Do graduate entry nursing student's experience 'Imposter Phenomenon'?: An issue for debate

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychology

Background:

• Academic literature supports graduate recruitment into nursing.
• Media portrayals of educated nurses as "too posh to wash" create conflicting discourses.
• These conflicting views negatively impact graduate entry nurse education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the prevalence of Imposter Phenomenon among graduate entry nursing students.
• To examine the impact of negative societal rhetoric on these students' self-perception.
• To encourage critical dialogue on graduate nursing education and student well-being.

Main Methods:

• Presentation of pilot data from a small participant group.
• Analysis of student experiences related to Imposter Phenomenon.
• Literature review and debate on existing theories and findings.

Main Results:

• 70% of participants reported frequent to intense experiences of Imposter Phenomenon.
• Students experienced feelings of failure despite consistent high academic achievement.
• Findings suggest a negative impact of anti-intellectualism on graduate nursing students' self-perception.

Conclusions:

• Conflicting societal discourses negatively affect graduate nursing students.
• Imposter Phenomenon is prevalent, with students feeling inadequate despite success.
• Further research and dialogue are needed to address the impact of anti-intellectualism on graduate nursing students.