My Top Study Tips for Nursing School

One of my biggest challenges in Nursing School was figuring out how to study for my exams. Because let's be honest, nursing school exams are no joke. So learning how to study for them is important. Every nursing program will be different. Every course will be different. Your studying techniques may differ from mine. However, here are a few study tips that have helped me and may help you if you are just starting nursing school:

#1 - Study in Advance! Do not (i repeat - DO NOT) wait until the last minute to study for your exams. Like I said in previous posts, cramming does not work in nursing school. There's too much material to learn all in one day. Study a little bit of the material every single day - even if your exam is weeks away. If you do this, by the time you reach a day or two before the exam, it'll simply feel like more of a review and not studying.

#2 - Figure out what type of learner you are. Some students are a visual learner. Some are auditory. Some are kinetic. Figuring out what type of learner you are is helpful because you'll know how you learn and study information best. And you'll be able to find resources that are most beneficial to you. For example, I am a visual/auditory learner. I learn best by using diagrams, pictures, YouTube videos, and drawing the information out in pretty colors. I also learn best when my study group draws pictures and teaches me the information where I can understand it. 

And that brings me to my next study tip:

#3 - Study in Groups! Now I know that some people do not like study groups. However, I have found them to be super helpful. For the first few days or first week of studying new material, I study alone. I try to learn the material as best as I can on my own. And then, a day or two before the exams, I review the material with my study group. Study groups can be helpful because a person in your group may know something or explain a topic better than you studied by yourself. So I utilize both studying alone and studying with a group. 

With that said, it is important to study with the right group. Studying in a group where everyone is easily distracted and like to talk about everything but nursing will not be helpful or benefit you at all. So find like-minded students who want to go over the material like you do. 

#4 - DO NOT STUDY IN BED! I know it's comfortable to study in bed, buttttt....... you're more likely to doze off and waste valuable time by studying in bed and falling asleep. 

#5 - Study in the same place each time. I found it extremely helpful to study in the same place every time I study. That way, my brain knows that when I go to my "study place," it is time to study and nothing else. 

#6 - Music! Some people may disagree, but I have found it to be very helpful to listen to instrumental music while studying. Some people say it's distracting, however I feel that instrumental music helps me to not only concentrate better, but also block out any surrounding noises. I recommend searching for instrumental upbeat music on Spotify. There are tons of playlists on there that may help with the studying.

#7 - Take Breaks! Don't study all day without taking breaks. Your brain cannot absorb all of that information nonstop. You must take breaks. I usually will study in 30-minute or 45-minute increments and then take a 5-10 minute break. This works for me. It may work for you. How ever long your study increments are, you must take a break. 

#8 - Type It, then Write It. I have found it very helpful to type out my notes while I'm in lecture, and then write it out when I get home. That way, my brain has seen the material at least twice that day. And sometimes, I even re-write my written notes. But that's just me. 

#9 - Review the material after lecture. When you get home from a long day of nursing lectures, it's tempting to toss all that info to the side and not look at it for at least a couple of days. However by that time, your brain has forgotten more than half of it. Here's what I do: when I get home from class, I relax for a little bit, and then I briefly go over my PowerPoints and class notes. That way my brain is less likely to forget the material and it jump-starts my studying for the week. Like I said before, you DO NOT want to start reviewing the material the day before the exam. 

#10 - Pay close attention to your Professor! A LOT of times, your professors will drop hints in class as to what may (or may not) be on the exam. If your professor spends a lot of time going over a particular topic, chances are that topic will definitely be on the exam; so spend extra time going over that topic. Also, some professors will provide exam outlines or blueprints - use those to your advantage!

And those are my top study tips for nursing school! If you have any additional tips you would like to share or have found any of these tips to be helpful, make sure to leave a comment below!