Why new nurses worry about being judged

What is it about?

When nurses start a new job, they often feel closely watched and judged by colleagues, managers, and even patients. This can lead to a fear of negative evaluation – a constant worry about being criticised, making mistakes, or not meeting others’ expectations. This study examines how much newly employed nurses experience fear of negative evaluation and which factors increase this fear. It focuses on work-related stress (such as task and role stress, team conflicts, and patient-related problems) as well as personal and social stress. The aim is to understand which types of stress are most strongly linked to fear of being judged negatively. The findings show that newly employed nurses report a moderate level of fear of negative evaluation. Nurses who experience more task- and role-related stress, problems in teamwork and communication, and stress from their personal and social environment tend to have higher fear of negative evaluation. Personal problems and stress arising from the social environment are particularly strong predictors. These results suggest that both workplace and personal stressors play an important role in how new nurses feel about being evaluated by others.

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Why is it important?

Fear of negative evaluation can reduce confidence, increase anxiety, and make it harder for new nurses to adapt to the workplace. It may negatively affect communication, decision-making, and job performance, which are all critical for safe and high-quality patient care. By identifying the main factors that increase fear of negative evaluation, this study provides practical information for nurse managers, educators, and institutions. Reducing task and role stress, improving teamwork, and offering emotional and social support can help new nurses feel safer and more confident. Supporting newly employed nurses in this way can ease their transition into practice, strengthen their professional adaptation, and ultimately improve the quality of nursing care.