Nursing school is a prerequisite for anyone looking to make headway in the nursing field. Like other prerequisites in the medical line, getting through nursing school, such as at the University of Texas Arlington, is a test of your intelligence and understanding, and it could be challenging at times. However, with these tips, you get to have a much less frustrating time. Before we begin, keep in mind that this post won’t cover all you need- just the basics. If you want a more in-depth guide, then you can read more from Thea Stadden.
1 Get a dedicated study area
As much as you can, try to get somewhere that helps you to study and do nothing much else. It could be somewhere in a library that completely blocks you from all forms of distractions, or it could be somewhere in your house that doesn’t have a TVs you continue to use this place, you subconsciously prepare every time you go there. In time, it primes you to be a more productive student. This means that by just going there, you’ll be able to increase your level of concentration significantly. If you want to take a break to watch some TV or answer some of your chats, then get up and do that somewhere else. When you’re ready to do the work, go back there and plugin. you’ll notice that as you return, you become more primed.
2 Set goals as you read
We all know that one of the attributes of an attainable goal is that it’s realistic in the first place well, setting goals when it comes to studying follows the same principle. Before you study, create a list of things you want to do and achieve by the time. This list should be realistic. This is crucial. No one expects you to cover a quarter of a nursing textbook in a night, so don’t bother. You should also set time frames for the goals, and break them up into periods that you can get them done. When the list is done, set a timer and begin. When the timer goes off, check your progress and assess it. If you were able to meet your goals in advance, then feel free to reward yourself; it could be an additional 10-minute break or a snack- whatever you like. Also, make sure you cross the activities off the list as you achieve them- the sense of accomplishment you get from this in itself is a great reward.
3 Eat that frog
Perhaps one of the most underrated pieces of advice you could get when it comes to studying is that you should attempt the most difficult things first. When you do this, you get to focus on the significant portion of fresh cognitive energy on the things that demand it the most. It also reduces the chances of your procrastinating- something that could happen when you know the most difficult tasks are still before you. As one difficult thing gets knocked down and another follows suit, you feel more accomplished and encouraged to knock down the little ones over time too.
4 Form/join a study group
Nursing school is a mountain to climb, ad there is hardly any way you can climb this mountain on your own. As you make friends and build relationships, make sure these relationships are beneficial and effective- form a study group! In the group, get a piece of work or a topic and assign it to a member. This individual would summarize and explain to the group at your next meet. This means that everyone is made to study at least a portion of the curriculum and master it. This provides members of your group with helpful, in-depth summaries that can be used to master the areas they weren’t assigned to as well. Also, make sure that your next meeting should include question and answer sessions where people are grilled on the areas they were told to study; insights are drawn here, and they’ll benefit you all. You should also give yourselves tips on what you believe will come out in tests and exams, and organize mock tests to check your preparation levels. That’s how a study group works and helps every member.
5 Master diseases and drugs
When it comes to medical sciences, the most challenging aspect for most students is clinical. But, you can conquer it by getting acquainted with the most prevalent diseases and their drugs at an early point. Get books on pathophysiology and psychology, and mnemonic devices to help you retain this vital information. Also, keep in mind that practice makes perfect. Devote at least 10 minutes a day on remembering these, and when the NCLEX gets around the corner, you get more confident while others fidget.
