Create A Study Schedule And Stick To It
Organization is key when you are in an accelerated nursing program. Youll have many responsibilities, and youll need to balance multiple courses.
Think about when and where you study best, for you can tailor your online coursework to your unique study needs. Plan out specific times of the day for studying, and keep them consistent and at times when your mind is sharp. Also remember to set aside study time on the weekends so you dont get behind.
Then keep yourself accountable to stick to your schedule. Dont schedule other activities or run errands when you should be studying. This will ensure you spend enough time learning the material.
A Group Of Supportive People Is Key
Nursing courses are more than just memorizing facts and reciting drugs. There is a huge emphasis on critical thinking and communication. Studying in a group with likeminded, focused students can help significantly both in keeping you on track with your studying goals and learning difficult concepts. Having a group to study with can also help you manage stress, giving you the opportunity to share experiences with others who are going through the same thing. Consider joining your Student Nurses Association, if your school has one. These groups encourage networking among nursing students at each level and can serve as a unique resource.
Manage Your Time Well
Time management is a must for all college students and people starting a career. It is, however, substantial for those who have other commitments like a job, sports, or any other errands. Its okay to panic at first, but when you learn to manage your time properly, everything will go smooth. If you feel that you are doing more than you can handle, look for ways to make your life more manageable, and try to make some changes.
Time for Friends. After a week of stress and hard work, why not commit yourself to your friends. If budget allows, invite a friend along for a lunch out. Also, an overnight with your closest buddies isnt bad if you feel like its helpful in recharging yourself for another busy week ahead. Even if your schedules are varied, set some time aside regularly for spending time togethernot only will it help keep you closer, but you may also find that its a great stress reliever!
Time for Family. Instead of worrying about how to get in with your family, try to find something that works for your situation. See if you can get everyone together for breakfast once or twice a week. If you are on a night shift, perhaps you can plan a lunch together. Or if you are lucky to be dismissed earlier than the usual, go out to dinner instead of staying home. It doesnt matter if the only available member is your sister or your brother. Invite him or her for an ice cream treat and the like. Keep trying new things until you figure out what works for your family.
Recommended Reading: Post Master’s Nurse Practitioner Programs California
Let Your Friends And Family Know
Your decision to go to nursing school won’t only affect you – everyone in your life will probably feel the impact of it in some way. Your classes and homework will inevitably take up a huge chunk of your time going forward. That’s why your friends and family need to know about your new endeavor as soon as possible. This is especially important if you’re going to be juggling work or childcare responsibilities with your new studies, as you’ll likely have a lot less time available for socializing.
If you make it clear from the start that you expect to be busy but that you also don’t plan to abandon anyone, your loved ones won’t be as upset about your lack of connection. It’s just a temporary measure to see you through school until you can make them a priority again.
On top of gaining their understanding, you might also garner some extra support from them if you need it. Babysitting, rides, study help and even pre-made meals are all things people might be willing to help you out with when they know you’re stretched thin on time. Remember, these people want to see you succeed!
How To Prioritize Your Time Well
One of the biggest tips that anyone can give you before starting nursing school is to know how to prioritize your time and assignments well. This will allow you to make sure you have adequate time to work on each project. The best way to do this is by making a study schedule and sticking to it.
If you need help creating a fantastic study schedule, we have an article that can help you.
Also Check: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Success
Make Good Use Of Your Downtime
We all need to indulge in some downtime, but there are ways to pepper in some productivity while lounging around. Consider getting some easy study preparations out of the way while listening to music or watching TV.
Make flash cards for a future study session. Jot down a few ideas on sticky notes and place them somewhere youre sure to see. Of course, youll want to review once youre back in study mode to make sure you didnt make any mistakes during the creation process.
You can also take advantage of your easy weeks. Just because youre experiencing a light workload doesnt mean you wont be slammed in the next. Strike a balance and get ahead of the game while you can.
You Know All That Cool Stuff You Learned In Nursing School Yeah Thats Not All Youll Be Doing
Nursing can at times be a little bit glorified.
Dont get me wrong, we should be treated like the heroes that we are cause we literally save lives, every single day. But once you become a Nurse, youll find yourself putting on lots of different job hats.
Youll be the cleaner, the social worker, the friend who lends a shoulder to cry on. Youll be the dietitian, the chef, the case manager the family mediator, electrician, and secretary.
