8 Study Tips to Make Nursing School a Breeze

Nursing school is, without a doubt, a challenging experience. It is especially so for students who manage multiple things at once, like work and family responsibilities on top of nursing school. The task of completing nursing school seems impossible. 

I mean, how in the endless universe are you supposed to read never-ending chapters, review notes, prepare for the nursing exams, and keep all the knowledge you need in your career inside your brain? Is it even humanly possible? The answer is yes! 

The fact that many before you have done it should be encouraging. The first thing you have to do is take a deep breath and tell yourself that you can do this. Nursing school may seem like an insurmountable mountain, but all it takes is planning, time management, and a few study tips provided by us to conquer it. Before we get into the study tips, let’s talk briefly about why you should want to become a nurse to give you added motivation to finish nursing school. 

Reasons to Become a Nurse

It is impossible to list all the reasons you should become a nurse because there are too many. Plus, it will require a lot of articles. So, we will list the most important ones. 

• You can make a difference in someone’s life.
• Online nursing programs allow you to pursue your education online and make a difference by Becoming an FNP Online.
• Registered nurses make an average of over $70k per year, while according to PayScale, nurses with a BSN degree make over $85k per year.
• You will enjoy greater job satisfaction than other careers; in 2019, the American Mobile Nurses (AMN) Healthcare survey reported that more than 80% of nurses were satisfied with their jobs.
• In December of 2020, Gallup reported their findings, and for an impressive 19 years, nurses consistently landed the number one position. 

Without further ado, now let’s get into the nursing school study tips!

Nursing School Study Tips to Make It a Breeze

Tip # 1: Use the Nursing Exam Study Guide

Focus on using the NCLEX test as a guide to base your studies around. It will help you get familiar with the questions on the test and what you need to study. It will not include everything you need, but using the nursing exam as a guide throughout will make you confident come testing day. 

Tip # 2: Commit to Studying a Little Every Day

You may get tempted to spend your time playing video games or watching NetFlix. But, use your time wisely—Reserve an hour or two for your nursing studies every day. Break down huge chunks of information into small manageable increments and start memorizing. Breaking down information will help you retain it, and this way, you will not feel exhausted. 

Tip # 3: Focus on Topics Covered in Class

Your professors will assign reading “X” amount of chapters every week along with reviewing outside resources. Instead of trying to memorize every word, focus your energy on topics your professors covered in class because they know what topics will most likely appear on the exams.

Tip # 4: Focus on Actions, Not Facts

During nursing school, you will learn about numerous health conditions, their causes, and their physiological impact on patients. While the information is certainly interesting from a nurse’s point of view, the patient does not care about it. 

Tip # 5: Form a Study Group With Friends

Studying alone can be done, but it requires more willpower. You can motivate your friends and encourage them to keep going when you lose focus with your friends. Study research shows that studying with friends helps retain almost 90 percent of what you learn. Compare that to just 60 percent of what you hear in class and only 10 percent of what you read. Research has also shown that study groups made of three members are the most effective. 

Tip # 6: Skim-Read Before Memorizing

You will be doing a lot of reading in nursing school. So, don’t try to memorize everything the first time. It will frustrate you a lot. Instead, skim read the chapters first. Focus your attention on topic headings, subheadings highlighted terms and sections, and review summaries and questions at the end. It will help you determine the most crucial information.

Tip #7: Use Online Resources

You do not just have to learn from a book or your professor. You can use online resources like Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and the American Diabetes Association to add to your knowledge. We recommend using these resources before reading your chapters to preview what you will be reading. Do keep in mind that your book and professor are the ultimate authority. 

Tip # 8: Find Your Learning Style

Every student learns differently. Some of us are visual learners and need to need pictures. In contrast, others need to hear information to retain it. During nursing school, you should find the right approach to learning that works for you. Chances are, some of these tips might not work for you. That is ok. Focus on finding the ones that do and stick with them. Also, try out new techniques every once in a while to add to your arsenal. 

Conclusion

Graduating from nursing school is a challenging commitment. You will have to channel every ounce of motivation and willpower throughout the nursing school to graduate. You will also need to develop a plan, use the tips provided above, and have the right attitude.