Tips for incoming nursing students
According to Survey, there will be about 9 million nurses America will need by 2030 and about 355,000 Nurse Practitioners are needed to lead nursing teams by then. With this, it is very important that we start investing in the current nursing students to ensure their success and that they will be ready to serve the healthcare needs of America.
The life of a nursing student is not easy, as busy as they are when they finally start working in the real world, it is still true while they are in school. According to some nursing students
“This semester has been a difficult one for me. Managing tons of hard classes and having to read multiple chapters for each is very challenging, especially when I am working. Managing my time isn't always easy, but it is necessary. I’ve learned to make my notecards ahead of time and get the easier assignments out of the way first.” - McKindi Heiman, herzing
“What’s a typical day in the life of a nursing student like? To be honest. There’s no such thing. That’s part of what makes a career in nursing so attractive. If you like a challenge— if you’re a “never-a-dull-moment” kind of person—nursing may be for you. Unpredictability on the job demands a certain amount of flexibility on your part and a willingness to switch gears quickly.
As a student you’ll spend virtually all of your time in nursing school learning, learning, and learning some more. Whether you’re on campus, or enrolled in an online nursing school, on most days you’ll have your hands full keeping up with coursework.” - denvercollegeofnursing
“Having confidence in your knowledge and abilities is a key part of being a great nurse. Being able to make effective clinical decisions, react timely to concerns and manage risk are all reliant upon having a certain level of belief in yourself…
Life as a student nurse has been an amazing journey, and as I come to the end of my final placement, I can see how I have grown in so many ways over the three years, particularly with regards to my confidence and self-esteem.” - Holly Venness, nursingitmes
There are so many books to read, information to memorize, off campus activity, practical exams and volunteer work. So below are some of the advices on how you, a nursing student can manage and survive their schooling years:
-
Track schedule and make a routine - with the amount of activities you need to manage, it is important that you develop your schedule accordingly and make a routine out of it to ensure you keep on track. You may also incorporate in your routine to do a start of day and end of day review, to ensure which activities you completed or task that needs to move to another day.
-
Be part of a study group - in as much as you’ll appreciate the zen when your concentrating alone when you study, a study group may help you further your learnings through exciting activities such as learning games, open discussions and having people to discuss different topics may help you balance out biases as well. A balance of both your alone and group time will help you better prepare for any exams ahead.
-
Take some breaks and nourish your body - in between all the subjects and deadlines, always make sure to take a break to replenish your energy and thoughts. Along with these is to ensure you nourish your body and mind with healthy foods so you feel good inside and outside of your body. Recharging really helps you to be on track once you start your work especially if you are already doing your intern, and you now have to attend to real time situations and have to make clear clinical decisions from time to time.
Source