The Ultimate Guide to Studying Right in Nursing School
If you haven’t learned from now, nursing school isn’t your typical college experience—it’s a whole different ball game. Nursing school is a 24/7 commitment, with clinical rotations, simulations, and extensive coursework. Because nursing school is so different from the prerequisite courses you’ve taken, many students find it difficult to adjust. One of the biggest players in this change is professors using NCLEX-styled questions on their exams. NCLEX-style questions are a specific format of test questions designed to assess your critical thinking along with your knowledge. Professors use these questions to prepare you for taking your National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which is a standardized exam that all nursing graduates must take, and pass, to become licensed. Another key player is how almost all nursing schools require a minimum exam score average that students must achieve to pass. This throws the “C’s get degrees” motto out the window and makes every exam high stakes. With that said, let’s dive into tips for success in nursing school.
First and foremost, do some self-reflecting to figure out how YOU learn best. Each person is unique in their preferred learning style—whether it’s visual, auditory, hands-on, reading/writing or a combination of each! Knowing which methods of studying work for you can ultimately guide you to succeeding in nursing school. For visual learners, using charts, diagrams, and especially concept maps will allow you to make the most out of your study time.
Check out this diagram above—it’s incredibly helpful for us visual learners! This diagram utilizes pictures and color-coded annotations to help you learn common endocrine disorders.
If you are someone who learns best through listening (auditory learners) try recording your lectures. You can play them back while your commuting, getting ready in the morning, or even on a walk. It may also be helpful for you to watch videos over the subject you’re currently covering, there is hundreds of informative videos available for every subject you’ll encounter during nursing school. If you’re someone who learns best through hands-on experience, make sure to take advantage of your school’s open lab sessions! These are perfect opportunities to practice skills while also discussing and implementing topics from lecture that you will see on the exam. The skills you practice in open lab directly complement the information that’s being covered in lecture, making this a great learning experience for those who learn hands-on. For those who excel in learning through reading and writing, after reading a chapter, challenge yourself to recall and write down everything you can remember. Then you can take a moment to review what you’ve written and compare it to the material in the book. This active recall reinforces your understanding and retention, making it easier to recall this information during exams.
Once you’ve got a handle on how you learn best, it’s time to dive into some deeper strategies to help you thrive in nursing school. In nursing school, it’s all about comprehending concepts rather than just memorizing facts. Sure, there are lab values and details to memorize, but truly understanding the “why” behind different concepts is what sets you up for success. Trust me, when you have that deeper understanding, tackling those tricky NCLEX-styled questions you see on your exams becomes a whole lot easier. So, focus on getting to the heart of the matter, and not just memorizing facts! Active learning strategies may help you comprehend certain concepts better as well. This includes teaching others, whether it’s teaching your peers or your pet, flipping through flashcards during downtime, formulating NCLEX-styled practice questions, or spending ten minutes jotting down everything you know from memory about an upcoming exam to gauge your strengths and areas needing improvement. Another valuable tip is to familiarize yourself with your professor’s teaching style. If they tend to base test questions on the PowerPoint slides, focus your studying efforts there. However, if they often incorporate stories in class that end up being test material, recording and re-listening to lectures can be a helpful strategy to ensure you do well on exams. Some professors derive test questions from assigned readings in the textbook or from homework assignments. Knowing your professors testing style will help you focus your energy where it needs to be. Now, ensuring success in nursing school does go beyond just studying—you must take care of YOU. Make it a priority to take regular breaks, schedule days off, and incorporate self-care habits into your routine. Maintaining balance is essential for sustaining your motivation and discipline throughout nursing school.
With these tips in hand, you’re on track to succeed in nursing school and become a registered nurse. Remember to always stay connected to your motivation—or your “why”. Your “why” is the reason you are pursuing this path, it’s what keeps you going during late-night study sessions and demanding clinical rotations. Hold on to this tightly and revisit your “why” anytime you are feeling discouraged. You’ve got what it takes to overcome any obstacle in your way.
Edited by: Esther Chung