Top 10 tips for nursing school - Page 4

Treat every experience like it is a job interview.

- Your classmates are not your competition anymore, they are your allies. I couldnt have gotten through nursing school without some of the friends I made there.

- Your free time will dramatically decrease but still find something outside of nursing school you enjoy doing and dont give it up. If being a nursing student becomes your entire identity it'll be very difficult to de-stress.

- Get a planner/calendar and write down every assignment/project as soon as you know about it. Nursing is hugely about time management, and this is your first true test of your skills! Plan ahead so you can do some work every day and not be left with an overwhelming load by procrastinating.

- Others have said to read, read, read, use flash cards, and lots of notes, but I'm actually going to go against the crowd on that one. I'd say do what works for you. I personally very rarely read, I only used the books to read if there was a concept I didnt understand in class. Of course I did take notes, but instead of focusing on writing down every little thing the teacher said I just paid attention during lecture to let things absorb. I found that a lot of times when I was focusing on writing notes I wouldnt really process what the teacher was saying.

- NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS. I cant stress this enough. I was shy/scared to ask questions so I do understand being nervous, however in class/clinical is the place to learn it. You'll be much more nervous if you wait until you're an RN and its your license on the line. Plus, I guarantee you no matter how stupid you think the question is someone else is wondering the same thing.

Lastly, good luck! Nursing school can be stressful, scary, difficult, demanding, and make you cry, BUT you'll also make the best friends, learn a ton, make memories, and sometimes even love it

1. IGNORE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING, AND EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF. Cannot stress this enough. If I had to do it over, I would buy muzzles for a lot of my classmates. Good god.

If you're a wife and mother, let the house go!!!! Its ok to be messy. Also, take study breaks to refresh and relax the mind. Exercise to burn stress. Admit you know nothing, even if you do, and start at the bottom (learned that one the hard way ). Note cards and most importantly use the workbook offered. I have found I have read the chapter and felt I knew it but when I did the workbook questions I found that I didnt. Its a good way to learn how to answer questions. Oh, buy a NCLEX study guide. That also teaches you how to break down the questions and answer them.

1. Don't stress out too much, it's nursing not brain surgery
2. Study, but don't kill yourself. The questions don't only test your grasp of the material but also your reasoning ability and how much you can think like the test writer. There is usually more than one correct answer, pick the one your professor would think is the best
3. Always start at the patient. OUr aim is to provide patient centered care, not just focus on the medical management of their illness.


I know that's only 3, but my other 7 have already been listed numerous times.

[QUOTE=starry01;6780593]*7. Do not show that you are nervous by any means. Clinical instructors feed off your fears and will make your life miserable. You need to play the part.


I learned this one too late. Try your best not to show any "weakness" , all too many instructors will use it against you.

Sleep, if you can and eat a well balanced diet. It will help you in the long run. I will go to bed early even if I haven't finished my studying, because it does no good on my brain when it's tired. (I work 28 hrs a week and I am in a full time program.) Exercise helps a lot too, just 20 minutes of walking will help your brain work better!

Good luck!

My grandfather (who is a doctor) says the most important thing is S.E.X
Sleep
Eating right
And exercise

Good luck in school!

I love this :-)

Other people covered a lot of them - here are a few I have learned in my last year:

1. Adopt an attitude of gratitude. Things that frustrate you will happen - instructors may make mistakes, yell at you, or give confusing directions or explanations. When you are under a lot of stress, it is easy to see these things as "the last straw" - but try not to. Don't ***** and moan about your instructors - to other instructors, the director, or other students. It is unprofessional and immature. Walk away from this when it starts or try to turn the conversation in a better direction. Instructors are not perfect, but often enough they are instructors for a reason. They have years of experience you lack, and years of teaching experience. Many of them have given their lives to educating generations of nurses. If they get something wrong (maybe) - they deserve our respect and tact when we question and communicate with or about them.

2. Get at least 6 hours of sleep before clinicals. Sometimes you have to stay up very late, or pull allnighters, but the day before patient care isn't the time.

3. If you choose to mainline caffeine, it may stop working for you at some point. Use only what you need when you need it.

4. Be friendly and helpful in the best of spirits, but don't count on making friends. The reality is, you may not. But you will learn how to care for patients, how to stand up for what you believe is right, and what you are made of as a human being. Sometimes you'll have fun, sometimes you'll cry. Every day you will know what you are learning and doing is very important.