How to Study in Nursing School and Excel

Nursing School Nursing school has been known to have challenging exams. As a student there’s new material to learn, critical information to memorize and clinical skills to practice. These are all important components for the average nursing student. Below are great tips that will help you.

Tips to Help You Study in Nursing School

  1. Create quality time to study

The most important part of studying is simply taking the time to do it! Nursing school takes quite a bit of studying outside of the classroom, so scheduling your study time and prioritizing it on a daily basis is crucial.

Focus is crucial for retention and your success in nursing school. Make goals and get rid of distractions, whether that means placing your phone in another room or turning off browser notifications on your laptop or tablet.

  1. Use your nursing school study materials

Many nursing schools offer amazing resources and study tools through their library services staff. These professionals know where to find the information you need and can be an immense help.

  1. Study with a coach

Whether you’re looking to learn effective study strategies, get help with a specific course or receive advice from someone who’s succeeded in the same classes. Tutors can help students with time management, reading strategies and class content, among other things.

Not only does tutoring provide educational support, but the time spent talking to another person about your work can even be a lift emotionally—sometimes it just feels good to know you’re not alone in struggling with a concept. Working as a student tutor also comes with benefits.

  1. Follow your instructor’s rubric carefully

When you’ve got a lot of work to do, you’ll want to be smart about your approach. One of the best ways to do that is to follow your instructor’s rubric carefully. When an instructor creates a rubric, they’re not posting it just for their reference—it’s for your benefit. Following the rubric is the key to getting the grades you want and avoiding easy mistakes.

  1. 5. Seek out additional study tools

Don’t limit yourself to the same study tools you’ve used since middle school. Talk to your classmate and try something new! Many nursing school cohorts have Facebook groups or smaller group messages to share study materials and tools. You never know the difference a new tool might make in your studying. For synthesizing and reviewing information, try YouTube.

  1. Practice online learning

Though this might provide an initial challenge for those unfamiliar with online learning and electronic tools, you’ll need these skills for your career. It’s important to remember that future nurses are training for the workplace, where they’ll be using electronic charts and patient-monitoring technology daily.

  1. Don’t burn yourself out

You’re focused on becoming a nurse and that’s great. But keep in mind: Nursing students are human, too. Sometimes you just need a break. Brain breaks are necessary. If you’re in the middle of a long study session, it can help to step away from what you’re doing for a brief regroup. For example, you can grab a snack or watch a quick show.

  1. Use your strengths to your advantage

Nurses come from a variety of different backgrounds with a wide range of amazing personalities. Students know how to use these traits to their advantage. Your own unique character traits can also help you study in nursing school. Stay positive by viewing new material as a challenge. It’s important to stay positive about your ability to learn, and remember that your effort will make you a better nurse in the future.

  1. Don’t hesitate to ask for help

Nursing school can be overwhelming, but remember you’re not doing it alone. So who can you ask for help in nursing school? You have a lot of options—faculty, staff and fellow students are all in your corner when it comes to academic help.

It can be intimidating to ask for help, but try to set aside any concerns you have about asking. Reaching out for help means you’re taking control of your learning and putting yourself in the driver’s seat. You can also reach out to your peers. Try making connections and finding a group designated for quizzing one another and talking through tough concepts. You can even study virtually with group chats or other social media-powered tools.

  1. 10. Prioritize quality study time

The most important part of studying is simply taking the time to do it! Nursing school takes quite a bit of studying outside of the classroom, so scheduling your study time and prioritizing it on a daily basis is crucial. Samantha Schulenburg, a student in the demanding accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, estimates that she spends about 6-7 hours per day on school-related tasks.

You may find yourself setting aside entire days as dedicated study times, depending on your class schedule and outside commitments, as Megan Labudde does, another accelerated BSN student. Though she considers her relatively light Wednesdays as her primary study day, Labudde says she’s always looking for ways to keep study time at the forefront.

“I’m always prioritizing my study time,” she says.

If you’re prioritizing your study time, you’ll find all sorts of ways to sneak small bits of productivity into your daily habits. “The key is to really take advantage of every moment,” says Natalia Dann, BSN student and tutor. Since she works outside of school, she makes her studying a daily habit by listening to her textbooks in the car or while doing chores in addition to her dedicated study time.

Don’t feel like you need to sit and study for hours and hours at a time in a marathon-style study session. In fact, that’s probably one of the least effective ways to study, says Kristie Keuntjes, learning services coordinator for Rasmussen University’s School of Nursing. “When you’re sitting there for hours, you’re not really retaining information and engaging it in a meaningful way. It can really burn you out as a student.”

Keuntjes recommends study cycle guidelines for Rasmussen University Nursing Students that include a timeline for effective studying that includes a break.* By breaking your studying into manageable pieces, you’ll have stronger engagement and information retention.

Focus is crucial for retention and your success in nursing school. Make goals and get rid of distractions, whether that means placing your phone in another room or turning off browser notifications on your laptop or tablet, as Labudde does. It’s important to know your own weakness and be able to confront them head on.

  1. Utilize your nursing school’s study tools

Many nursing schools offer amazing resources and study tools through their library services staff. These professionals know where to find the information you need and can be an immense help. For Rasmussen University nursing students, the School of Nursing Library and Learning Services guide is their secret weapon. Created by librarians with the input of faculty, the school of nursing guide includes helpful sections for:

Though having all this information in one place may seem overwhelming at first, this guide is a recommended part of any Rasmussen University nursing student’s study routine. Will Hummel, tutor and BSN student, uses the School of Nursing guide as his go-to for everything from nursing research and APA guides to numerous course-specific resources.

  1. Consider studying with a tutor

Whether you’re looking to learn effective study strategies, get help with a specific course or receive advice from someone who’s succeeded in the same classes. Tutors can help students with time management, reading strategies and class content, among other things.

Keuntjes hires tutors for the Rasmussen University nursing program and is a strong advocate for the value of tutoring. “There’s a stigma around [seeking] tutoring and there really shouldn’t be.” Keuntjes says she’s seen firsthand that students who engage with tutors are often much more successful than those who do not.

Not only does tutoring provide educational support, but the time spent talking to another person about your work can even be a lift emotionally—sometimes it just feels good to know you’re not alone in struggling with a concept. Working as a student tutor also comes with benefits. Dann, who works as a tutor, says she loves how teaching the material gives her the opportunity to review, keeping vital nursing information at the front of her mind.

Nursing school can be tough. But with these study tips and support of faculty, fellow students and your friends, you have a great shot at succeeding in nursing school. Get some advice on collegenursingtutors.com.

 

 

 

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