Professional confidence in baccalaureate nursing students

"You need to develop more confidence" is a common refrain noted by students and faculty alike. As nurse educators, we believe that encouraging students to develop their professional confidence is an important role. Moreover, the nursing profession demands that nursing care be delivered with confidence. Although the importance of professional confidence is acknowledged in the literature, there is surprisingly little written about its development or strategies that promote professional confidence in nursing education. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the meaning and influences on professional confidence as perceived by nursing students enrolled in a four year generic baccalaureate nursing program. Focus groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis method. The meaning of professional confidence involved: feeling, knowing, believing, accepting, doing, looking, becoming, and evolving. Positive and negative influences in developing professional confidence centered around two time periods, prior to entering nursing, and within the nursing program. Students identified strategies to assist themselves in developing professional confidence. Faculty development is one recommendation for faculty.