10 Ways to Achieve Success in Nursing School

[Hanna0225]

i know that for several of you will be starting pre-req classes or are going to start your nursing classes soon..

so i just had to re-post this!

10 ways to achieve success in nursing school

1. be prepared

in your first semester of nursing school, the only way to be successful is to hit the ground running. the only way to hit the ground running is to be prepared. make sure you've bought all the required books ahead of time. make sure you have a plans in place to manage your time. have kids? you better have a baby sitter you can count on. have a spouse? forewarn him or her that nursing school is a very time consuming process and you might not be as available to them as you were previously.

make sure you have the school supplies that you need - a good backpack or suitcase (yes, i said a suitcase - those books can be heavy!) will be necessary. load up on pens, highlighters, notepads. a good computer at home is also a necessity. you will also need a good calendar or date book to stay on track, which leads to number 2...

2. stay organized

familiarize yourself with your course schedule and make plans for how you will fit time in for studying. always maintain a "to do" list so you can keep your tasks prioritized. it's good to find a place in your home where you will keep all of your nursing related gear, so you are less likely to lose or forget anything.

stay organized in other parts of your life as well. when you go food shopping, make sure you buy foods that you can use to pack a lunch. cluster your household chores like laundry and cleaning so they don't distract you from your studying.

3. start or join a study group

one of the best parts of nursing school is bonding with other nursing students. no one, except for other nursing students, knows quite what you are going through. a great way to connect with others is to start a study group. there is power in numbers. study groups force you to be disciplined, as everyone should be keeping one another in check. it's also great when there are concepts that you are not quite getting. your fellow students can help spell them out for you.

study groups are also a great venue for brainstorming and creating mnemonics (a mnemonic is a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assist you in remembering something). you will spend lots of time memorizing things so the more help you have with that, the better.

4. keep things in perspective

nursing school is nerve-wracking, there is no question about that. but it really helps to keep things in perspective. you are working your butt off but there is only so much you can do. have you gotten a grade you are not happy with? vow to to better and move on instead of dwelling on it. not getting along with your clinical instructor? this clinical will be over before you know it and you will be ready to start the next one. do you feel overwhelmed? remember, each and every nurse out there has gone through what you are going through now. even the best nurses on the planet had to learn how to start ivs at some point in their careers.

5. stay connected to the outside world

when i was in nursing school, many of us used to wish we could just sit down and read a book or a magazine that had absolutely nothing to do with nursing. in retrospect, i wish i had actually taken the time to do this because it probably would have helped me to maintain my perspective.

it's great to stay focused on nursing, but life goes on all around you and it will help you to not lose site of that. do you have a hobby that you've been ignoring? take some time on a saturday afternoon to get back into it. spend some time with your kids/spouse/friends doing something that is fun. then, when it's time to get back to the books, you will feel rejuvenated.

6. take care of yourself

yes, you will be pulling some all nighters to get that term paper done. yes, you will find yourself toiling away in the library and will have no choice but to hit the vending machine. these things are inevitable aspects of nursing school. the key to staying in shape is making sure you counteract that with some healthy habits. take a long walk on your lunch break. take some deep breaths. eat some healthy food. spend the weekend catching up on the sleep you lost the night before a big exam. you will be glad you did.

7. invest in comfortable shoes

happy feet= happy nursing student. not much more can be said on that subject! i personally have always been a big fan of the danskos, but crocs are a close second as far as comfort is concerned.

8. use the internet to connect with other nurses

perhaps you've heard the expression, "nurses eat their young." perhaps you've even experienced that phenomenon in your clinicals. believe me, this is the exception rather than the norm. for the most part, nurses love to share their knowledge and experience with others, and connecting with other nurses on the internet is a great way to take advantage of this.

so where should you begin? right here on nursinglink. the best way to connect with others is to start a thread in our discussions. not sure if you want to specialize in pediatrics? start a thread in pediatric nursing. are you wondering if working as a cna while you are in school is a good idea? take a look at the career strategies thread.

you can also submit news articles and start a conversation about them. you can submit educational materials. have you written a paper that you really like? submit it here. posting your work on nursinglink is a great way to get feedback from other nurses.

9. keep a journal

it's inevitable. things are going to happen that will overwhelm you, **** you off, make you cry, leave you feeling bewildered. how will you process it all? a great way of doing this is by keeping a journal. it doesn't have to be anything fancy. it could be as simple as a notebook that you write a few paragraphs in when you need to get some things off your chest. or you could get a little more elaborate and start a blog. a blog is kind of like an online diary that you share with others. some student nurses maintain blogs where they post stories and thoughts about what it's like to be in nursing school. you can find a list of these blogs here.

10. remember why you chose nursing in the first place

are you still paying attention? good, because this is the most important step. at the end of the day all the classes, books, labs, clinicals, care plans, study groups and term papers don't add up to anything if you lose site of why you are doing all of this in the first place. ask yourself why you chose nursing and write it down on a piece of paper. keep it handy so that when you feel you are approaching a critical point of stress and frustration, you will remember that there is a reason for all of it.

and believe me, it's worth it. the day i received my rn license in the mail was one of the best days of my life; and even on the toughest days at work, i still go home knowing that what i do makes a difference in people's lives.

[cooliegirl]

Thanks Hanna great post, ill keep those pointers in my mind when I start this Spring 09. Thanks again girl, I see your name says wanna be Nicu Nurse. I wanna be Dialysis Nurse.

[hevnbnd4]

Thanks for the info and encouragement pointers........

I have one question, critical to my completing the nursing school.....if I'm on my feet too long (4 or more hours), my low back becomes very painful, thus causing the rest of my back to eventually spasm. I found this out when I was doing CNA work and my Doctor confirmed low back and neck limitations. If I can get through nursing school, then move into administration nursing....it could work....what do you think

[Hanna0225]

Thanks for the info and encouragement pointers........

I have one question, critical to my completing the nursing school.....if I'm on my feet too long (4 or more hours), my low back becomes very painful, thus causing the rest of my back to eventually spasm. I found this out when I was doing CNA work and my Doctor confirmed low back and neck limitations. If I can get through nursing school, then move into administration nursing....it could work....what do you think

You can do whatever you want.. just set your mind to it! :wink2:

[busynursingstudent]

Hi! I'm a new nursing student. I just started this semester but it's the second semester in the program. I've been out of school for a while as I have a previous career but am now changing course and returning to nursing. I really liked all the information you shared particularly with staying organized. Another thing that is really helpful is getting a darn bag with wheels on it. Saves your back! Unfortunately I am still at the point of trying to find a good group to study with. Since I'm entering a program where the other students have had the advantage to study with another the previous semester it kind of makes it difficult to break into a group... a serious studying group anyway. Anyway, the amount of material to cover is enormous so your tips in trying to stay organized will be well received. Also, don't forget to take care of yourself as well! Take your vitamins and minerals as only you would know your body to need and stay well hydrated and active. No use trying to get through your classes with a boulder on your back (feeling sick and all that).

[my2cents]

thks for the info!!

[ccbloom]

This is great info. Thanks!