Nursing school is tough, and if you want to survive, you’ve got to learn how to study efficiently. Here are 5 nursing school study tips and hacks that can help you succeed.
Nursing School Study Tips
1. Don’t think that you have to read every single word in your lengthy reading assignments. Instead, skim the chapters and concentrate on titles, bold words, chapter summaries, and key points that your professor emphasized in their PowerPoints or lectures.
Ask yourself, “What is this chapter about? What are the main sections discussing in the chapter?”
That’s not to say that you should NEVER read word for word. If you don’t understand something, or if your professors indicates that a particular section or chapter is very important, by all means, read that section word for word.
However, skimming is a good strategy to get the gist of what a chapter is teaching, and then you can fill in knowledge gaps by reading specific sections, watching lectures, reviewing notes, or by practicing quizzes.
2. Keep alternating studying methods to reduce mental fatigue. When you are tired of reviewing notes or book sections, pull up a YouTube lecture on that topic. When you are tired of hearing lectures, practice some NCLEX-style quizzes.
Keep switching things up so that when you’re tired of using one type of study method, you then switch to another. That way, you can keep the momentum going in your studies, and your mind will absorb the material better.
While you are doing that, focus on what’s being repeated in those textbooks, lectures, quizzes, and notes, because THAT is the important stuff you need to remember for exams.
3. Invest in a study guide for topics that don’t click. You don’t need a study guide for every single topic in nursing school. Otherwise, you’d have an insane stack of study guides!
However, you do want to invest in a study guide for topics that you find challenging. Look for one that is going to include methods you prefer to memorize and retain information, such as mnemonics, quiz questions, and illustrations to help you grasp those tough topics.
PS: I just created a digital study guide notes on fluid and electrolytes that includes my note summaries, quizzes, and more. It is available for purchase right now in Nurse Sarah’s store.
4. Avoid cramming. Cramming might work for a single exam, but when it comes time to take proficiency exams or the NCLEX, that study strategy will come back to haunt you.
In nursing school, content builds on itself, and if you fall behind, you will start to feel the pressure. Instead, force yourself to dedicate regular time to studying topics for exams. Block out time on a regular basis to practice NCLEX-style quiz questions.
By doing a little at a time, the content will stick in your mind better, and you’ll be able to recall that information much better on exams.
5. Get organized. I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay organized while you are in nursing school. That is one of the points I mentioned in my “4 things I wish I knew before I started nursing school” video.
How you get organized doesn’t matter, as people use different methods. For example, some people like paper planners, whereas others like to use apps.
Whatever tool you use, be consistent, and use it to stay up with exams and projects. I would use a paper planner when I was in nursing school. I would get my syllabus from each professor, which had a list of all my tests and projects.
That first week, I’d write down everything in my planner. I would constantly look back at my planner and block off time for upcoming exams and projects.
Many times, multiple exams will fall within one week, so you’ve got to start early and know what’s coming up weeks in advance.
Conclusion: Nursing School is Tough, But You’ve Got This!
Nursing school is tough, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you succeed. By studying smart, you can keep things interesting, absorb the material better, and reduce stress and fear of failing.
Whatever you do, don’t give up. It is very common for nursing students to feel overwhelmed. It’s normal to question whether you’re smart enough. However, I believe you’ll do great! Hang in there.