54 Positive Nurse and Nursing Student Affirmations

To say it’s been trying times for nurses is an understatement. The pandemic has taken quite a toll on already stretched-thin healthcare workers, so we decided to put together some helpful nurse affirmations that may help you get through your shift and feel more positive about the amazing work that you do every single day.

Prepping for the NCLEX? These affirmations can still be beneficial for your studies!

What are Positive Affirmations?

Positive affirmations are short, powerful statements that are designed to challenge negative or unhelpful thought patterns. By creating positive affirmations about ourselves and our abilities, we can overcome these self-sabotaging and negative thoughts and shift our mindset to one of positivity and confidence. 

Source

Before you write affirmations off as woo-woo and without much scientific basis, there is scientific evidence that backs up self-affirmations. Cascio et al. (1) used MRI to measure a significant increase in brain activity in two regions of the brain related to self-related processing and rewards in the affirmed group versus the non-affirmed group. The imaging can be seen in the above image.

What Does a Nurse Affirmation Look Like?  

A nurse affirmation can be any positive affirmation that is going to help to create a more positive mindset and confidence in the workplace. A shift from a negative thought such as “I am so overwhelmed by the amount of patients I have to see today” to “I am a capable nurse who can take on the challenges for today” can make a huge difference in how you view the challenge of the day that lies ahead. 

Positive Nurse Affirmations

1. I will not worry about things that I cannot control
2. I am resilient
3. I am a better nurse today than I was yesterday
4. I am a talented and capable nurse
5. I care for my patients with patience, love, and kindness
6. I make progress every day, whether I see it or not
7. I am not alone and have a robust support network
8. This will not break me and I will come out stronger
9. I am not afraid to ask for help
10. I choose to care for my mind and body while at work today
11. I am taking care of myself so that I can take care of others
12. I have survived tough times before and will survive this
13. I am proud of myself and the work that I do
14. I am capable and can take on the challenges for today
15. I am grateful for the things that I have
16. I am making a difference
17. I am destined to be a nurse
18. I set healthy boundaries between my work and my private life
19. I am fulfilled by helping my patients
20. My patients and coworkers enjoy being with me
21. I am a great addition to my team
22. My colleagues appreciate the work that I do
23. I am fulfilling my destiny
24. I am thankful for my knowledge and skill
25. I am important and I matter
26. Set backs are temporary; making an impact is forever.

Affirmations for Nursing Students

For those who are still in nursing school, here are some of our favorite affirmations for nursing students:

1. I am an amazing student
2. Learning new medical information comes easily to me
3. I will make the best nurse
4. I am confident
5. Every day I am closer to becoming a nurse
6. I give my best every day in my nursing studies
7. My skills and abilities will make me a great nurse
8. I will be a successful nurse
9. I am an inspiration to other nursing students
10. I have a strong work ethic
11. I can overcome new challenges
12. I have earned my instructor’s trust
13. I am a model student
14. I am thankful to be in nursing school
15. I handle stress with grace
16. I am proud of myself
17. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far
18. I love myself
19. I am helpful to other students
20. I will remain calm and grounded during this time of challenge
21. I will pass this exam
22. I am destined for greatness
23. I have a sharp mind
24. I love learning how to heal people
25. I can master this information
26. I am doing important work
27. I am making a difference
28. I am smart

Benefits of Nurse Affirmations

Improved Self-Esteem

Feeling positive about yourself and your skills can help to boost confidence in your abilities. 

Reduced Negative Thoughts and Feelings

You can reduce negative thoughts and self-talk by transforming them into actionable, positive action. 

Reduced Stress

Positive affirmations can help you to reduce your stress and anxiety by taking the negative thought patterns and letting them go. 

Self-Control

Schmeichel and Vohs (2) found participants who continued to affirm their core values to be less likely to lose self-control.

Decreased Isolation and Tech Use

You can increase feelings of love towards others as well as decrease feelings of isolation with affirmations. Additionally, just-in-time affirmations can decrease cell phone usage by as much as a half Xu et al.(3).

Related: How to Set SMART Goals in Nursing

How to Create Your Own Affirmations

In order to really make a positive change in a way that is personal to you, it’s important that you consider the areas that you, yourself, would like to change or improve upon. This can be a great moment of self-reflection as you consider your core values and goals for your life. Here are the steps to brainstorming nurse affirmations, writing your affirmations, and how to put these affirmations to good use:

Step 1. Make a list of negative features that you would like to improve upon

This list can include your actions, thoughts, or reactions that you’ve displayed both inside as well as outside of the workplace. For example: 

• I feel overwhelmed at work 
• I am sensitive to criticism from coworkers

Step 2. Rephrase these negative features or actions as positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are always written in the present, as you are imagining yourself in the here-and-now embodying this statement. To do this, you can start with the phrase “I am,” “I choose,” or “I have.” Let’s look at how we can turn the two negative statements in step 1 into positive affirmations using the framework provided:

I feel overwhelmed at work can be transformed into “When I am overwhelmed at work, I choose to be present with my patients and improve their situation. 

I am sensitive to criticism from coworkers can now become “I am thankful for the feedback from my coworkers and use it to become a better nurse than yesterday.” 

Write this new affirmation down to engage your mind and body (as a kinesthetic learning) to increase its ability to stick. 

You can write down these affirmations in a journal or a nursing student planner as a way to keep your goals, affirmations, and plans following the same path. For those who are seeking extra sources of income, you can also consider how these nurse side hustles work towards your goals.

Step 3. Repeat your affirmation with feeling and emotion

Start by saying your affirmation aloud for 2 minutes, 3 times a day. Set an alarm to help to remind you to repeat this affirmation so that it sticks. You can also utilize a habit tracking app to keep you on track. Add to this moment by saying your affirmation aloud to the mirror, looking at yourself while embodying this new powerful phrase. 

Remember to say this affirmation with emotion and feeling and try to feel it within your body. 

Step 4. Remain consistent

Like any new exercise regime, consistency is key to see changes. Try to stay regular in your affirmations by practicing them daily. If you meditate, this can also be a great moment to push your affirmation into your subconscious. 

Related: Fun Homemade Nurse Survival Kits

FAQ

Related: Stay Comfortable All Day With Our Favorite Nursing Shoes

Final Takeaways

Nurse workplace burnout, stress, and anxiety are all real problems within the healthcare industry today. By practicing these nurse affirmations, however, you can do what’s in your power to control how you feel and act throughout the day. These affirmations can not only improve your workplace wellbeing but also improve your relationships with others and yourself.

If you’re looking for a place to write down your daily affirmations, look no further than the TPN Nursing Student Planner. It includes affirmation, gratitude, and journaling to help you stay grounded and present.

TPN Nursing Student Planner [July 2023 - June 2024]

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Imagine a digital planner that keeps you organized, goal-setting, and mindful - now you can have it all - weekly and monthly spreads, SMART goal setting and reflection, and even affirmation and journaling to keep you grounded.

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References:

1. Cascio, C. N., et al. (2016). Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2016, 621–629.

2. Schmeichel, B. J., & Vohs, K. (2009). Self-affirmation and self-construal: Affirming core values counteracts ego depletion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96, 770–782.

3. Xu, X et al. (2022). TypeOut: Leveraging just-in-time self-affirmation for smartphone overuse reduction. Creative Commons Attribution International. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3517476