The transition from taking pre-requisite classes to nursing school is quite the learning curve. In nursing school, you will learn that traditional methods of studying might not cut it for nursing school. Here are some ways that I studied to put in minimal effort for maximum output. Let me know what you guys are interested in hearing from me, a new grad ER nurse! Check out my contact page and About Me page to get to know me a little better.
Start an assignment right when you get it
The more you delay your assignments, the more work you have to do towards the end of the deadline. The day you get your assignments, start doing them. It can be as small as making the Google document and giving it a title, and that’s a start! Also, you want to ask any questions you have early in the assignment. You do not want to wait until the last minute to start an assignment and then have questions for the instructor the night the assignment is due. That makes a bad impression on instructors, especially if you want to get a letter of recommendation from them.
Use a Calendar to stay organized
I use Google Calendar to keep all my assignments organized, but I have seen my classmates use post-it notes, a physical planner, or even a piece of paper to stay organized. Some other online calendars that I have seen my classmates use are Trello and Calendly (although I believe this one has a paid subscription). I use Google Calendar to write down tasks for each assignment, instead of writing the deadline for assignments.
Pomodoro method
I used to study for hours straight with little information retained in my brain. The Pomodoro method is very useful to make the most out of your time. I used this link: https://pomofocus.io/ as the timer. This method usually consists of 25-30 minute study periods and 5-10 minute breaks in between. Having the breaks helps me reset after a long session of studying, and it is a good time to practice recalling that information, which leads me to my next point!
Quizlet and Anki
I am a huge advocate for Quizlet. I used Quizlet to study throughout all three years of nursing school, and it has helped me study for the comprehensive ATI exam. I saved all my study sets since year one, so I am able to review all of the information I struggled with in my first semester and so forth. Quizlet is a great resource if you want to memorize certain information, such as lab values, and signs and symptoms.
I have not used Anki much throughout nursing school, but it is a fantastic resource for spaced repetition. If you have a harder time retaining information to be memorized, Anki is your go-to! I have friends who are in medical school, and they use Anki to memorize pathophysiology. Overall, these are both fantastic resources!
Only have 2-4 people in your study group
I tried studying with a group of 10 people, 5 people, and 2 people, and I studied the best with the group of 2 people. Having 10 people to study with is way too chaotic. Some people won’t even study, and they will be there to just hang out. Some people will be too noisy and others won’t be able to help you study because you are the one mainly helping them. I have found that having a group of people who are just as motivated as you to study are the best people to be with. Ideally, you want to study the same topics so you guys can quiz each other to fill in each other’s knowledge gaps.
Personally, I prefer to study alone because that is how I learn the best. However, I love to study with 1-2 other friends so we can quiz each other, and then after studying, hang out at a cafe or grab food! Usually, study groups build in the first semester of school, so get out there and find a group you would like to hang out with!
Thank you for reading, and check out my other blog posts for more information 🙂 Follow along with me on my new grad nursing journey as an ER nurse by following my Pinterest page!