How to be Successful in Nursing School

Mkelly · Dec 16, 2015

Have thanks that you're in!!! I still need to pass the tabe test. I'm so scared about that. What kind of entrance exam did you have to take? If I get accepted I will finish in May of 2017!!!

KThurmond · Dec 16, 2015

I didn't graduate but I passed first semester. You will learn the basics in coursework such as nursing process, ethics, death and dying, legal.stuff, etc.

In labs you will skills such as vitals, head to toe assessment, and various other skills including bed making, bedpan, trach suctioning, inserting NG tube, etc.

Some of it will be second nature to you since you have been a CNA for so long.

C means continue. Thats what you have to tell yourself when you don't get the grade you wanted. Take lots of notes, follow reading assignments, and take advantage of the practice problems your textbook comes with.

I had a weekend retail job and used 5 hour energy shots. I wasn't diagnosed wirh Bipolar 1 yet so I wasn't mentally ready at the time. I regret it now because I miss the program and have to start all over.

Other tips: it goes by fast so don't get behind, learn how to apply the information instead of just know it, use lab time to practice even when you think you have it down, and think positive. Thats all I can think of at the moment. Hope it helps.

VicChic20 · Dec 18, 2015

I took the TEAS V test for the pre application process. It wasn't a super hard test, but definitely needed the time to study to get familiar with the material.

HarvinMonteria · Dec 21, 2015

I am currently in the LPN program now. I just finished up my first term, and I passed with all A's. Was it easy? Heck no, but its very much worth it. The only advice I can give for you to be successful in nursing school is to devote yourself and allow Nursing School to be your FIRST priority! If you put it second to anything then you're leaving yourself opportunity to slack. Being that you are a CNA, your first semester should be a breeze because it's the fundamentals of nursing which is pretty much basic CNA work. You will be fine. Just manage your time wisely and stay in your books! I wish you the best of luck!

QueenOfTheNuts, ADN · Dec 25, 2015

To be succesful in nursing school I really think that there are a multitude of factors that come in to play. It's more than just studying and taking notes, but to do those succesfully I recommend knowing your learning style. with that you can really use it to your advantage to learn. enable the use of things like pinterest (example: i use it to look up visual pharmacology pictures b/c i am a visual learner), use YouTube (I watch a few popular nurses on there to help see another view outside of the class of the topic i'm studying).

the most important thing I have found to be successful is having an open mind. you have no idea what and whom you will encounter and if you pre-judge anything you can be disappointed greatly in your findings. when you are open minded (like during the class room, clinical or lab settings) you may find what you thought was a good way to do something was not and another way is a little better. you may find people that don't "seem" to have it all going on or seem different than you but i gaurantee you will learn something from them if you are openminded. I had so many "preconceived notions" about certain clinical settings and classmates when I first started and then something happened to me with a class mate who was a friend in which they judged me for my holistic/natural nursing views. THAT moment made me realize that my own prejudgement of others w/o knowing them limited my nursing school experience. after that moment, everything else was amazing. I opened up my mind and just thought i'll form MY own opinion about anything in nursing school w/o someone elses opinion influencing my decisions and see what happens. i tell you what, my nursing and even my CNA work (which i've been doing over 10 years) has greatly improved.

i also think that seperating school and work/home/life is important. I have a rule that when i'm at school it is school and when i am home its home and work is work. what i mean is this: i attend school for 5 hours. what i dont understand after lecture i stay for 1 hr after to jot down notes and questions and get an understanding. then I go home. when i'm home i dont study. i play with my kids (5 of them) I do home chores (i live on an acerage) and i enjoy my husbands company. (its a busy life but i love it). does this vary sometimes? yes if the content was really hard. but my family has to know i'm there for them too. when i work (at any of the 3 hospitals i'm employed at) then i'll take homework there and ask some of the nurses their tips for what i'm studying and then I try to improve my patient care based on the knowledge i have gained.

i think that is how i have been successful in a VERY hard nursing program this year. i'm one of the top students (not trying to be egotistical or brag) and am still there after over 20 have dropped or failed. with knowing my learning style its easier to sudy. with managing my time i can get everything done i need to (invest in a great planner or make your own).

when testing i recommend a brain dump: when the test start, write down everything you can on the scratch paper provided to "dump your brain". then always think ABS'c and Maslow. if you can think that way you will genereally do well.

i wish you the best of luck in your journey. you will go in one person and that person will be molded and changed in to something amazing when they finish and walk across that stage. you will and can succeed! YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS THINK POSITIVE AND THINK GRADUTION!!! never negative or you chance failing. good luck!!!

Bbrown36 · Jan 8, 2016

I will be starting my second semester of nursing school which is clinical lab & dosage calculations. Will we start on the math portion first or clinical lab on the first day back?