On 14 July, I celebrated my first anniversary as a registered nurse - one whole year of doing a job that I genuinely love. Looking back over the past 12 months, I feel incredibly proud of how far I have come. As I reflect on where I started - that nervous, newly-qualified nurse who doubted her own capabilities, and where I am today - I can see just how much I have grown, both professionally and personally.

Starting your first nursing role is an emotional experience. It brings excitement, anxiety, fear of the unknown and, by the end of your very first shift, complete exhaustion from the sheer volume of new information you have had to absorb. It is an overwhelming transition, and one that every newly qualified nurse experiences differently.

As I wrote in my reflection on my first six months as a registered nurse, my journey has been anything but straightforward. It took me at least three to four months before I truly felt competent in my role and confident that I had made the right career choice. I spent many evenings sitting in my car after work in tears, worrying about what my future as a nurse would look like. Looking back, I know I was not alone in feeling this way. Many newly-qualified nurses experience similar doubts during those first few months.

What made the difference was the support around me.

I found my person: Lily, a friend who was a year ahead of me in her nursing career. She offered reassurance, guidance and, when I needed it, honest conversations that helped me regain perspective. Alongside this, I worked closely with my mentor and line manager to develop an action plan that focused on building both my confidence and my competence.

The phrase "action plan" often carries negative connotations, but my experience was the exact opposite. Rather than being a sign of failure, it became a valuable tool for development. It provided structure, identified areas for growth and gave me achievable goals to work towards. By the six-month mark, I felt confident and secure within my role and had developed into the nurse I had hoped to become.

One of the greatest things I have discovered about myself over the past year is my passion for patient and nurse advocacy. I have become increasingly confident in speaking up when I feel a patient’s wishes are not being fully heard, even if that means respectfully challenging members of the wider multidisciplinary team. It is an area of nursing I am passionate about, and I look forward to completing the Patient Nurse Advocate training after I return from maternity leave next year.

Another highlight of my first year has been supporting student nurses during their placements. It has been a privilege to share not only the knowledge I have gained but also my experiences of navigating those challenging first few months. I hope that by being honest about my own journey, I have helped reassure students that struggling at times does not mean they are failing; it simply means they are learning.

Despite the challenges, I can honestly say that I love my job. Nursing has tested me in ways I never expected, but it has also shown me strengths I did not know I had.

As many student nurses begin their first registered posts, I wanted to share a few pieces of advice that I wish someone had emphasised to me.

Find your person. Having someone you trust, who understands exactly what you are going through, can make an enormous difference. Even now, although Lily works on a different ward, I know I can still turn to her for advice or simply to talk through a difficult shift.

Be honest if you are struggling. Asking for help is a sign of professionalism, not weakness. No one expects a newly-qualified nurse to know everything.

Avoid comparing yourself to your peers. Every nurse develops at their own pace. Someone may appear confident on the outside, but you never know the challenges they are facing behind the scenes.

Take every learning opportunity. Every teaching session, reflection and clinical experience contributes to your development. It is also never too early to start building evidence for your future revalidation.

Protect your wellbeing outside of work. Find something that allows you to switch off. Nursing can be emotionally demanding, and making time for yourself is essential in preventing burnout.

Keep a reflective journal. Recording your experiences, whether significant or seemingly small, helps you recognise your progress and becomes an invaluable resource for revalidation.

Enjoy being newly qualified. It is a unique stage of your career. Although it may feel daunting now, one day you will look back and realise just how much you achieved in such a short space of time.

Finally, if you have the opportunity, complete your preceptorship before starting a family. Balancing preceptorship requirements alongside pregnancy-related symptoms has been challenging, and it is something I wish I had considered more carefully beforehand.

If there is one thing my first year has taught me, it is that becoming a confident nurse is not about never struggling. It is about continuing to learn, asking for help when you need it and recognising that confidence grows through experience, reflection and support.

To every newly-qualified nurse beginning this journey: be kind to yourself. You are learning every single day, even when it does not feel like it. One day, you will look back on your first year with the same pride that I feel today, and you will realise that every challenge helped shape the nurse you have become.

Here’s to Year Two.