Imposter syndrome in the ICU
I have now been a nurse, all in the ICU at a level 1, for almost 2 years now. When does the imposter syndrome go away??
I just switched from neuro ICU to MICU and I just feel like i am failing. I had a patient that was super superrr sick last night. Came in to metastatic cancer who needed an emergent para right before 7 PM. Then by 8 we are almost about to code, levo goes on board, liter in her, lines getting placed, post MAC placement esophageal varacies rupture then we are emegentally intubating, EGD bedside to clip them, blood is everywhere, starting run a mini massive unofficial transfusion bc the blood needed to be radiated so it took some time. And all of the drug pushes, etc. I felt like I could have done more bc I didnt know how to use a lot of what was used last night. A lot of my co workers had to jump in the help and I just felt so dumb where in neuro i felt so smart. I just feel like I could have done more and I feel bad and like I dont belong. I just dont know how to get out of feeling that way. It was so scary having the Blakemore outside of your room, code cart, etc going. I felt horrible.
Posted Aug 10, 2026, 4:14 PM UTC