How to Study for Nursing School: 8 Tips

Nursing school is challenging, but millions of registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. have successfully graduated with a nursing degree, and so can you. It’s helpful to know how to study for nursing school. There are plenty of nursing school tips you can try. Keep in mind that every student learns differently, so you may need to try a few techniques before deciding what works best for you.

At Averett University, we fully support students enrolled in our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. Along with attentive instructors and small class sizes, our nursing program offers Academic Success Coaches. Your coach will work with you one-on-one to help you overcome any obstacles, whether academic or personal.

While considering how to study in a nursing program, look into joining a study group with other members of your cohort. You might also consider nursing school tips, such as using active study methods, the Pomodoro technique, and nursing mnemonics.

1. Form a Study Group With Your Cohort

You’ll go through nursing school as a member of a nursing cohort, comprised of other students you’ll take classes and labs with. One great way to make friends with your fellow cohort members while keeping up with your studying is to form a study group. Designate one well-organized person to be the group’s moderator. This person will organize the meeting times and places and help establish the agenda for each study session.

2. Study Every Day in Shorter Sessions

Studying for nursing school is a marathon, not a sprint. Avoid cramming in long study sessions each day. You’ll be less likely to maintain your focus if you’re staring at the material for five hours at a time. Instead, arrange your schedule to accommodate multiple shorter sessions each day.

3. Skim Material First

Some nursing students like to skim, or skim-read, the material before diving into it. It’s also helpful to skim the material that the nursing instructor will cover in the next class. Follow these steps:

1. Read the introduction to a chapter.
2. Read all of the headings, subheads, and the first few sentences under each heading and subhead.
3. Skim the rest of the material for phrases that have been bolded, underlined, or otherwise set apart from the rest of the text.
4. Check out any visual aids, such as charts and graphs.

If you’re skim-reading before a class, you’ll be prepared to learn effectively during the lecture. Skim-reading is also helpful for reviewing material while studying or when encountering coursework for the first time.

4. Use Active Studying Methods

One of the most important techniques for how to study in nursing school is to use active studying methods. Active studying methods are engaging and interactive, which helps you remember the concepts better. Some active studying methods include:

• Brain dump: Ahead of reviewing a concept during a study session, write down everything you can remember about that concept. Then, review the course material and your notes to see what you missed.
• Practice tests: Taking practice tests is a great way to evaluate your nursing knowledge and figure out what you need to work on.
• Teach it: Teaching other people is highly effective in helping you remember concepts and develop a deeper understanding of them. If you’ve joined a study group, each member can be assigned one nursing concept to teach to the other members. Pick topics that were already taught in class. Ask questions to challenge each other and develop a deeper understanding of the concept.
• Summarize and rephrase: Summarize material using your own words.
• Relate concepts: Try to relate nursing concepts to real-life case studies.

5. Use Nursing Mnemonics

Studying for nursing school requires memorizing a large volume of information and figuring out how to apply it to real-life situations. It can be helpful to use nursing mnemonics. You can find apps and flashcards with mnemonics, as well as websites devoted to this study technique.

6. Try the Pomodoro Technique

Many students struggle with procrastination, especially if they feel intimidated at the thought of spending hours doing coursework and studying every day. If you’re having trouble getting started or maintaining your focus, try using the Pomodoro technique. It helps beat procrastination by shifting the focus from how much work you still have to working for a set amount of time instead.

Follow these steps:

1. Set a timer for 25 minutes. Work on your task in a distraction-free environment until the timer rings.
2. Take a five-minute break.
3. Repeat four times.
4. Take a longer break, about 15 to 30 minutes.

7. Answer Practice Questions Every Day

There are plenty of apps and websites that offer practice questions for nursing students. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of answering at least a few practice questions every day, including practice NCLEX-RN exam questions. Don’t get discouraged if, at first, your answers are wrong more often than right. It’s a learning experience; you can continue to make progress by carefully reviewing the explanation of the answer and then reflecting on the question again.

8. Take Breaks

As important as it is to fit in a decent amount of studying each day, it’s also important not to push yourself too hard. Working nonstop without taking breaks can lead to burnout. You might also find it more difficult to concentrate on the material, and your memory retention may suffer.

Take some scheduled breaks every day. After working for half an hour or so, stand up and stretch. Take a walk and get some fresh air before getting back to work. When you’re ready for a longer break, consider fitting in some exercise or social time with friends.