Please Share Your 5 Most Effective Study Strategies

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I'm starting a 12-month ABSN program in January 2010 and I would like to know what works best for studying in nursing school. In my pre-requisites I have found that reading the book is pretty ineffective and that I learn the material much better by actively engaging with it (study group, flashcarding, watching educational videos on CD, using practice study figures...you get the idea). All ideas appreciated!

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1. Doing tons of NCLEX questions (buy several books like Saunders,incredibly easy series, Mosby's, etc.)

2. Get in a study group (My group each takes a section of the notes and breaks it down into charts which are a lot easier to read)

3. Record lectures and listen to them whenever you have a chance (which for me is in the car)

4. Re-write your notes

5. If you have time after all that read the book (or buy a condensed book like med-surg made incredibly easy)

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Charts and tables in the books are important, and unless I have a specific question have all I've looked at.

Depending on the class, I take notes and write down just about everything said. I space out and if I'm writing I'm listening and don't have the extra space in my head to zone out.

I take notes on my notes to clarify and pull out important details. I use paper with a wide left margin (it's called legal ruled) so that I have space set aside to do that. I use one of the 4 color teacher pens to do the notes on the notes and also to make diagrams more clear with different colors (hasn't really applied in school yet but certainly did in A&P).

I haven't really gotten in to a formal study group yet but will for the coming quarter. I have Saunder's and Evolve's NCLEX review book (which also serves as a HESI review guide).

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Specializes in Oncology, Palliative care.

1. Flashcards, flashcards, flashcards - indispensable tool for learning anything

2. Highlighters- I use them on everything. Don't be afraid to mark up your book. Get different colors for various tasks.

3. rewrite your notes, just the act of doing this helps cement it in your mind. Doesn't have to be perfect, but the repetition is the most important thing

4. Print PowerPoints and write notes on the slides....this helps connect written with visual and auditory. That triple connection again helps cement things in your brain. The more ways you learn it the better you retain.

5. Teach it to someone else. When I had to learn Kreb's Cycle in Micro the best thing I did was teach it to my high school son. When you can expalin it to someone you have really learned it.

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1)Study in advance! My worst habit used to be waiting until a night or two to try to cram all the info in there..and just pray. But for nursing, you can't do that! Lives are in your hands, so you must study and learn (not memorize!)

2) Flashcards (like someone mentioned above) are amazing and surprisingly helpful! Write a bunch of notecards out, different colors for different chapters, and take them with you EVERYWHERE! Study while you are waiting in line at the bank, during commercial breaks, waiting on your next class to starts, etc. You will be amazed at how much you learn just be studying and familiarizing yourself with info.

3) Get organized! Before classes start or the first week or so..go buy a bunch of binders and dividers and highlighters and flashcards and anything else you think you might need. Get a planner. Write all your assignments down. Hole-punch everything and put it in your binder before you leave the classroom..don't stick things in your book because you will lose them! Take a few minutes each day to straighten everything up. Rewrite your notes so they are neat, that way when test time comes up you don't have to worry about finding those powerpoints and that handout..you have it all and you can be focused!

4) Make the most of your study time! Go to the library and be prepared to study, not facebooking or checking email or texting. Turn your phone off..don't take a laptop..dont take an ipod. Find a quiet area and study study study! After an hour or so, give yourself a break and go get a drink or go check your phone. My teachers always tells me you learn best by studying in increments. Don't try to go 4 hours without a break because you will notice that you have re-read the same sentence 4 times and arent retaining anything anymore.

5) Find good study partners! You will be amazed at what you get done when you have the right people around you. Good study partners can point out facts you might have overlooked or be able to explain something in a way that might be easier for you to understand. study with people who take nursing as serious, or more serious, than you do..

good luck :)

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1. I love flashcards! (Doesn't work for everyone, but I write mine out, which reinforces the material, and I save them so I have them to study for the final).

