How often do you study?

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I am curious as to how often you all study or how many hours per week or per day you work on school? My goal is to devote 2 hours a day studying, reading, etc. I am wondering what has worked best for you all?

I think that you find as you go through school how much studying you need to do.

On top of being a parent, I worked full time during nursing school. Additionally, I have a horrible problem with my attention span and somehow managed to get through high school and college by compensating...and I did not study. I just couldn't do it. I would get distracted or fall alseep. Somehow I managed to retain the information from lecture to do very well and graduate with honors- but everything was done last minute and at the maximum stress level because I COULD NOT "STUDY". Studying for me was intending to get up early on the day of a test, not getting up early, and flipping through my notes in the parking lot 45 min to a hour prior to exam time.

I do not recommend my method- although it worked out nicely for me, I think that it caused early aging. You will figure out what works best for you with time. :) Good luck!

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I studied at different times on different days. It would depend on what was going on that wk. Clinical days I was usually done for when I got home. At best I reviewed things I saw that day that I didn't gave a good understanding of. I used to make a study schedule and plan out what I was covering on what day. I planned out it out all the way to the test. I usually typed my papers on lecture days, just b/c when I got home I was tired of info I listened to them talk about for hrs. so it was a change of pace. I used Saturdays as review or difficult concepts or catch up on care plans/papers. Sundays I took off and spent with my family. Sometimes if things slowed down I would even devote entire days to writing papers and getting them out of the way. I used hate having that hang over my head, so I knock it out as fast as possible.

If I were you I was use your syllabus and print out a calendar and start plugging things in by their due dates. I was successful, made good grades and graduated using that method! Good luck to ya! :)

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Do majority of you spend 2-3 hours a day, 7 days a week, studying? 21 hours on top of class/clinicals and homework/papers?

Just looking for more feedback on this. I am a person that can get by with just a little studying, but the downside is I test well, but then seem to forget once the test is over. Maybe it depends on the person.

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Specializes in Medical Telemetry, SICU.

Can people please specify if your in the actual nursing program or pre-nursing. I'm pretty skeptical about 1-3 hours a day for the actual nursing program b/c I got by with that for pre-nursing only.

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Yeah....pre-nursing studying is nothing like nursing school. I'm in first term nursing school (Fundamentals) and I study ALL the time. Probably 2 hours on weeknights and 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There is no "down time". I don't care how good your study habits were in pre-reqs, you will need to improve on them for nursing school. You need to organize and be very efficient with your time. On top of all the reading, care plans and concept maps and dosage calculations tests.....do as many NCLEX questions as you can get your hands on. I spend hours a week doing these and it has paid off.

Before nursing school I had it in my head that I wouldn't study much on the weekends because I wanted that for my family. Well....reality hit and I never leave home without something to study. 20 hours per week of studying is not unrealistic....on top of 4 full days of class.

Having said all that...I'm having the MOST fun in school and it is much more rewarding that I could have imagined. Yes, it is ton of work, but I don't mind it because it is so interesting.

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Specializes in NICU, Cardiac.
Yeah....pre-nursing studying is nothing like nursing school. I'm in first term nursing school (Fundamentals) and I study ALL the time. Probably 2 hours on weeknights and 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There is no "down time". I don't care how good your study habits were in pre-reqs, you will need to improve on them for nursing school. You need to organize and be very efficient with your time. On top of all the reading, care plans and concept maps and dosage calculations tests.....do as many NCLEX questions as you can get your hands on. I spend hours a week doing these and it has paid off.

Before nursing school I had it in my head that I wouldn't study much on the weekends because I wanted that for my family. Well....reality hit and I never leave home without something to study. 20 hours per week of studying is not unrealistic....on top of 4 full days of class.

Having said all that...I'm having the MOST fun in school and it is much more rewarding that I could have imagined. Yes, it is ton of work, but I don't mind it because it is so interesting.

This. No way that I could only study 1-2 hours 4 days a week and have the weekends off. I'm 1st semester Nursing. I'm exhausted.

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Specializes in Medical Telemetry, SICU.
Yeah....pre-nursing studying is nothing like nursing school. I'm in first term nursing school (Fundamentals) and I study ALL the time. Probably 2 hours on weeknights and 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There is no "down time". I don't care how good your study habits were in pre-reqs, you will need to improve on them for nursing school. You need to organize and be very efficient with your time. On top of all the reading, care plans and concept maps and dosage calculations tests.....do as many NCLEX questions as you can get your hands on. I spend hours a week doing these and it has paid off.

Before nursing school I had it in my head that I wouldn't study much on the weekends because I wanted that for my family. Well....reality hit and I never leave home without something to study. 20 hours per week of studying is not unrealistic....on top of 4 full days of class.

Having said all that...I'm having the MOST fun in school and it is much more rewarding that I could have imagined. Yes, it is ton of work, but I don't mind it because it is so interesting.

Yea its ridiculous amount of work but I love the information too! Completely different from what I expected. I want to study as much as I can not b/c I have to but b/c I feel I need to. All this info is to take care of people and I want to know as much as I can to give the best care in the future. Prior to NS I had the fear of getting out of NS w/o knowing what I'm doing but with all the clinical hours I'll definitely be prepared. :)

This. No way that I could only study 1-2 hours 4 days a week and have the weekends off. I'm 1st semester Nursing. I'm exhausted.

lol Agreed.

My schedule of studying/homework, watching videos, practicing skills is pretty much every day. I study as much as I can so that the one day I do see my bf or go out I won't get behind. I try to get ahead in my readings b/c starting tomorrow I have a test every week until Dec. except one week in Nov -_-.

Monday - about 8 hours not including breaks

Tuesday- 2-3 after work

Wednesday 2 hours

Thursday - 6 hours

Friday - I kinda slack off after 6 hour lab so 4-5

Saturday - 1-2 after work

Sunday - 5-6

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

When I was in school, I studied 2-4 hours/day. It just depended on what I was studying and also what all I had to do for that day...

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Specializes in ICU Surgical Trauma.

I spent at least 4-5 hours a day on reading and other assignments outside of class. Some day I would study for 6 hours but study for 2 hours the next days. But it balance out

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