Best Nursing Study Guides and Help Books while in Nursing School

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Hey guys,

I would first like to say how extremely helpful this website is for nurses at any stage in their career and school!!!

With that being said there is so many resources out here that can help you become successful in class, clinicals, and the NCLEX. One book I find helpful is "HOw to Survive Clinical by Dr. Diann L Martin" it is a book written by students and instructors and gives amazing helpful guides.

Anywho I have found so many other helpful guides and books. I was wondering if you all can share what books or study guides or apps helped you while in nursing school to be better prepared for lecture, clinicals, and NCLEX??

My school currently tests through ATI so I was wondering if it was also a good investment to purschase ATI study review manuals for all their coursework book, esp since ATI is the one that produces the NCLEX exam itself?

Anyways once again any adivice would be greatly appreciated so I am not buying a mountain of study guide books and apps for your phone lol

I am trying to do extremely well in school and clinicals so it will allow the application process to get into CRNA school a little bit easier and in addition having a good clinical experience to get job offers and nursing residemcy programs or good reccomendations from the clinical instructors.

Thanks everyone in advance

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Most people grab the yellow Saunders NCLEX review book, it's a pretty good review of everything. Some people in my class love the Reviews and Rationale series, I didn't like the format so I skipped it. I use Lippincotts Q&A for extra practice questions (highest quality IMO), I bought the Success Q&A for Pharm and med-surg (not as good, but neither one covers every topic).

I don't know what Region you're in, but I'd look into The Hurst Review. You buy it once and you can take their live course as many times as you want (for a year, so start taking it about a year before your nclex date). If I was starting over again. I'd take that every semester, and again after graduation. They have such a simple approach, and use plain clear language that helps tackle the core of NCLEX content. The book they give out with the course is good, fun, and useful for review.

ATI: Our school provided the books as part of our package. You can access the PDFs through the ATI website, but if you like hardcopies for highlighting and taking notes in then get the books.

ATI does not produce the NCLEX, Pearson education does (Pearson VUE).

The people getting the best grades, don't necessarily use review books. I get better grades when I spend a ridiculous amount of time reading the textbook, and then reading it again (not efficient, but as I like to say 'nothing about nursing education is efficient'). That said, having hundreds of practice questions for each chapter is helpful also, so the Q&A books are still useful.

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Okay I live in Florida. But thanks for the advice. I know some ppl say dont read everything the book but buy the success study guide books and practice the NCLEX study guide questions to better help with the exams like the Saunders book. Also my school does the same with ATI for the courses I just wanted to know if there were any additional aides that would complement or be extra helpful

But thans for your advice any help is greatly appreciated

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Thanks for the advice guys ;)

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Specializes in LAD.

I take ATI as well, and I would personally get the ATI manuals. My program provided them for us, and that's what I used to study for the exams. I noticed that my textbooks and the ATI manuals had some differences and it's very important to know the ATI information to answer some questions. ex: My textbook recommends X-ray, pH, and ausculating for confirming a NG tube, but ATI does not accept ausculating as a method to confirm it.

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Don't go overboard buying books because you won't have time to read them most likely.

But the saunders nclex rn review, med surg notes, nclex 3500 software cd, and good care plan book like the one by betty ackley, a tabers 22, medical dictionary, exam cram by rhinehart,,, are all must haves, and dont buy anything else... but maybe lab values notes... the ones i listed as notes are those little spiral bound pocket guide things. also youtube videos are great for skills.

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Ya this is so true.....thank for advised :)....

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