2. Review what they give you in class (e.g. PowerPoints, outlines, etc). - this is what the professors feel is important (i.e. what will be on the test!)

3. Don't try to fight your learning style - if you need it quiet and no people around in order to retain info, then don't make yourself attend a study group. Do what works for you.

4. If you can get your hands on NCLEX-style questions for the area you are studying, do 'em!

5. Make sure you understand "the big picture" (such as the pathophysiology behind the area you are studying.) It will make the labs, diseases, and symptoms make sense.

:specs:

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I LOVE this website! Thank you all so much for the feedback. I haven't even had a chance to read through it all yet (studying for a final I have tomorrow). I did want to take a moment to give you all a big THANK YOU, however. :)

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Specializes in Intensive medical care.

1. Reading the book BEFORE class really does help tie it all together when the professor is lecturing. This being said, there is a lot of reading and life does get in the way. If you can't get to every single word on every single page, learn to skim effectively. I find that the first sentence, the middle 2 and the last sentence of each paragraph is usually what I really need. If it's a topic that I'm weak on or not grasping well, I'll make sure to read the entire section. Also, read the summaries in the back of the chapter

2. Do the questions/videos/workbooks that come with your text. It helps a lot.

3. It's been said before but yes, rewrite your notes. Or at least flesh out the ones you already have. It helps to commit things to memory and to understand the material

4. Find and awesome study group - two heads are better than one and so on

5. Reward yourself for little accomplishments or take breaks during your study sessions. It's a lot of stuff to go through even if you pace yourself. You learn better if a 5-10min break every hour or so.

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I am currently in a ABSN program I am just finishing up my 1st year and finally got the studying down.

-I have to tell you that the only reason I am doing good in my programe is because of my study group. I know it sound lame but it so ture. Passing is a group effort. the best thing we do is when there is assigned reading we all take section and write chapter summarys. they come in handy during exams. It also help when teachers assigning you an impossible amount of reading because you then can split up reading and then just read the summary. It not a way to get an A but when you have 200 pages to read in 3 days it enouph to get a B.

-Do as much work as you can ahead of time.

I suggest learing you pham. drug classes ASAP. get flash cards it will come in handy.

-use all your resources. useing you writing center. I have lost stupid points by not having someone check my APA

-its hard but you can make it.

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Specializes in Emergency.

1. Online notecards. Studyshack.com - you can search already made by previous students or make your own. Make the notecards as you study and review them a couple times before the test.

2. Group Study. One person needs to lead and question each other, over and over.

3. Note taking as you study.

4. NCLEX questions / Evolve Questions/ Book Questions

Thats all I have used throughout school. I graduate in May with a good GPA.

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Specializes in Med Surg/MICU/Pediatrics/PCICU.

I have to say thanks as well to all of you who posted these wonderful suggestions. I am starting in my nursing program in March and haven't found an easy way to study that actually helps. And I can't wait to try these suggestions hopefully I can finally accomplish things.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

This is just a little addition to wlb06's (post #9) first note about using Studyshack.com for notecards. I use that site and it has been great. I typed every one of my Mosby's Medical Terminology cards into studyshack. I then use gflashpro on my iphone and can access my list! I don't have to carry around cards, just download them once onto my phone and have them anytime.

I'm not in NS yet so can't give you a relevant list of 5, but I did figure out one thing during my pre-reqs that saved my butt. I am taking 5 classes and the amount of assignments was overwhelming trying to keep dates straight, even with my daytimer. So, I made a spreadsheet. I put in every single date from discussions to final exams, the class they were for and the date due. Then I did a sort by date from earliest to latest. Now I know what comes first and just work down my list, making a big black line through the completed assignments. I also highlight term papers and projects that I need to start on early. This system is the best thing I have done in regards to studying and the very first thing I will set up when I take my last 6 classes in the spring.

This is a great thread, please keep posting!! Maybe I can contribute more next year!

Good Luck!!

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