You name it, and once you become a Nurse, youll be it.
So Nursing isnt just about saving lives or doing all that high-tech stuff. A lot of the time its filling all these roles that make your patients feel safe, secure and cared for.
And thats pretty cool.
You May Like: Helene Fuld College Of Nursing
Things You Should Do To Prepare For Nursing School
Augusta Universitys Bachelor of Science in Nursing program begins in a students junior year but that doesnt mean you should wait until then to start prepping. Admission to the nursing program can start right now. Here are 11 things you should do to prepare for entrance into the BSN program:
1. Join the Pre-Nursing Society. The Pre-Nursing Society meets regularly throughout each semester. Joining this student-led organization is a great way to meet your fellow peers who are interested in nursing. Meetings include guest speakers from the College of Nursing and current students covering topics such as preparation for the TEAS exam, application tips and more.
2. Complete the required prerequisites. Maintain communication with your academic advisor regarding your core curriculum and pre-requisite course requirements to make sure you are on track. Some of the required courses for nursing school include anatomy I & II, microbiology, biolody and more. Visit the BSN admissions page for more information.
3. Get health care experience, volunteer experience and/or leadership experience. Although health care experience is not required for nursing school, it helps students understand the health care environment better and makes you a more competitive applicant. You can also gain volunteer experience within the local community and participate in leadership or volunteer roles on campus by joining a student club or organization through the Student Life & Engagement Office.
LikeLoveHaha
Mix Up Your Study Materials
Certain professors will favor certain resources, but its important to remember that there is a wide net of materials out there. Though eLearning media remain both convenient and portable, physical materials can also come in handy.
In fact, recent polls suggest that a sizable percentage of students prefer to have some kind of hard copy over a digital device when it comes to class materials. While interactive elements of digital preparation like scrolling and clicking can help enhance the academic experience, some argue that printed material helps students retain information more effectively.
Recommended Reading: Geriatric Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary
What To Study Before Nursing School
March 6, 2022·In: Nursing, Nursing School
Are you considering a career in nursing? If so, there are a few things you should study before you start nursing school. In this post, we’ll discuss three key topics that will help you get ready for a successful nursing career. So, what do you need to know? Keep reading to find out!
Nursing school is a big decision. It’s not only a considerable investment of time and money, but it’s also an enormous commitment. You will be spending years of your life studying to become a nurse, so you want to make sure you pick the right nursing program to get ahead of the pack.
If you’re considering going to nursing school, now is the time to get ready.
This blog post is all about what to study before nursing school
You need to consider many things before going to nursing school in order to be successful. You will need to make sure that you have the right mindset and the proper study habits. In addition, there are a few specific subjects that you should focus on to get a head start in your nursing education.
This article will outline all of the most critical aspects you should focus on while preparing for nursing school.
Topics To Review Before Starting Nursing School
Use Your Clinicals Downtime
While youll often be overbooked and overused in your clinicals, youll still have some downtime. In these instances you should ask other nurses, aides, and even other students what you can do to help them. Not only is this going to make you look like the go-getter you are, increasing your chances of getting hired at that location, but youre going to learn things you wouldnt otherwise. You will learn something different from every rotation, so dont waste a moment.
Recommended Reading: Nursing School In Fort Lauderdale
All That Said Theres A Lot To Know Before Starting The Path To Become A Nurse
If you have what it takes to become and practice as a nurse, your job can be among the most rewarding occupations. Economically-speaking, nursing is a generally well-paid occupation. The average annual salary of a registered nurse in the U.S. is $73,550 , and can even reach up to $102,700 per year in some states.
But we just established that it definitely is not just about the money. The psychological benefits of becoming a nurse are huge, too. Helping people not only gives an enhanced sense of value to the work you do, but it also dresses up how society sees you. Youll be one of the figures who helps people when they need it the most.
But many of you reading this arent there yet. In fact, most of you reading this probably arent. First comes the endless hours of study and some truly grueling work to get through nursing school.
You already know that nursing school is one of the toughest things you will ever do, and is probably one of the biggest decisions youve ever made . But its a direct reach toward your dream, and that never comes easily. Countless hours of studying paired with your clinical rotation program will soon make you feel like there is no life beyond schooland forget time for yourself!
