Nursing student survival tips

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

You will be amazed at how fast that paycheck goes and that ramen and cheese sandwiches are what you are able to inhale on your lunch.

No way! I'll be inhaling better stuff going forward :) and I rather have a paycheck go fast than not have one to go at all.

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PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

As far as keeping up with reading, don't stress out if you don't end up reading everything. Sometimes the amount of assigned reading is too much. Best to use your time understanding concepts and using readings for clarification. Time management is key. Reading chapters for 4 hours and not understanding anything is less effective than reviewing your notes from lecture and reading up on parts you don't understand.

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Mandychelle79, ASN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

ok maybe some easy mac.

Im being serious here. Any food that takes more then 5 mins to prepare (7 tops) is pretty much out if you want to be able to eat a lunch, assuming you get a 30 min lunch break. There are days that I get enough time to run back, heat up my meal, go back on the floor while it cooks, remember it 20 mins later, and inhale it.

HM-8404, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

A close friend, niece, and cousin, (all nurses) advised me to keep up with reading, look up what I don't understand, and DON'T get caught up in all the nursing school drama. They all said it is inevitable with so many young women in one place. Also don't let other students drag you down, you will have to cut some loose along the way.

Just remember you are there to become a nurse not to find friends. Making friends is fine, but make that secondary to the real reason you are there.

DIVINELY FAVORED · Jun 1, 2012

A close friend, niece, and cousin, (all nurses) advised me to keep up with reading, look up what I don't understand, and DON'T get caught up in all the nursing school drama. They all said it is inevitable with so many young women in one place. Also don't let other students drag you down, you will have to cut some loose along the way.
Just remember you are there to become a nurse not to find friends. Making friends is fine, but make that secondary to the real reason you are there.

This is so very true, this past semester i got caught up in the drama slightly and it took the focus off of what was really important SCHOOL. Negativity and anxiety is very contagious. I am going into my senior year in the fall and will stay to myself. There is nothing wrong with being nice but remember to mind your own business.

Believe in yourself and don't base your confidence off of one bad grade, and don't compare yourself with anybody else. Find out what works best for you and stick to that. Everyone learns and retains information differently. Always remember that nursing school is only temporary.

sewnmom, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jun 4, 2012

I just finished my first year of nursing school. I am 49 years old and have four children, two of whom are in college and two are in high school. They are as much work as they were when they were little, just in different ways. My advice is for any nursing student but if you have to prepare meals and take care of others, this is for you.

I suggest doing anything you can to organize yourself. Spending time on studying rather than worrying about where something is or what is for dinner is beneficial. I coupon and knew I would not be able to do it during nursing school - oh so much truer than I thought. I was lucky to have a supply room where I kept all my goods from my couponing trips. I was able to go shopping (or send a kid or the husband with a list) for just milk, eggs, bread, etc. I had my freezer stocked with meals frozen in various stages to help with preparation time. I planned my menus for a month at a time and then took that list to make meals from during each week. We used up at least 60% of my coupon goods in the first year. I finally had to buy paper products this month which was sad! Meal preparation at my house (and eating for the kids) is really important. I could not skimp on that or there would be mutiny. There were times they were not happy having store bought pizza shells instead of homemade but it all worked out. Some of them even start to pitch in more and help me out so I can study. Right now I am planning for fall again. I am getting my plan ready to stock the pantry and the freezer for fall.

As far as the work goes for school, keep up on your reading and studying. Review your notes every day - seriously. If you have read it many many times rather than just memorize it before a test - it makes such a difference. Do NCLEX style questions whenever you have a chance. For $10 I bought an app on my phone that has the ati nclex questions on it. All my class handouts are on my kindle fire so I can study at any time. I write up my review notes and upload that as well to my kindle.

Keep organized with your paperwork. Make a schedule of what skills/tests/indicators you have to meet each semester. Other nursing schools seem to be like mine: Unforgiving. If you miss a date it is your responsibility to figure out how to meet the goal.

Do not whine. No matter what. Smile and say thank you very much. If they see your weakness or the fear in your eyes, you are toast. Figure it out - you can do it. Find a few friends in your class with a similiar work ethic and form an alliance. Share information and study together. We force each other to come to a study group prepared and then work on the same level of enlightenment.

Get an extra of anything that you could lose. If you can afford an extra uniform, get one. Keep it where you know where it is at ALL times. I have an extra stethoscope and watch in my clinical bag. I used to keep a special bag for clinicals but found I would take things out for lab days then not always put it back. My one friend loves having a separate bag. I check my bag before clinicals and load my pockets of my lab coat, check my pens, clip id on, etc. The important thing is to find out what works for YOU.

Sleep when you can. I used to never nap. I do now. If I know I need to stay up a little later to study, I grab a nap. It really helps. I dont like coffee so that was important to me. I found I will drink iced coffee now. Think about your sleep. The night before a test you need a good nights sleep - the magic number for me is 8 hours. I can think clear. Other days I am good on 6. Oh and most nursing instructors dont like yawns (and even sneezes) and have been known to ask students that yawn to leave.

Respect. This is really big at my school (and should be everywhere). Respect the instructors. Regardless of how many years you worked somewhere and how they changed dressings is different - doesnt matter. You wont pass a skill doing it the way you learned if it is not the same as the schools. RElearn it their way. Even if you dont agree with it, dont argue it. I have seen a lot of disrespect from BOTH sides of the desk.

Stay calm. You can work out any situation you are faced with - just stay calm and go through one step at a time. THINK. That is the key in nursing school - so just think it out and go forward.

This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I am working hard and at times I am exhausted - but I am doing it with good grades, and a meal on the table (most nights).

GOOD LUCK!

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Jun 11, 2012

If you feeling you are drowning in school, get help as soon as you can. Don't forget to sleep and eat and exercise.

Brannray · Jul 6, 2012

They don't allow us to record any lectures!! =(

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2012

If you're a good notetaker, you don't need to record lectures. I never recorded them ... I listened once, took notes and moved forward. For me, listening to the same lecture twice was a waste of my study time. I was more productive rereading my own notes and doing practice questions. The only time I listened to recorded lectures was when I could not make the lecture and I had a classmate send me their mp3 recording. I would sit, listen, take notes, delete.

rae869 · Jul 17, 2012

Make concept maps and draw pictures...even if you are not artistic these will help...you can do this for pharmacology too...and peppermint candies during studying, lecture and tests (sensory memory)....Sonic Neuro drink on the way to class...

Peny · Sep 14, 2012

Do you have someone that makes all these cartoons for you or are you the deigner of them?

angie1114 · Sep 22, 2012

wow that is inspiring. I am in my first semester of nursing school and I am 45 will be 47 when I get my RN license. I know it wont be easy and not sure how to react to the way every one worries about the stresses of nursing school. BUt I believe that through Christ all things are possible. Thanks