How to Study in Nursing School, Career Near Me
How to Study in Nursing School, Career Near Me
Nursing school can be hard even for the most studious person, so of course, you want to figure out the best way to do it. You can get through if you set up a study plan and take good notes. You'll also need to use your time wisely when reading for class, so that you're not wasting time and energy. Finally, be prepared to put in the time you need to review for exams.
Method 1 Learning Critical Thinking Skills.
1. Work towards comprehension instead of memorization. It's nearly impossible to memorize everything you need to for nursing school. Rather, you need to learn concepts and work on your critical thinking skills. When you're on the nursing floor, you have to analyze situations to figure out the best outcome, and those skills are often what you'll be tested on in nursing school.
When studying, it helps to look at the whole instead of a small part of the concept. If you're looking at the respiratory system, get an idea of how it works as a whole and what can affect it instead of just memorizing its parts.
2. Think through the "why" of an answer. It can be easy just to select the right answer when you're working through practice questions at the end of a chapter. However, it's important to think about why that's a good solution and what the possible outcomes will be. For instance, you may decide to check the airway of a man who's wheezing, but it's important to remember that's correct because you always check the airway first.
When you're a nurse, you'll be faced with situations where several "answers" may seem right, but you have to choose the one that's best for the situation. Therefore, it's important to start thinking through scenarios now, so when you're on the floor, it becomes second nature.
3. Use other nurses' experience in clinicals. One of the best ways to develop critical thinking skills is to learn from the expertise of more experienced nurses. For instance, when you see a more experienced nurse make a decision, ask how they came to that conclusion. Even if you think you understand, ask about their thought process. Similarly, if you run across an issue where you're not sure which path to take, ask for help. As you listen to how other nurses make decisions, you'll start to think the same way.
For instance, you may see a nurse decide to check a person's blood pressure out of the blue. Ask why the nurse is doing that so you can understand their thought process.
Method 2 Understanding the Format of the Nursing Exam (NCLEX).
1. Figure out the format early in nursing school. Your professors want you to pass your licensing nursing exams, so they format their tests in nursing school like those exams. Teaching yourself the strategy early on will help you learn to think critically and give you an edge when you finally do take the exams.
2. Learn how NCLEX builds questions. On the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, you'll face questions based on Bloom's Taxonomy. All that means is that questions are written at different levels, starting with the first level, "remembering." As you move up the difficulty levels, you'll need to understand, then apply. After applying comes analyzing, evaluating, and creating. On the NCLEX, most questions are at the level "apply" or higher, meaning the questions will require you to thoroughly comprehend the material, not just remember facts.
For example, if you can remember the range for high blood pressure, you can get a remembering question right if it simply asks you "Is 200/100 mm/hg in the high blood pressure range?"
However, higher level questions require you to analyze situations and apply your knowledge, rather than just give a straightforward answer. For instance, the question might be "A patient has a blood pressure level of 200 over 100. What action should you take in this situation?"
3. Read each question thoroughly. It's essential that you read every single word in the question. As you do, look for keywords that will point you in the right direction, such as "primary," "first," and "initial," which tell you need to establish a priority. Other phrases, such as "further teaching is necessary," tell you that you're looking for incorrect information in the answer; this question is asking what the client said to demonstrate they need further information, which means they must have stated something incorrect about their medical issue.
4. Reword the question so you can answer it simply. The question will be wordy, and you need to simplify to help it make sense. Reword it so you can give a yes or no answer or offer a short, direct piece of information.
For instance, consider the following question:
A patient comes in with a blood sugar level of 550 mg/dl. He also seems to be having trouble breathing, as he is wheezing. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
You can reword the question to say "What is the most important action to take?"
5. Work on priority questions. Priority questions are ones that basically require you to triage patients using the acronym ABC, which stands for airway, breathing, circulation. Airway means you've established a clear airway. Breathing means you've made sure the patient is breathing. Circulation means you've made sure the heart is pumping.
You'll use these to prioritize the interventions for a patient and to choose which patient to see first. For instance, the airway always comes first, because the patient can't breathe without an open airway.
Similarly, if one patient isn't breathing while another is, you choose the patient who's not breathing to be treated first.
Method 3 Creating Good Study Sessions.
1. Create a set place to study. Just like going into the office puts you in the mindset to work, having a set place to study puts you in the correct mindset for studying. You'll be doing a lot of studying in nursing school, so you want to be sure you have a place to do it. It doesn't have to be elaborate. You can even just set up a small folding table in the corner of your bedroom. Add a lamp and a chair, and you've got a place to study.
2. Schedule study time for each nursing class. It's easy to procrastinate when you don't have a plan. However, if you have a plan, you're more likely to follow through. Set aside time each day for each one of the nursing classes you're in. Try to schedule a bit more time for the classes you're having trouble in, as you'll need more time to comprehend the material.
