A major complaint of most nursing students is that they are highly stressed and are not coping well with the academics. This should not be the case, yet it is. I would like to share with you tried and tested methods on how to become an A student, but more importantly have true learning take place.  Firstly, it’s good to know that there is no course of learning that is easy and will flow without difficulty. Ever more importantly pursuing a degree program in nursing, maintaining great grades whilst keeping up with clinical skills can be highly stressful. Success can greet us all and here are some of the ways to do so:

Get Organized!

1. The good student is not only disciplined but is also an organized one. Make a REALISTIC study time table- schedule in your eating, sleeping, clinicals, classroom hours, and socialization time. Your study time table creates a rhythm for your body that helps you to keep a structured day. It gears the user in sticking to the commitment of that time slot and highlights to him or her when target goals for the day have not been achieved.

2. Utilize faculty advisors and that of the bulletin for your nursing program.
Choose electives that enhance your learning while nurturing interests not facilitated in your current program for Example:- Introduction to Violin or Medical Terminology.  Make use of your faculty advisors, they are there to guide you through your program while assessing grade achievements and progress being made.

3. Utilize Technology
Most if not all students own hand held devices or gadgets to facilitate the ease of learning. It is prudent to download applications, and e-books related to your courses and for NCLEX preparation. Use the extra 10 or 15 minutes that you wait to get a bus or to stand in line for a cup of coffee to review A& P, pharmacology dosage or medical-surgical conditions on your tablet or notebook.

4. Curb those Relationships
College is the premier place where bonds are forged, relationships and friendships are made.  Those who are married, have children or coupled off have it especially rough when it comes onto their partner being facilitative. Take the time out to explain to him or her rigors of your courses, make compromises and get that extra support needed from family members so as to prevent emotional burdens, which may interfere with focusing on school.

Study Effectively

1. Study In Systems! This is the best way to gain an appreciation of what you’re being taught but more importantly to understand it. When you group the Respiratory System together for review, it saves time and energy spent to gain knowledge. Students tend to make the mistake of studying by conditions, for example choosing 5 conditions from 4 different systems. The advantage of studying by systems is that Medical and Nursing Management tend to be of the same treatment route, thus it prevents one from OVER-studying and losing precious sleep time. The same can be done for pharmacology; drugs should be studied according to their purpose under the system they relate to.

2.You may have heard it many a times before and it will be said again-DO NOT CRAM! Cramming raises your blood pressure, creates unnecessary stress and gives no beneficial appreciation of subject content. There is a great possibility after sitting the exam you would have forgotten all that was soaked up in that short period of time. Spread across your timetable 1 hour blocks to review notes for internalization, after which try and verbalize the content to a friend, make a video of you talking about your study material on YouTube, for example: Renal Failure or Tweet about the signs and symptoms while going to class.

3. Do not study in your bed, crowded place, or anywhere you know friends will swing by to talk or hang. That defeats the purpose of setting aside quality time to meet your own academic objectives for the day.

4.  Study in small groups of three or four with other individuals who will aid your understanding, add to the groups overall success and not draw continuously from group members. Go prepared to these study sessions as they provide great opportunities to review internalize and clear up misconceptions about a given area.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Multiple Choice Questions (M.C.Q’s) I believe are the hardest question format that one can be tested with. It evaluates your intimate knowledge of the topic at hand. While Essay questions give the student the opportunity to write their way into a great grade. M.C.Q’s stick to the specifics of choice, the answer is either (a), (b), (c) or (d) and there is no way around it.  I impress upon you not to do practice M.C.Q’s until you have covered the topic area well. M.C.Q’s will highlight any deficiency you have in critical thinking, knowledge or application-thus one should do them when they feel sufficiently prepared.

Eat right, exercise, maintain good to great mental health

Eat right, exercise, maintain good to great mental health and avoid situations that have a negative impact on you.  Believe it or not, the human body cannot run well if it’s not properly taken care of. Thus it is your responsibility as a future health professional to try and mirror much as possible good mental and physical health.

In concluding, I implore you to get help where you can. Find out if your class has adopted a “big brother, big sister” nursing mentor program. Sophomores should help freshmen out in finding their place re: academics and campus life. To the seniors, the juniors need your help as well before you graduate.  Maximize your clinical experience and try to get hands on knowledge with procedures. Do not graduate without having competence in certain nursing procedures.

Always remember-Your Patient is Your Textbook! You may not remember the condition specifics for exams, but that of how you nursed the client whom you met 3 weeks ago on your unit.  

Finally…….EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL & HAPPY STUDYING!!!

Kadi Campbell Bio