, you’ll learn: 💡 The three main factors that contribute to nurse shock 🩺 How to take care of yourself while learning to care for others 🧠 Why emotional regulation is just as vital as clinical skill 💬 Practical ways to find your footing and feel like yourself again If you’re in that “I thought I’d feel more confident by now” stage — this episode is for you! And because confidence doesn’t come from guessing — it comes from growth — you’re invited to check out a sneak peek inside Confident Nurse Academy 2.0. 🎥 Watch the sneak peek video Inside CNA, you’ll find actionable tools to strengthen your clinical judgment, manage your shifts with calm efficiency, and rebuild your confidence from the inside out. Learn more about CNA here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices