a new nursing student

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2006

Good luck!

1) Stay caught up, don't ever ever get behind. 2) It's their program, their game. You're the student, they didn't design the program around you, your desires and your needs. Play it their way without rocking the boat. 3) Don't worry about what your fellow students are doing, mind your business.

PurrRN · Nov 20, 2006

I second what Tweety said and emphasize the studying. Make sure you plan to do so every day like a work schedule. Getting behind sucks and pretty much correlates to a stress attack/lowered grade (in my case anyway). Lots and Lots of Luck.

Finally2008 · Nov 20, 2006

Good luck to you! Find a good study partner or study group. Try to match yourself up with someone who has the same work ethic and study skills. I could not have made it this semester without my girls!! Oh, and just try to stay focused on one thing at a time or you will get overwhelmed. Nursing school is one test, one checkoff, one careplan, one clinical at a time or you'll get crazy!

purplekath · Nov 27, 2006

Well first - good luck! My 2 cents:

Work smart, not hard was my mantra in nursing school!

Start a planner/diary type arrangement. Then plot your weeks using 30 minute study chunks as guides. A 30 minute chunk might be stuff like:

* Read 4 pages in the text.

* Write a paragraph of an essay.

* Make and revise 10 new flashcards for an upcoming exam.

* Practice a clinical skill (eg: vital signs) on someone.

This is how you stay ahead. When you get an essay to write for example, break down the steps into 30 minute chunks (eg: writing an outline, collecting research materials, building it paragraph by paragraph, referencing etc) and then insert each chunk into your planner. Plan to have the LAST chunk happening a week or two before the due date..that way if you have a busy day here and there, you have a little time up your sleeve.

Now of course in life, you can't always live by the planner! So, learn to prioritise...if you get the flu for example, and you find yourself feeling like you are going to get behind, don't just start panicking. Go through your planner and work out which 30 minute chunks you can remove (nb: the more you remove, the lower your grades will be), or modify. For example, if you know you have to do some assigned reading for a class and the teacher is likely to be asking you questions....you might decide to just read the key points, or the end-of-chapter summaries. It may not be ideal, but it is better than doing nothing.

Best of luck!

luvs2readlotsRN · Nov 29, 2006

Never, ever miss class or clinical!

As stated by everyone else: get a study plan and stick to it.

Don't get behind.

Don't be afraid to go to your instructors for help.

In clinical lab...practice makes perfect

and Enjoy the (bumpy)ride!