As you are probably well aware, nursing school can be really difficult. I could probably right a whole book on my nursing school journey and the struggles I faced. However, I do think some individuals make nursing school harder than it needs to be.
I am simply scraping the surface, but I have compiled 7 of my top tips that I think would be beneficial for a nursing student to hear. These tips are intended to help make your nursing school journey a little easier and a little less stressful.
Here’s a quick look at what tips we will be exploring:
- Get your mindset right
- Leave campus after exams
- Utilize a planner/organizer
- Rest
- Exercise and eat healthy
- Study smart
- Make the most out of clinical rotations
Here is a video that takes a closer look at each tip if you want to check it out.
Also, check out these other posts with helpful tips for nursing students:
- How to pass nursing school exams
- How to study in nursing school
- How to stay healthy in nursing school
- Guide to clinical success in nursing school
- How to manage difficult patients
Tip #1 Get Your Mindset Right
Attitude really is everything. You can affect your destiny in a positive or negative way depending on your mindset.
If you have a negative mindset, then you will most likely experience a greater amount of negative occurrences. If you have a positive mindset, then you will most likely experience a greater amount of positive occurrences (as well as be better equipped to cope with negative experiences).
Many individuals will enter nursing school with preconceived notions. It can be difficult to eliminate these from our brains, but it is worth the effort to try.
Each student will have their own struggles and triumphs in their nursing school journey; just because a few students you know had copious bad experiences doesn’t mean you will too!
We should all be thankful for the opportunity to pursue a career in nursing and should view nursing school as a journey that will undoubtedly have its ups and downs. However, it does no good to continue to fixate on the downs
An important step to prevent yourself from being too negative over the course of your nursing school journey is to spend less time around peers who are overly negative.
It is normal to want to vent from time to time, but there is a time and a place.
Tip #2 Leave Campus After Exams
Whatever you do, DO NOT stick around on campus after an exam and discuss the questions on the exam with your peers.
This may seem like a harmless activity, but it can actually lead to unnecessary stress. All this will do is prolong any anxiety that you may have felt before and during the exam.
Some schools even prohibit the discussion of exam questions, so you could even get in trouble with your instructors that may lead to disciplinary action.
The best thing you can do is leave the school premises and take a few hours to decompress.
Take some time to relax and try to not stress while you wait for your exam grade to be posted. Take this time to exercise, take a nap, watch a movie or some TV, hang out with some friends or family, etc.
Tip #3 Utilize A Planner/Organizer
I mentioned the importance of getting organized in How to Pass Nursing Exams in Nursing School and I’m mentioning it again here because it is a crucial part of being successful in nursing school.
There are so many assignments, exams, lectures, clinical rotations, projects, etc. to keep track of and a planner can help with that process.
Use a system that works best for you and stick to it throughout your nursing program.
Tip #4 Rest
Pulling “all-nighters” is a thing of the past!
It is imperative that you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This will ensure that you are well rested for the various activities you will take part in each day.
If you find you are getting drowsy during your reading sessions, then it’s advisable to take a break- which could include taking a nap if you can’t shake that tired feeling.
It might sound like a waste of time, but you’re not likely to retain the information when you’re extra tired. You’re better off getting some rest and getting back to the grind with a rested mind.
Not every hour of every day has to be grind, grind, grind. Take a break and rest when you feel that you need it. There should be no shame in doing so.
Tip #5 Exercise and Eat Healthy
This is SO important, and I wish I would have prioritized this when I was in nursing school.
It is really easy to make excuses and say “I don’t have time to workout” in nursing school. However, the reality is that it is possible to squeeze in 20-40 minutes of exercise on most days.
Exercise has well known benefits for physical and mental health. Nursing school comes with a lot of stress, and exercising regularly can help combat some of that stress. Additionally, it helps prevent weight gain (and gaining weight in nursing school is unfortunately incredibly easy).
The good news is that you don’t even have to have a pricey gym membership in order to get in a good workout. There are tons of free workouts to choose from on YouTube. My favorite channel is HASfit; they have a plethora of workouts to choose from and helped me get back in to shape after gaining about 10 pounds while in nursing school.
Eating healthy is just as important because you will likely want to snack frequently while reading and studying. It is helpful to have quick, easy, and healthy snacks and meals on hand.
Some snack options to keep in mind:
- Veggies and hummus
- Yogurt parfait
- Hard boiled eggs
- Oatmeal and fruit
- Nuts and cheese
- Popcorn
You might also find it beneficial to meal prep over the weekend so you don’t have to worry about cooking after clinicals or long days at the library. Crock Pot and Air Fryer recipes are a good option, as well.
Tip #6 Study Smart
It is fairly well known that studying for nursing school is very different than studying for other college courses.
You will be assigned a long list of chapters to read, but there will be a lot of content in those chapters that is not “need to know” info.
“Need to know” info is information that is vital for success in nursing school, as well as your nursing career.
“Good to know” info is information that you should be aware of but should not focus too much time on.
Use the learning objectives given to you for each learning module to help guide your reading. Refer to step 2 of the 7 step guide on How to Pass Nursing Exams in Nursing School for more information on this subject.
Tip #7 Make The Most Of Clinical Rotations
The time spent in clinical rotations is your time to learn hands-on nursing skills. You will learn to insert foley catheters, IVs, NG tubes, etc.
You will learn how to administer medications via several routes, as well as begin to refine your time management skills.
This is your time to LEARN!
You are building the foundation of what kind of nurse you will grow to be so make sure you are putting your best foot forward.
Check out my top tips for making the most out of your clinical rotations here.
BONUS TIP
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Let me know if these 7 tips for nursing students helped you in any way and let me know your top tips that have helped you through your nursing school journey!
Happy Nursing!