Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Recognize Your Value

Imposter syndrome…a phrase that has hovered in my mind since the day we started Stat PD. If I’m being honest, I’ve felt this at various times of my life – both personal and professional. I felt it when working in quality and education at a facility I had never worked at before. “How can I train these nurses in areas I have never worked in before?” Then again, when I was promoted to Chief Patient Care Officer. I recall telling myself, “I haven’t even been a nurse for ten years. What business do I have in a role like this?” I felt it when we brought foster children into our home. Suddenly, I was a mom to 4 kiddos under the age of 5 all at once. I’d never done this before. “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.'' The same was the first time one of our other foster kiddos got sick and was hospitalized. “What type of ‘mom’ am I if I can’t keep my kiddo out of the hospital when he’s sick? I must have missed something.” I felt like an imposter when I married my rancher husband and was tasked with trying to do all the ‘ranch wife’ things right, and again when I was teaching a doctoral-level course on research for the first time. “What in the world am I doing? I have no clue what I’m talking about.”

“I have no business being here.”

Imposter Syndrome is “a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals”(1). High-achieving individuals. This really didn’t surprise me upon reading the definition. Imposter syndrome has been around since the 1970s, initially found in successful women and prominent in those working in healthcare (1). Those with imposter syndrome tend to have additional characteristics including perfectionism, super-heroism, fear of failure, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, denial of competence and capability, and achievemephobia or fear of success (1). Imposter syndrome can also lead to increased burnout in healthcare providers (2).

If that doesn’t describe me, I don’t know what does. Anyone else? Tell me I’m not alone!


Now I know I’m not the only one. If you’re reading this, you may be feeling some imposter syndrome. Perhaps regarding listing resources you have created on Stat PD. Or maybe some other area in your life. So, what can we do about this? How can we overcome this feeling of being an imposter in our roles and realize our importance and value?

There are various ways to treat imposter syndrome. Depending on the severity, a great way to start is to practice self-reflection and gratitude exercises, focusing on what you have accomplished. Perhaps therapy or counseling is warranted (1). I did therapy a couple of years ago and found it incredibly beneficial for various reasons (anxiety, self-esteem, all the things…). Being supported by your peers and institution is another way to address imposter syndrome, but that means you have to be willing to share and then listen to what they say (something I am admittedly not the best at when I’m struggling with feeling this way).

Know your value. If you’re feeling like an imposter in your role or at the possibility of listing on Stat PD, take a moment and reflect. What is causing this feeling? What accomplishments have you had in this area or other areas of your life? Plant your feet. And stand tall. You are right where you are meant to be.




References:

1. Huecker, M. R., Schreffler, J., McKeny, P. T., & Davis, D. (2023). Imposter Phenomenon. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585058/ 

2. Vaa Stelling, B. E., Andersen, C. A., Suarez, D. A., Nordhues, H. C., Hafferty, F. W., Beckman, T. J., & Sawatsky, A. P. (2023). Fitting in while standing out: Professional identity formation, imposter syndrome, and burnout in early-career faculty. Academic Medicine, 98(4), 514-520. Doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000005049