nursing study habits

Time for a nap

If you’re having trouble staying awake, but there’s still time to get some sleep before your exam, take a short nap. But don’t lie down too soon, or you’ll wake up groggy and confused instead of refreshed.

• Set an alarm for no longer than 30 minutes. Thirteen to 20 minutes is ideal.
• Drink coffee right before you fall asleep (it takes about 20 minutes to kick in). The caffeine will give your brain a boost when it’s rested.

Take good notes

• Take good notes.
• Take notes in class. I always take them on a laptop, but some people prefer handwritten notes because they have to write stuff down to remember it. Try both out and see what works for you.
• Take notes on whatever your textbook is, too. Even if the professor goes over most of the material in class, there will always be more information in your textbook that they don’t cover, including practice questions and other review materials at the end of each chapter or section. (These are super helpful! Use them!)
• Oftentimes professors will give out extra reading material that supplements the course content better than a textbook does (usually an article or two). Read it and take good notes on it as well! It’s probably not required reading, but you should do it anyway—you don’t want to be surprised by test questions on things your professor talked about that weren’t covered in either the textbook or class lecture!
• If you have any workbooks for additional study material for your classes, use those and take good notes in those as well! Honestly anything that you read for class should be taken note of.
• If the professor suggests doing some research for class (like looking up an article or case study), take good notes during your research process as well! Trust me this helps a lot when it comes time to write papers/presentations later on when you can actually refer back to something from earlier in the semester instead of re-doing hours worth of research again like I used to do before I learned how much easier life is once you just start taking decent notes from day one.
• If your university has online lectures available through websites like Blackboard or Canvas, watch them and take good notes while watching them! I took online classes over video lecture last semester; even though I had my textbooks with me while watching the videos, sometimes I didn

Make flashcards

One of the best ways to study for exams is to create flashcards. These are small cards with important information on one side and questions or notes on the other. For example, you may want to write “nurse interventions for a patient with a broken leg” on one side and “bandaging, helping the patient walk again” on the other. You can test yourself by looking at the question first, then checking your answer on the opposite side.

If you have trouble remembering all of this information, try making flashcards every night before bed. This should help you memorize it in time for your exams.

Ask your teacher any unclear questions

Your professor is the perfect resource for questions on nursing study habits. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, even when you don’t fully understand a concept. It may seem embarrassing at first, but an active attempt to seek out and clarify difficult concepts will only set you up for success in the future.

If you are hesitant about asking questions during lecture, try reaching out to your professor outside of class. While most teachers expect their students to come prepared with a multitude of questions, some can tell when students aren’t understanding key concepts and will take extra time after class or during office hours to ensure that everyone understands the material for their final exam. Your teacher wants you to succeed, so don’t hesitate to ask them any questions before it’s too late!

Be better at listening

Unfortunately, nursing students are often faced with studying in environments where they have little control over their surroundings. Some students like to study at libraries, while others prefer the comfort of their home. For those who choose to study from home, there is a good chance that other people in your house may be creating noise or distractions. There is also the possibility of distractions coming from outside your home such as neighbors and traffic noise. No matter where you choose to study, it is important for nursing students to learn how to focus and block out external noises so they can learn more efficiently….

Nursing students should take notes during every lecture or presentation they attend. If you’re taking notes on paper, it is recommended that you use a notebook with dividers so each class can have its own section…When listening to lectures, try not to let the instructor’s voice fade into the background. It is important that you listen carefully and are engaged in what is being said…

Practice makes perfect

Practices are the major thing in nursing studies, which helps you to gain knowledge as well as experience and also keep improving your skills. You can do practice through the following ways:

• Look for opportunities – When it comes to nursing studies, never miss any opportunity for practicing.
• Get a mentor – A mentor is someone who has great experience in his field and will guide you appropriately so that you can improve your efficiency. The best option is to get a professor from your university as he/she is well aware of your academic program.
• Find a real-life situation – While doing practicals, make sure that you try different things so that you can be comfortable enough with them in future when facing actual scenarios.

Read the book first before class

There is no greater feeling than listening to a lecture and knowing what the professor is talking about. If you are able to understand, highlight and apply the information in your lecture notes, then you have a better chance of understanding that material on exams. This can help alleviate some of the stress related to class work as well.

For example, if you read ahead and already know what’s going on in class, then there’s no need to go back through all your notes again after class. You can simply review the themes that were emphasized by your teacher and move on with your day! That being said…

Spend time with your teacher before/ after class hours

Teachers, particularly university profs, are required to have office hours. Some hold them before school starts or after it ends. Others have them after class for an hour or two. If you have questions about a lesson that you didn’t get to ask in class, ask your teacher during their office hours. This will increase your chances of getting the right answer before you move on and continue studying and preparing for tests/quizzes.

Additionally, if you take 5-10 minutes to talk with your teacher before or after class hours, they may be more inclined to remember things you tell them and help you in the future. Thus this is also a great way to build a relationship with your teacher so they can potentially write letters of recommendation for jobs/research positions in the future!

Go over your notes and textbook regularly

You should be reviewing your lecture notes and core textbooks on a regular basis. This will help you build recall, which is important when sitting exams as well as when practicing in the field. We recommend that you review your lecture notes once per day. You should also read through your core textbook every week, or two to three times a week if possible.

When looking over your notes or textbooks, think about what you are reading – do you understand everything? Are there any unfamiliar terms? Can you explain it in different ways? If not, research those unfamiliar terms and concepts so that you can revise them at a later date. It’s important to remember that this isn’t just about learning new information: it’s about developing familiarity with the course content and key concepts, which will make writing exams easier when they come around

good habits make great nurses

Practice makes perfect. The more hours you spend studying, the better prepared you will be for your nursing career. We’ve outlined some helpful study habits that will keep you on track during this exciting and sometimes challenging time:

• Make a study schedule. Plan out what subjects and topics you want to cover each week before class. This way, when review days arrive, you won’t be scrambling to understand all of the material at once.
• Set goals. You’re likely taking classes that can earn credits towards your nursing degree or certification. Set goals for how many credits you want to complete each semester or year, so that it’s easier to stay on track and avoid falling behind in your classes. Make sure these are realistic goals—you may have both personal and professional responsibilities outside of class that make it harder to devote a large amount of time to studying every day.
• Take breaks and get enough sleep. In order to focus on learning as much as possible from your classes, it’s important to take short breaks throughout the day—even if they’re just 5-minute coffee breaks—and get adequate rest at night (which is generally about 7-8 hours per night). If your brain doesn’t have time to slow down, process information and recharge, it may be difficult for you to be an engaged learner in class, or even remember what happened earlier in the day by dinnertime!