Useful advice

As an aspiring nurse, I’ve spent plenty of time in the hospital around nursing students. As a result, I’ve collected some useful advice from students on getting through nursing school. Some of these may seem obvious, but they can be easy to forget when you’re in the heat of the program!

1. Self-care is crucial. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise and apply what you’re learning in nutrition class to yourself. You have to be able to take care of yourself before you can take care of someone else.

2. Work hard with a system that works for you. Different study systems work for different people, and even for different classes. For example, I take notes on my phone with an app I downloaded and then play them in the car on the way to and from hockey. Other methods include making up songs using medical vocabulary and using flashcards and acronyms. Find study methods that work for you. Nursing programs are hard, so make sure you’re putting everything you have into your classes. Remember that what you learn will be used to protect and save lives later in your career, so don’t just study for the grades—study to learn.

3. Develop good study habits and be organized. I find it helpful to prepare for classes by reading assigned materials that we will be covering a day before lectures, and then reviewing them within a day after the materials were taught. There have been scientific studies that say this is helpful to retain information. Being organized is important for almost anything you do. I use my calendar on my phone with all the exam dates and other important dates, and also a personal calendar for the daily tasks I need to do. There are plenty of apps out there that will help you with organization skills. 

{Kim B., me and Heidi T. = study group aka support system}

4. Form a study group. Nursing programs are unique in that the group of people you know will most likely be with you throughout the program and take the same classes as you. So I have made friends. Even if I prefer studying by myself, I still remember that nursing is a cooperative career where you have to work with others to give the best care to your patients. My study group of nursing students has also become my support system, since they know what I'm going through when I get frustrated or discouraged.

5. Get a NCLEX review book. I had a nurse named Brett at work that put this on the list of things you could do from the very first semester because he said I should be doing this even when it’s not crunch time.

6. Believe in yourself and don’t give up. I heard this at Morgen's high school commencement, and it applies to me today. When times get tough, remember the reason why I wanted to become a nurse in the first place, and call on my support system for help if I feel I've forgotten or feel too overwhelmed. I'm not the only one going through this, it helps to talk to my fellow nurses.

7. Remember to relax. Have a good sense of humor, don’t forget to laugh and breathe even when things get hectic.

Bonus advice: Be the kind of nurse you would want if you were a patient yourself. This is the nursing version of the “golden rule.”