Quick! PSA for nursing students: that last part might not be entirely true.
Tip #6 Build Your Support System
Nursing school is a challenging time, both academically and emotionally. It’s essential to have a robust support system in place to help you succeed.
Here are some tips for building your support system:
– Talk to your family and friends or fellow nursing students about your goals and ask for their support.
– Join a nursing student group or online community forum where you can share study tips and encouragement with other students.
– Find a mentor who can help guide you through the challenges of nursing school.
– Look for resources such as tutors or study groups to help you stay on track academically.
– Lean on your loved ones when you need emotional support during tough times.
Having a supportive network will help make the journey to nursing school much more effortless. With the right people in your corner, you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way.
And don’t forget to prioritize your mental and physical health.
Also Check: Online Msn For Non Nursing Bachelor’s
Youre Going To Make Mistakes
Scary thought isnt it? But theres not a Nurse out there that hasnt made a mistake in some way. Youll probably make a lot of mistakes in your first year as a Nurse — just make sure theyre not the big ones. Stay focused on what you are doing, be in the moment, calculate and recalculate your drugs and fluids carefully, dont be scared to ask and clarify if you are not sure.
Mistakes are inevitable, but whats more important is how you react to it. Own up to it, be accountable of your actions, tell your charge Nurse, learn from it, and work hard to never do it again.
Stay Organized To Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed
Nearly every nursing student gets overwhelmed at some point during their school experience. Often the feeling of being overwhelmed is a result of feeling out of control with the amount of work, responsibility, and time dedication ahead of you. One way you can get anxiety under control is to get organized.
Having a day planner or calendar app to keep track of important dates for assignments, tests, and projects is a simple but effective way to manage your time. You can block out certain days or certain hours of the day to dedicate to your studies and marking those dates in a calendar is not only a good reminder to do it, but a simple way to feel a little more in control of your time. Make a list of must do items and like to do items. This will help you prioritize your studies and tasks as well as whats going on in your personal life. Next, tackle things on your must do list one at a time until everything is checked off.
Organizing your study space is another important step to making the time you do dedicate to studying as efficient as possible. Reduce distractions from TVs, radios, and other media that might keep you from focusing on your homework. Get good lighting and comfortable seating that supports extended hours of study without making you feel too comfortable that you fall asleep.
Related Resource:How to Deal With Nursing School Stress
Also Check: Top Nursing Programs In Arizona
Nursing Is A Team Sport
As a nursing student, Bay has had the opportunity to work with COVID-19 patients, both in Intensive Care and the general unit. Because COVID-19 patients lungs are under stress, putting them on their stomach makes it easier for them to breathe.
Our lungs actually sit closer to our back than our chest, Bay explains. So, its easier for them to expand when were laying on our stomach.
In the hospital, getting a patient on their stomach is called proning, a critical part of treatment for COVID-19 patients. This procedureand many, many others common in nursing care–often requires more than one nurse.
For patients who are intubated and sedated, there is a specific procedure that takes about five people to flip a person from their back to their stomach without breaking their neck or cutting off their airway, Bay says.
Its no secret that nursing is a physically demanding job. But having colleagues who have your back make taking care of people a whole lot easier. Of course, its not just physical tasksnurses work as a team every day in their units to make sure patients needs are met.
Are Nursing Prerequisites Hard
The answer to this question depends on several factors, such as a professor’s teaching style, the number of assignments, and the level of interest or skill for the subject matter. Some nursing students may find classes harder than others, doing well in a biology course, for example, but struggling with statistics.
Read Also: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary New Jersey
Work Out A Study Schedule
Time management abilities have been shown to have a major influence on nursing students’ levels of anxiety over the course of their studies. Getting a handle on your schedule now, before any of your courses actually start, will allow you to get a head start on building this critical skill.
Take a piece of paper and map out all of your existing commitments onto a calendar model with hourly blocks, remembering to include any classes you already have set times for. Using this, you can figure out when you’re going to be able to study and block off that time too. Now you know exactly when you need to be focused and ready to learn, so you can make sure you have all your chores, errands and extra work done before those times hit.
Do you want to be a nurse? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree, ECPI University offers this course at an accelerated pace. For more information about this exciting program, connect with a helpful admissions counselor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
Gainful Employment Information â Nursing – Associateâs
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: or .