Expect to study in nursing school daily. Some effective nursing school study tips are to establish a consistent study schedule, practice NCLEX questions, and use active study techniques. You'll also want to avoid cramming for nursing exams and create a study group with your nursing cohort.
Nursing school prepares you to enter the healthcare field as a practice-ready nurse. Before you get there, though, you’ll have a lot to learn, and you’ll need to do it quickly. At the University of St. Thomas’ Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, students can earn a nursing degree in as few as 12 months. That means you’ll need to know how to study in nursing school to keep up with the fast pace.
Discover why choosing a nursing school in Houston may be the right move for you.
Along with working with our Academic Success Coaches and turning to your nursing instructors when you need extra help, you can integrate some nursing school study tips into your routine. These include creating a consistent study schedule, participating in a study group, and creating a productive study space.
Why Strong Study Habits Matter in Nursing School
Nurses must be able to provide evidence-based care and to make patient care decisions based in part on scientific understanding, as well as patient needs, preferences, and lifestyle. To do so, nurses need a solid foundation of science knowledge, mathematics skills, and nursing competencies. Good study habits for nursing students are essential for keeping up with the broad curriculum.
Similarly, the pace of nursing school is quick. This is particularly true of accelerated programs, such as UST’s, which may allow you to graduate in as few as 12 months. If you start falling behind, it isn’t easy to catch up. Instead, it’s far better to adopt good study habits from the start.
Remember that the goal of nursing school isn’t just to pass the classes and labs or to graduate on time. You’ll also need to pass the NCLEX and obtain your registered nurse (RN) license before starting work. While knowledge retention is essential, you must also practice critical thinking skills and nursing decision-making to perform well on the licensure exam.
1. Create a Consistent Study Schedule
Use a planner, an app, or a spreadsheet to track your blocks of study time. Ensure that you stick to the schedule you set for yourself, and plan to study for three to four hours each day or more, depending on your learning needs. Planning when you’ll study will help you stay organized and prevent you from leaving anything to the last minute.
Similarly, it’s important to avoid cramming for nursing exams. Being proactive in your approach to studying will reduce stress and prepare you to perform better on the exam. Setting yourself up for success in nursing school involves careful planning and time management.
One exam you absolutely cannot cram for is the NCLEX. The questions come in several formats, including multiple choice, true or false, matching and more, with a heavy emphasis on case studies. The test covers many different nursing topics and the best way to prepare is to study consistently throughout nursing school, continuing after graduation.
Explore the benefits of hybrid nursing education.
2. Create a Study Group with Your Cohort
While it is a worthwhile endeavor, nursing school is challenging. During your time in the ABSN program, you’ll be learning new concepts and pushing yourself to new levels, which can be stressful. While people who have never been to nursing school may not be able to empathize with your experience, your classmates will understand exactly how you feel.
Nursing school is intense. Consider whether working while in nursing school is really the right choice for you.
Your cohort will be going through the same classes. They’ll be a great source of support and camaraderie. They may be able to help you break down course material and understand it better. Alternatively, you might be able to help a peer with a concept they don’t understand, and you’ll retain it even better after teaching it. Creating a study group with your cohort is a win-win.
3. Balance Study Time with Breaks
While it’s crucial to spend plenty of time studying, it’s also important to take breaks. Go for a walk, grab a healthy snack, attend Mass or engage in prayer time, or get out and explore Houston for a while. Giving yourself a break and some self-care can help you come back to studying feeling invigorated and ready to learn.
4. Create a Productive Study Space
One way to optimize your time during your study sessions is to ensure your study space supports productivity. Designate a study space at home, whether in a home office or in the corner of the living room or bedroom. You’ll need enough space to hold your learning materials and good lighting to prevent eye fatigue.
Minimizing distractions is crucial for supporting good study habits for nursing students. If possible, inform your household members that you cannot be disturbed except for emergencies, and close the door to your study space. If your study space is in a common area, try to orient yourself so you’re facing a wall. Use noise-cancelling headphones or play music without lyrics.
5. Practice NCLEX-Style Questions
It’s important to study for the NCLEX while you’re still in nursing school, even though your main focus will be classes, labs, and clinicals. Use the NCLEX practice materials recommended by your program and answer a few questions each day. Pay attention to the explanation of the answer, even if you answered correctly. Try to relate the information to a case study you’ve read about or something you encountered during labs or clinicals.
6. Try a Variety of Study Techniques for Nursing Students
One of the most impactful nursing school study tips is to use established, active study techniques. They include:
- Active recall: Instead of just rereading your notes, quiz yourself to find out how much you remember.
- Brain dump: At the start of each study session, write down as much as you remember about a particular topic. Then, check your notes and other materials to discover what you missed.
- Rephrasing: After reviewing material, rephrase it, and summarize it in your own words. Try to boil it down to the simplest possible words.
- Teaching: Enlist a family member’s help or join a study group to use this technique. Teaching other people about a nursing concept can help promote your own learning retention.
7. Beat Procrastination with the Pomodoro Method
Procrastination is a common problem that can hinder your progress in nursing school. Given the fast-paced curriculum, making the most of your time is important. One way to combat procrastination is the Pomodoro technique.
The steps for using the Pomodoro method to study in nursing school are as follows:
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Work on your selected task until the timer rings.
- Take a five-minute break.
- Repeat three more times.
- Take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.
- Repeat.
You Can Earn a BSN in as Few as 12 Months
UST is an accredited Catholic school that welcomes students of all backgrounds. Our faculty prioritizes teaching critical thinking skills and professional ethics as students prepare to become professional nurses. We offer three locations in Houston, along with three start dates per year, and no waitlist, so you can get started sooner.
Contact an admissions advisor and find out if you could be eligible for UST’s ABSN program today.