The Confident Clinician

Confidence; the quality of being certain of your abilities. Why is being confident in the workplace vital to safe, efficient, high quality patient care? Having confidence in your skills as a clinician is the key to safe practice and high-quality patient care. Confidence is an emotion that may sometimes come and go depending on situations within the workplace, or personal emotions over the years. We look into building confidence and how to practice confident working; to ensure you are the best you can be while treating patients.

Why is being confident key?

Professionals who demonstrate confidence within work are over 50% more successful than those struggling with self-confidence. Having confidence as a clinician is central to high-level performance and advancement within your career. Being certain of your abilities, qualities and ability to judge situations makes you more efficient. Confidence overcomes fear and allows you to ask questions you may require in order to treat with complete certainty. Confidence has been linked to increased performance in athletes, politicians and entrepreneurs; leading to great success within their field. If you are looking to progress and be the very best in practice, your confidence needs to be strong.

How can you build confidence?

Build Relationships
As a locum it can be daunting when working in a setting you have never stepped foot in previously. Building a strong working bond with the Practice Manager can improve the way you work drastically. Having the confidence to build a working relationship will also give you a clear insight into how the practice works, a clear understanding of the facilities and the ability to ask important questions with ease. You can help build this relationship with the help of your recruitment advisor, gain as much information prior to the shift as possible in order to understand the workings of the practice before your shift.

Ask Questions
It isn’t a bad thing to ask questions and challenge. If you feel you do not have the experience to treat a patient presenting with an issue you haven’t dealt with before, you must have the ability to ask for help. When taking on work ensure you ask if you will have the support of a GP on site. Know when to ask, don’t interrupt the GP and reduce their efficiency, simply gain help and advice when you feel you truly need it. Don’t let lack of confidence affect other clinicians, but do not be afraid to ask when you really need the help.

Don’t Compare
It’s easy to compare yourself to other’s in a clinical position, however, you must understand every clinician works differently and that is not a bad thing! Insecurities will and do affect the way you perform which will inevitably have a negative effect on the patient. Instead of being fearful of the way you work by comparing your skills to others, be confident in the skills you have.

Share Skillsets
When you register, we compile a list of skills you hold. We send skill-sets across to surgeries prior to locum shifts to ensure they are seeing the correct patients in line with the clinician’s skills. It is best to be very clear and honest when completing the skill-set to ensure you see patients in line with your skills and increase confidence when in practice. Do not underplay yourself, if you say you can’t do something simply due to not enjoying the task you could be reducing your chances of work offers.

Keep Learning
Lifelong learning will ensure your skills are sharp and consistent while also increasing your confidence in practice. AppLocum offer training days frequently. Our recruitment advisors will offer the training to you if they feel you require what we have on offer, these training days then go towards your compliance and skill-set. New knowledge has been proven to increase confidence.

We understand confidence can come and go depending on situations within the workplace. If you ever find yourself in need of advice or even a conversation with regards to your time in clinic, you can discuss these sensitive subjects with our friendly recruitment advisors any time you need. AppLocum are proud of our helpful team and we are confident we are the right choice for your locum placements.