Recent studies have indicated that significant numbers of nurses are ineffective in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Furthermore, the studies indicate that many nurses are unable to appraise realistically their own CPR performance. This study sought to ascertain the reasons why qualified nurses are unable or unwilling to appraise themselves realistically with regard to resuscitation skills. The investigation employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to establish the existence of the phenomenon and facilitate its analysis. The findings of the study suggest that unrealistic self-appraisal arises out of poor and infrequent resuscitation training, nurses' attempts to identify with roles which they perceive they should fulfill and past experience of cardiac arrests. The data suggest that current resuscitation training is inadequate, inappropriate and inconsistent for the needs of practising nurses.