Study tips and Supplies for LPN students

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I just got accepted into a LPN program at St. Josephs School of Nursing a coupleof days ago and I'm extremely excited! In high school I never really studied before a test because it was all easy things and I know that that is going to change once nursing school starts. I've been trying to make a list of things that I want to make sure I get for school to help me stay organized and help me study. I have a few main things on my list as of right now and I was hoping people could share their own study tips and supplies that have been useful to them as well. I know that I'm going to be buying a flashdrive that can hook to my keychain so that I can have my documents that are saved on my flashdrive with me where ever I go. This way I will be able to work on my paper at different places. I think that is super important so everything will get done before they need to be handed in. Obviously one of the most important school supplies needed is notebooks, in order to keep notes and summaries in. I want to get a planner to keep all my important dates in and homework as well as things i need to study for that day.

any other ideas?

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

My husband brought home a desk calendar. I have it hung on my wall. I will write down all my assignments and in BIG BOLD letters I will write down all my tests, quizzes or if a paper is due. I like the idea of the flash drive. Im gonna use this idea too. I agree with the notebooks. I heard a nurse say that she uses different colored ink to write down her notes for the patients. I think I'm gonna tweak the idea for my notes. Reg info in black or blue ink extreme important in like red and side notes in a diff color. So far that is all I can think of. If I remember anything else I will post.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

What has helped me survive so far are notecards. if i needed anything it has been tons and tons of notecards. also notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, a planner with enough room to write in assignments and test dates. I also started a countdown on my phone for graduation day, keeps my head up to know it's not so far away!

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the pen ink is a really good idea!

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I also use color coded pens. My favorite study tool is 3x5 note cards in different colors. They fit in my scrub side pocket perfectly and I can pull them out at work and review. Books and notebooks weren't practical (or portable enough) for studying at work but the notecards are perfect.

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Specializes in IMCU.

The flash drive on the key chain is a great idea.

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I bought a Pulse Smart Pen.. I have trouble catching everything during lectures. This pen is a dream when it comes to completing and reviewing notes, and I highly recommend it. It records lectures as you take notes, and if you miss something, you just tap your notes and it replays what you missed! You can also buy a little flip notepad to use with the pen and small enough to fit in your pocket. Perfect for clinicals! It is a little pricey, but is something you will use over and over again!

Good luck and Congratulations!

:yeah:

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Specializes in Home Health, Education.

I don't know about your school, but when I was in PN school, we weren't allowed to use PDA's or anything like that during clinicals, so I went out and bought a good student drugbook to look up meds in and Mosby's PDQ for LPN, which is a small pocket-sized reference guide full of procedures, lab values, etc. that'll you need to be familiar with in school and throughout your career.

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Be careful with the recording devices. My school doesn't allow us to record lecture.

I use the notecard books, they are more expensive but I can keep up with them much better. I don't have random cards out of place. I have a "flipbook" or two for each test. So when finals come, I just have to flip through them. I love them because you can slide them in your scrubs and take them out any time you are sitting still...doctor's office, carline for kids' school, waiting rooms, etc.

I also started taking notes on my laptop and making powerpoint presentations. I am a fast typer so I can pretty much get every thing the teacher says, then I also incorporate the text that she highlights, handouts, and overheads. One teacher uses powerpoint presentations but won't give them to us, so I'm able to type everything on her powerpoints while she's talking. Most people don't get them all. The powerpoints are easier to follow and my attention span is lacking so I can read through a few slides and then come back, without having to figure out where I was in the book and start over. The flipbooks help with that as well.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Please note the new sticky I placed about some of the supplemental books that I found assisted me while in LPN school. Of course, because these will probably be supplemental to what each school requires, I would probably obtain them in used condition, but, they may be helpful for students.

Best of luck, everyone!

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