Study tips for Nursing School From a Recent Grad

I recently graduated from my nursing program and am working as an RN on the Bone Marrow Transplant floor. I want to share my study tips that helped me do well in nursing school and pass the NCLEX on my first try.

Cramming is your enemy in nursing school!  It is important to study the days leading up to a test and then take the evening off before the test and get a good night’s sleep. Too many times, students say they studied “all day” but still fail an exam. Don’t leave your studying for the last minute. Instead, really focus on the quality of your studying, dedicating slot time, or scheduled time, for studying that is planned out before your exam. 

When studying, make sure you really understand everything you’re reading. Read out loud. Pretend you are teaching the material to someone else. This will help the information you are learning really stick. 

Rewrite your notes every day. No matter what your learning style is, rewriting your notes is a skill that will make a difference in how you study and retain information. Read your notes out loud and draw visuals to help you understand concepts.

You are given so much information in nursing school that it can seem overwhelming, but a helpful strategy is to break the different nursing topics into smaller units and study them that way. Avoid flashcards because you are not trying to memorize only; you really need to be applying knowledge and using critical thinking. 

When it comes time to study for the NCLEX, do practice questions and review the answers with the goal of seeing the rationale for them and understanding the thinking and prioritization in the answer.  Study exam question banks so you are familiar with the question types and styles.

The professors at Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology will give you a great education to prepare you for your nursing career. The simulation labs provide hands-on training, and the clinical rotations give you real world experience. Use your professors as a resource! They want you to succeed.Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology offers tutoring and preparation for the NCLEX throughout your program. Classes are enrolling now for the Associate of Science Nursing program.