How to do amazing in nursing school?

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Hi everyone,

I just finished a 5 year bachelor's degree at a top university and will be applying for an accelerated (2 year) BSN program. I have heard all of the horror stories of nursing school, and I am assuming these horror stories will be emphasized if the program is compressed (2 years). I did get good grades at an incredible university so do have the study habits down. However, my goal is to become an NP which requires a master's degree. From what I've read, these degrees are EXTREMELY competitive (even more so than nursing school). Although I do plan to apply to every program in the country lol. But this is my goal and I will do anything. Fortunately, the earliest I will be able to start nursing school is September 2018. I am working on A&P pre-req at the moment, but apart from that, I plan to use the coming many months self-learning a lot of theories and parts of the courses that I will need to learn in the program... if possible. I know I won't be able to self-teach the exact course or anything, but I plan to take up a lot of reading to thoroughly prepare myself for the courses so I will be able to get as high a mark as possible. I am insanely determined. And when I have a goal, I need to meet it no question.

So, my question is, what should I focus my education on prior to starting nursing school? Any good books or subjects that I should thoroughly read up on?

Thanks!!

By the way, a lot of people have mentioned PA programs to me. I will be applying to one, but there are only 3 in the entire country and I do not meet the requirements for 2 of them so unfortunately this is not super realistic atm.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Hi everyone,

I just finished a 5 year bachelor's degree at a top university and will be applying for an accelerated (2 year) BSN program. I have heard all of the horror stories of nursing school, and I am assuming these horror stories will be emphasized if the program is compressed (2 years). I did get good grades at an incredible university so do have the study habits down. However, my goal is to become an NP which requires a master's degree. From what I've read, these degrees are EXTREMELY competitive (even more so than nursing school). Although I do plan to apply to every program in the country lol. But this is my goal and I will do anything. Fortunately, the earliest I will be able to start nursing school is September 2018. I am working on A&P pre-req at the moment, but apart from that, I plan to use the coming many months self-learning a lot of theories and parts of the courses that I will need to learn in the program... if possible. I know I won't be able to self-teach the exact course or anything, but I plan to take up a lot of reading to thoroughly prepare myself for the courses so I will be able to get as high a mark as possible. I am insanely determined. And when I have a goal, I need to meet it no question.

So, my question is, what should I focus my education on prior to starting nursing school? Any good books or subjects that I should thoroughly read up on?

Thanks!!

By the way, a lot of people have mentioned PA programs to me. I will be applying to one, but there are only 3 in the entire country and I do not meet the requirements for 2 of them so unfortunately this is not super realistic atm.

Are you not in the US? There are a heck of a lot more than 3 PA programs.

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Are you not in the US? There are a heck of a lot more than 3 PA programs.

Nope not in the US. In Canada. Only 2 in Ontario and 1 in Manitoba :/

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I wouldn't recommend trying to study nursing until you actually start nursing school. Half of what you'll learn is the material...The other half is how to use it.

You'll be fine in nursing school. Try not to worry. Yes, it's challenging, but it's definitely not the crucible that it often gets the rap of being.

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Nope not in the US. In Canada. Only 2 in Ontario and 1 in Manitoba :/

Yes sorry forgot to specify im in Canada

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I wouldn't recommend trying to study nursing until you actually start nursing school. Half of what you'll learn is the material...The other half is how to use it.

What about starting to study pharmacolody and pathophysiology? Or starting to read up on basic things such as baseline measurements/elevated measurements, etc?

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Yeah. Be up on your anatomy and your physiology. You can read some patho but again once you're in school there will be a new way you'll be required to think about the material that's difficult to imitate. Picking up a pharm book and learning the classifications, side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications of the most common meds isn't a bad idea either if you've got time on your hands.

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Yeah. Be up on your anatomy and your physiology. You can read some patho but again once you're in school there will be a new way you'll be required to think about the material that's difficult to imitate. Picking up a pharm book and learning the classifications, side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications of the most common meds isn't a bad idea either if you've got time on your hands.

Great, thank you! I have 16 months "to kill" lol so I suspect I will have some time on my hands!

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Great, thank you! I have 16 months "to kill" lol so I suspect I will have some time on my hands!

16 months eh? With that kind of time, if you're not going to be working you might as well buy a fundamentals textbook and a med-surg textbook and just read them each 10 times if you're super motivated, lol. Just make sure they're actually widely used nursing texts!

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16 months eh? With that kind of time, if you're not going to be working you might as well buy a fundamentals textbook and a med-surg textbook and just read them each 10 times if you're super motivated, lol. Just make sure they're actually widely used nursing texts!

Well I plan to get a job, but I'll still have lots of time since I have no classes (besides A&P), homework, or any adult responsibilities lol. Thanks for the suggestions I'll do my research into them and find some good books!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I'm like a broken record on these threads but in nursing school I've found so many students don't have/remember the basics of A & P, medical terminology and Microbiology. Those classes contain information you will need going forward and you need to grasp it, not just pass it. It's like moving to a new country and not speaking the language, of course you're going to struggle!

Good luck!

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2 year ABSN???? I will be applying to 1 year ABSN so I am even more worried than you now:laugh:

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