Is Perfectionism in Nursing Students Healthy?

I have always admired nursing students’ ambition and drive for excellence.   When I was in nursing school, I remember spending hours in the lab preparing for medication administration check-offs.  My goal?  It’s simple…I wanted to perform the skill flawlessly. The goal of ‘perfection” in nursing school can be both positive and negative.  On one hand, it helps us to achieve goals that are demanding, but they are obtainable.  On the second hand, not accepting anything less than perfect often leads to self-doubt, anxiety, and depression.