The Diary of Nursing School Notes

One of the hardest skills for nursing students to master is studying. It seems simple, right? Just sit down, pull out a book, take the caps off of all of the new pastel colored highlighters, and just start marking sentences. Easy, right? Wrong! Studying requires organization, time management and discipline. It would be great if studying were as simple as coloring in a coloring book but the truth is, it sometimes takes years to master. The awesome news is, I’ve tried to cram all of those years into about 15 minutes worth of reading!

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*You need to know what your learning style is to study more effectively. There are several sites that can assist you in determining what that style is, or you can visit your student support services and take an assessment there. Most colleges include these types of assessments during orientation stages of admission. Once you know what your learning style is, you can better prepare to study.

*There should be a venue selected for you to study. That’s right, pretend you are throwing a party for yourself every day. Locations should not include your bed, or in contrast, noisy public areas. Studying while in bed coerces you to want to nap or watch TV. These are two things that won’t assist you in obtaining a passing grade. Some options for studying can include a library, den area of a home or your bedroom, if you have somewhere to sit other than your bed. Regarding time, pick a time that is convenient and realistic. It is not realistic to study late at night when you are tired and overwhelmed from your daily activities. Studying right after class may be more beneficial because newly learned material is fresh in your mind.

*Taking breaks while studying will keep you motivated to continue and may decrease your anxiety levels. Most adult learners have short attention spans and are unable to focus for more than 50 minutes at a time. Why is that? It’s because they have other daily life issues on their minds. Many college adults also have jobs or live on their own, these things also take a priority. Taking a 10-minute break every 50 minutes allows for relaxation techniques to be implemented, the mind to process material and a chance to write down questions related to material. Getting into the healthy habit of taking breaks also helps prevent fatigue and burnout.

*Attending college is hard work! Studying is even harder because you must learn so many other skills: discipline, time management, prioritization and self-reward. Self-reward you say? Yes, you should reward yourself for a job well done and for meeting your studying goals. Think of it as paying yourself with treats for working so hard. All work and no fun decreases motivation and dulls your passion for the profession. Go to the movies with your friends, attend GHOE (Aggie Pride), buy those new shoes or binge on Netflix for a couple hours. Finding balance is what nursing is all about, learning to do that while in nursing school will prove to be an invaluable lesson.

*One of the most important study tips I can offer is to please ask for help when you need it. Many nursing students develop pride while enrolled in a program. Pride in the profession is great but pride on your grades below C’s are not. Recognizing when you are no longer able to stay afloat, is detrimental to a passing grade. Waiting until finals to realize you can’t do it alone is honestly too late and asking someone to assist you once you reach finals is unfair. Soliciting help while you can still be helped is key when trying to improve grades. There is not a tutor alive that can perform CPR on a D grade at finals. Leave your pride at the door and seek out assistance, start with your school and then branch out if need be. Many schools offer free resources and tutoring but unfortunately most of those services may be for general courses.

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The time is always right to begin implementing positive and effective study habits. The methods that were used in high school or other college majors may prove ineffective for nursing. The primary reason nursing school is difficult is that it requires critical thinking skills. Nursing school theories are not concrete, they require abstract thinking, high level problem solving skills and the ability to make split second decisions. Take all all of that into consideration and couple it with the responsibility of also learning hundreds of drugs, individualizing patient care plans and learning a new language (medical terminology). Nursing school is going to be hard but your study habits can help to lessen the complexity and complications with moderate effort and consistency.

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