How to get straight A's in nursing school?

crossfitnurse · Sep 1, 2013

Overachieve in your studying, test yourself constantly from various sources - not just your issued books.

There. There's no "magic." Just know it like the back of your hand and don't get caught up in "being too good" for anything.

Stephalump · Sep 1, 2013

The problem with the best laid plans of nursing school is those pesky NCLEX-style tests. I have some brilliant, hard-working friends who don't make straight A's because their minds just don't "think" the way NCLEX wants them to think. So I have some advice, but I wanted to preface it with that little disclaimer. Not to diminish the hard work of those who excel, but I think luck plays a part in it, and in many cases those Bs and Cs should be just as celebrated as the As.

So here are my tips:

1: Get organized.

I'm pretty sure my professors throw 10 million things at us at once to force us to get and stay organized....or suffer. I and a few of my AN buddies swear by Evernote/OneNote to keep everything together and accessible when you need it. Other people love binders and dividers, separate plastic file folders, and who knows what else, but what's important is that you pick a system, evaluate it's effectiveness, and alter it if it isn't working. That will translate well over to your personal nursing practice in the future - don't forget to evaluate!

2. Get Ahead:

You can do everything, but you can't do everything well. So don't let yourself get to the point where you have a mile long to-do list and you have to half-bottom your way through just to meet those deadlines. Prioritize and get moving. That will also translate to your nursing practice.

My friends and I got a bit of eye-rolling from a few peers when they noticed us working on things way in advance. But we weren't over-achieving. We simply looked at our calendars and realized we could lighten the load of some of our crazy weeks by doing certain things during light weeks. I've never pulled an all-nighter in NS and I won't.

3. Ask "Why."

In life, in school, in your career, you never want to do something "just because." So your instructors aren't (or shouldn't be) teaching you anything "just because." Interventions are done for a reason, drugs work for a reason, communication is phrased in particular ways for a reason, paperwork is completed for a reason.

There will be a gazillion things for you to remember to do. You can either spend a gazillion and one hours making flash cards and trying to memorize them all in a rote fashion, or you can step into the situation in your mind, see the whole picture, and let the "why's" drive you.

4. Think Outside the Box

I read and do my homework and all that, but I tried a whole bunch of study methods and found what worked best for me. It isn't what they recommended in orientation, and it probably wouldn't work for everyone, but it works for me. I rely heavily on NC,EX question books - I have multiple types for each subject and I do every single question, reading the wrong and right answer's rationales. While my five year old is in her room playing pretend, I'm in my room playing pretend. A patient just came in with congestive heart failure,..now what? It helps me synthesize all the random pieces of info I'm getting from lecture, lab, and clinical.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

Eat good food, see your friends and family, sleep, go for runs or swims or whatever you're into. You can't be perfect at everything, so try your hardest and the LET IT GO so you can start fresh and positive the next go-round. I don't think you can be successful and constantly feel like you're teetering on the edge of a cliff, so take a step back and just enjoy the view. :)

Nurse2b7337 · Sep 2, 2013

Stephalump that's some good advice!!!

Thx!

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scrlet · Sep 2, 2013

I'm a mature student as well and honestly, I think it is an advantage. Common sense isn't so common and critical thinking as well. You need those two things. I don't know how many times I've heard people tell me answered they put on a test and didn't get it right, just because common sense was lacking or they couldn't critical think.

Honestly, I don't do all my readings, I don't have enough hours in the day. BUT I don't just memorize what I know, I learn it. Learn the details, the why's, the why nots and how it all works and comes together. There was one question on an exam I had, I didn't know the answer AT ALL, but I went through how it all worked in my head and why and then I was able to come to the right answer.

Ask your teacher questions. When I want to know something more in depth, I email my teacher after class (I know not everyone wants to know what I want to know)

and theres always a glass of wine to destress LOL good luck, If you work hard you will get the there !

THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN · Sep 2, 2013

I work full time and do my program full time. I dont care about straight As. No one really cares unless you're trying to get in somewhere fancy and you have no experience.

RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN · Sep 2, 2013

I'm an older student with 2 college kids at home, 2 dogs, a husband, I work PRN at the children's hospital, and I've maintained a 4.0. I never cram, I study a few hours every day, and I practice NCLEX questions over and over. Knowing the material isn't enough -- you have to be able to apply it. I could stress less, study less, and easily get Bs but for me if I can get an A, I want the A.

ThePhilster · Sep 2, 2013

It matters to me because I want to go to grad school and want a competitive edge.

crossfitnurse · Sep 2, 2013

OVER study. Live breathe eat your text book and practice NCLEX questions.

There's no "trick" to As in nursing school. what you put in is what you get out.

Good luck!

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2013

Even if you get one or two B's, you are still just as impressive. Straight A's don't guarantee anything. Dont stress yourself out over perfection.

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BeansMama · Sep 3, 2013

Just be careful, at our school even if you study your butt off and have straight A's you can still fail in the blink of an eye. We have compentencies, many of them each semester, that are pass or fail. You get two chances. Seems like enough opportunities until you actually fail one of them (I did! But I passed the 2nd time). Then you realize that you need to cover all aspects of the program. Don't forget to practice your skills while you're studying your butt off. Calm your nerves. Learn HOW to take the tests as well. If your teachers are passing out resources, use them. The's a reason why they are passing them out. Our teachers allow us to record lectures. And if there are any small assignments that are in your grade be sure to do them (and on time), they make a huge difference. (Ours are weighted into our grade).

Good luck!

Keseratops · Sep 3, 2013

Besides studying and taking what you do seriously, I think there are some key factors.

1) Gain enough credits prior to nursing school so that you are not among the last people eligible to register.

2) Once you are able to register faster then others, do serious instructor research. Ask higher semesters about their teachers, look at ratemyprofessor.com, and ensure that your instructor does not have crazy expectations, habits, or poor grading reputations. Also make sure that they are competent enough to teach you what you need to know.

3) If you have a gripe/issue with a teachers make sure that you document every step, because you may have to fight for your grade if you know you deserve it. Befriend your classmates and make sure you stick together on key issues.

4) Speak up to your teachers, but choose your battles. In my school at least, some teachers wrote their own poorly worded, unvalidated test questions, and it affected my grade, so I found a ton of evidence, and if needed went up the chain of command if fairness was not restored. But I did this sparingly.

5) Build positive relationships with your teachers. No, don't suck up, but do be professional.

6) Use Youtube.com to find lectures to supplement your nursing studies. There are some great teachers out there to teach Patho, A & P, etc. Also use this for visuals, so you can better remember the content.

7) Remember why you are doing what you do, and the bigger picture. Nursing is hard, but awesome.