Best Planner for Nursing School

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Jan 3, 2018

I start on Monday, but I actually made my own planner. I bought a journal at Target, and went from there. It's just lined pages that I break up into weeks (weekdays only) with colorful tape and cute stickers and stuff (look up supplies for bullet journaling), then I leave two pages blank for notes (lists of assignments, or just reminder for myself). Then I start the next week. I wanted to be able to change things up as needed instead of being stuck with a particular design.

This is the journal I got. It's the perfect size for me, and the quality is great. Target : Expect More. Pay Less.

jess.mont, ADN, RN · Jan 3, 2018

Many people recommend the Me and My Big Ideas planner that you can get at any major craft stores - Michaels, JoAnns, etc. I got one for this year because I had a coupon. I like that it has large boxes for each day in the weekly section. I'm making myself a bit crazy, though, by writing things in the monthly and daily spaces as well as entering them into my Google calendar AND writing them on my whiteboard calendar. I'm so afraid I'm going to forget something, but this has to stop or I'm going to spend all my time entering things...

itiswell · Jan 10, 2018

sweetcheeks2626 said:
HI- I am about to start nursing school in a couple weeks!
What planners did you use and/or like the best? What are some other tools that you absolutely loved or saved your hide through nursing school?
Please advise! Thank you so much!

Honestly...any planner will work okay. I really don't think you need anything fancy. I just got a cute one that I liked at Target and used different colored pens to represent my different classes. That system worked well for me the entirety of my nursing program.

Rionoir, ADN, RN · Jan 10, 2018

iStudiez :)

caliotter3 · Jan 10, 2018

I always just ended up using a free pocket planner that I got somewhere. Some of my employers have handed them out to employees at the start of the new year. Best tool I found was a Livescribe SmartPen system.

verene, MSN · Jan 10, 2018

The best planner is one that you will use!

I have an academic year weekly/monthly planner similar in style to this: 2

Nursferatu · May 23, 2018

Classes don't start til Aug but I used an Erin Condren Life Planner when I was taking my pre-reqs. Very organized, functional and pretty but VERY expensive once I personalized it ($75)! Michael's craft stores have a line called Recollections Creative Year. Basically an ECLP knockoff but with their in store sales I bought one for $15 (50% off). Recollections aren't as high quality but they fit my budget and allow me to go wild buying stickers and accessories. Someone else said it, whatever planner works for you is the best one. You have to be diligent about writing things down and opening your planner EVERY day. I still put some things in my phone so that I get reminded an hour before an appt. Weekly vertical is the style I like most but once I start the nursing program I may switch to daily if I feel one page per day better suits my needs for tracking academics, clinicals, and home/diet needs.

jess.mont, ADN, RN · May 23, 2018

Chiming in to update that I completely abandoned my cute planner after about two weeks of school! I loved it because it was pretty, but I really liked having everything in Google calendar. Our school gives us a plan-ahead calendar prior to orientation week that shows us the entire semester, so I put all of that into Google and then added things as I needed to. Plus, I had at least three calendars in Google - family stuff shared with my husband and daughter, personal stuff, and nursing school, so that helped keep me organized.

Another organizational tip for anyone reading this who hasn't started yet - in my program, we spent the first 8 weeks learning skills in the lab. Our instructor suggested that we take the day before lab just to prep for lab and then plan our studying for theory around that day. Lab also went from 9 to 4, and she suggested not studying for theory on that day if we could help it. That way, when we started clinicals, we would already have those days blocked off for clinical prep at the hospital and clinical day, when there was definitely no time or energy left to study. This worked very well for me. Our program is a little different because it's self-study without formal classes held on a regular basis and tests taken whenever you are prepared to pass them, but I think this could work for others, too.

direw0lf, BSN · May 23, 2018

Have something with A LOT of extra space! I jotted notes down like "theophylline therapeutic range" or "5 P's are.." it was good because then I'd keep seeing those notes and commit to memory.

I could not go without my planner! I just used the school's planner they gave us. But I found templates online that are free you can print out. This is one: Just a Girl and Her Blog - Creating a beautiful, thriving home, life, and business. she has a lot of free school templates and calendars for download.