3. Write down important dates. When you get your syllabus, take time to write down the dates for your assignments on a master calendar. That way, nothing will sneak up on you.[10]
4. Add in break times. You may need to study for several hours a day, but that doesn't mean you should sit down and not get up until you're done. That will only wear you out, and you won't retain as much information. Short breaks will help you feel refreshed, so that you can get on with studying. Make sure you're taking a 10 minute break every hour or so.
Try taking a short walk to get your blood pumping.
5. Eliminate distractions. Turn the television off. Set your phone on silent, and close down any extra tabs on your computer if you're using it. You need to focus solely on the material. If you need a little bit of noise, try using an ambient noise website or video, which adds background noise that's not as distracting as music. You can also try instrumental music.
Method 4 Taking Good Notes.
1. Come to class prepared. Nursing subjects are not always the easiest to grasp, and if you come to class without gaining a little knowledge on the subject first, you'll likely be lost in class. Take the time to go over any materials ahead of time, including going through the assigned reading. It can also help to read over the notes from last week's class.
For instance, sometimes you can download the presentation or notes ahead of time, so you can be ahead of the game when class rolls around.
2. Synthesize and write down notes as you listen. You can't write down everything you hear. You can't write fast enough. However, try to get the main ideas. Keep in mind, what the professor goes over in class is likely what will be on the exams. Plus, if you can synthesize by putting ideas in your own words, you'll actually learn more than if you try to get it down word for word.
If your professor uses PowerPoint presentations, you may get a print out at the beginning of class. If so, you can jot down any big ideas that aren't on the slides.
Sometimes, you're just not up to taking notes well. If that's the case, try recording the lecture for later. Always ask your professor first if it's okay, though.
3. Re-write your notes when you get home. After you take notes in class, go home and organize them by re-writing them. It's best to switch formats, so if you started on your computer, hand write them this time and vice versa. As you go, take time to process the information, looking up anything you don't quite understand.
Method 5 Reviewing Materials.
1. Read only what you need to. Often, materials in textbooks repeats what you learned from the last chapter. While that can be helpful, you only have so much time on your hands. Scan through the chapter to find the new information you need to learn, and focus on that. You can use section headings, as well as the first sentence of each paragraph to help you figure out what you need to read.
2. Practice after you read the section. Reading the material is not enough to help you retain it. You have to practice it and apply it, particularly in nursing school. One way to help yourself apply it is to work through any practice materials or questions at the end of the chapter, as it will force you to think about the material.
3. Make cue cards and flash cards. Flash cards are when you put a term one side and the definition on the other for reviewing purposes. Cue cards are when you make a card or page that lists the main ideas for a certain topic so that you can refer back to it as needed.
For instance, maybe you want to make a cue card for the respiratory system, including diagrams of the anatomy, relevant terms, and common ailments.
Another similar idea is to make summary sheets of the information.
4. Make studying your life. Even though you want to prioritize comprehension over memorization, you still need to memorize some information. It can help to incorporate it into all aspects of your life. For instance, use your flash cards while watching television, and tape up statistics in places you'll see, such as on the bathroom mirror. With enough repetition, you'll easily start memorizing some of the information you need to know.
5. Use other resources. Nursing school includes difficult concepts, so you may need extra helping learning certain things. You can find a large number of free materials to help you review, from YouTube and Khan Academy videos to nursing review sites. In addition, you can buy materials that will help you review, such as medication review cards, so you don't have to make them yourself.
6. Work in a group. As a nursing student, you'll have a lot of material to memorize. Working in a group can help make it seem less overwhelming. You can quiz each other or even set up a mini game to make it more fun. Just make sure you stay on topic, or the group will be useless to you.
7. Ask for help when you need it from tutors. Most nursing schools have tutoring centers where you can get some help with things you're having difficulty understanding. If your school doesn't provide this service, try reaching out to someone in your class who seems to understand the material better than you. Plus, they'll benefit, too, because teaching material helps reinforce it for them, too.
8. Attend before- and after-exam reviews. If your professor or student aid offers any review sessions before exams, of course you want to go. However, the reviews after an exam can be just as important, as they'll help you prepare for your licensing exams. They'll help you understand what you missed and why you missed it, so you won't miss it on the licensing exam. Plus, it will help you learn how to think through the questions, building your critical thinking skills.
9. Write down the questions you remember after an exam. Once you get done with an exam and leave the room, immediately try to jot down as many questions as you can remember. In classes with cumulative tests, knowing what was on each test can be really helpful.
10. Start way in advance for the licensing exams. These exams determine whether you can become a nurse or not, so obviously you don't want to try to cram the night before. It's best to start studying months in advance if you can. Make a plan to study each day in the months leading up to the exam.
