Hey Everyone,
I received another “ask me a question” and this one comes from Briana and here is what she asked:
“I have a question for you… I start nursing school to get my Registered Nurse RN may 5th this year… Do you have any advice for me about getting started with the program? What should I do and not do? How many hours a night should I study?
Thanks, Briana”
Nursing School Advice
Briana thanks for your question. First of all, congrats are getting into nursing (accomplishment in it’s self). Here are what I think about the dos and don’t of nursing school are:
Things to Do in Nursing School
Get a planner (you have to be very organized and time oriented), if you don’t pass your first test get a tutor immediately to prevent failing other tests (usually schools supply them for free). I usually use the first as a tool to help me see if I will need a tutor for the course or not. Schedule days for yourself to have “me” time….for example schedule time to hang out with your friends or go shopping.
Trust me if you don’t you will get burnt out. Get plenty of sleep….don’t cram for tests…it doesn’t work in the long run especially if your finals are comprehensive. Start feeling out what area of nursing you want to go into before you graduate….don’t wait until the last semester of school because you might go into something you hate. Get a mentor or a friend who has already graduated or is above you in school to help you out with things like: professors tests (what to expect), who is the best professor to get…etc. Mentors help you out a lot. Take advantage of your time during clinicals and learn everything you can.
Put yourself out there and make yourself known. Give school everything you got even when you feel like quitting because it is only for a short time (2-4 years) and then your done forever (unless you want to go back for a masters). I swear all the work you will put into nursing school is so worth it. I can attest to that.
Things to Avoid in Nursing School
Avoid negative people. For example, people who tell you that nursing school is the hardest thing in the world and you will never pass. Also, stay away from negative people before exams….they tend to stress you out and cause you to question yourself. I have had this happen to me many times and my grade did suffer. Try not to stress (easier said than done) just take it week by week not month by month. Try to avoid skipping classes.
Overall, just go by your gut and do your best and you will be fine. Regarding how many hours you should study depends on how well you absorb material. I’ve heard that you should study 2 hours for every hour you are in class a week. For example, if you are in a class for 2 hours that day you should study for 4 hours that week. Here is how I do it: If I have an exam I wait exactly one week before the test to start studying and I only concentrate on that class. I will put about 12-14 hours of studying in that week for the test and that method works pretty good for me but that is my method.
I say a weekly average for studying should be about 6-10 hours a week. But find an amount that works for you because people learn material at different rates.
Briana, congrats again and I wish you much success. Thanks again for your question and don’t hesitate to hit me up again with any other questions!
Thinking about going to Nursing School?
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