Nursing school represents a major commitment of time and resources, so it’s a smart idea to seek out nursing school advice. Some of the most effective nursing school tips include writing several versions of your admissions essay, approaching nursing school like a full-time job, and finding space for school/life balance.
The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program at Marian University can enable you to pursue a rewarding career in nursing, even if you earned your first Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in a non-nursing field. In as few as 16 months, you could be preparing to take the NCLEX to become a licensed registered nurse (RN). There’s plenty to look forward to, but first, you’ll need to ace nursing school. Nursing school advice abounds, but here, you’ll find some of the most relevant and actionable nursing school tips to follow.
Nursing School Tips for Admissions
When you apply to the ABSN program at Marian University, you can always count on our admissions staff to assist you throughout the process. Should you ever have any questions or concerns, your dedicated admission advisor is here to help. The below tips can also help you navigate the nursing school admissions process.
Seek the Guidance of the Admissions Staff
Marian University is known for its outstanding admissions department. You’ll be assigned a dedicated admission advisor, who will be there for you every step of the way and who can provide plenty of nursing school advice. You can turn to your admission advisor for guidance on determining your enrollment eligibility, completing any prerequisites, and staying on track to meeting admissions deadlines. Don’t hesitate to ask your admission advisor any questions that occur to you or any concerns you may have.
Not sure if you meet the prerequisites? In addition to consulting your admission advisor, you can learn more about nursing school prerequisites here.
First-Year Nursing Student Advice for Studying Effectively
Being a first-year nursing student is exciting, but your academic journey might seem a little daunting at times. Just remember that you’ve got plenty of support at Marian University. Plus, achieving your dream of becoming a nurse will be well worth the effort. Here are some tips for making the most out of your study time.
Treat Nursing School Like a Full-Time Job
The accelerated BSN program at Marian University can allow you to graduate with your nursing degree in as few as 16 months. However, you should know that you’ll need to keep up with an intense pace of classes, studying, labs, and clinical rotations. You’ll want to treat nursing school like a full-time job that requires odd hours. If you find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything you must learn, you may find it helpful to remind yourself of your end goal.
Clinical rotations give you hands-on experience working with patients. Learn what you can expect during clinicals here!
Create a Reasonable Study Schedule
Some of the best nursing student advice is to avoid marathon study sessions. Cramming for exams at the last minute is never conducive to effective long-term memory retention. Instead, space out your study sessions throughout the week. Create a reasonable schedule that involves more frequent, yet shorter (a few hours or so) study sessions.
It’s also important to practice good time management while you’re studying. Turn off or silence your phone, listen to white noise to block out distractions, and consider using a timer to keep yourself on track. To help improve your self-accountability, begin each study session with a checklist of concepts you wish to review.
Start Studying for the NCLEX Early On
The NCLEX-RN is the national licensing exam that all aspiring RNs must pass. You will take the NCLEX after you graduate from Marian University; however, it’s best to prepare for it well in advance. You can find study guides, video tutorials, and NCLEX “Question of the Day” resources online. Set aside some time each day or at least each week to prep for this rigorous exam. You can retake the exam if you don’t pass it the first time, but the sooner you pass it, the sooner you can begin working as an RN.
Nursing School Advice for Maintaining School/Life Balance
You’ll spend plenty of time in classes, labs, clinicals, and study session while earning your nursing degree at Marian University. It’s important to strive for a healthy school/life balance to avoid burnout. Try the following tips.
1. Make Study Time Fun
Getting together with others in your cohort for study sessions is a great way to make studying memorable and fun: trade off days for who is responsible for bringing coffee or get together at the coffee shop to change your study environment. Your peers will always remember if you were able to help them understand complex subjects and will be more likely to offer you a professional recommendation in the future.
2. Get Together Outside of School
Nursing school is an amazing place to meet new people from all walks of life. You can make lasting friendships with people with similar interests and career paths. Years down the road, you will be glad you nurtured friendships with your fellow cohort members. Networking is essential in nursing school, but that doesn't mean it has to be formal and stuffy.
3. Find a Roommate
Future nurses can be great roommates for one another. You will have similar schedules and will be going through many huge life transitions together. If you are moving to Indianapolis, Nashville, or Oklahoma City for nursing school, reach out to members of your cohort to see if anyone needs a roommate. Living with someone in your cohort allows easy access to studying together, getting to school together, and helping one another stay on track.
4. Carpool with Your Cohort
Share the road in nursing school and carpool with members of your cohort. Not only are you doing something positive for the environment by cutting emissions, but you are also building strong relationships within your cohort. Carpooling is also a great way to save money on gas during the school year.
5. Celebrate Together
Any accomplishment or holiday is a great time to celebrate with your cohort! Get together for a cookie bake-off during the winter holidays, celebrate good grades on a hard test, and go out to lunch for one another's birthdays. No occasion is too little to celebrate with the future nurses in your life. Sharing times of excitement and pride is good for bonding, and you'll feel great when all of your friends are cheering you on when you ace a test.
Accelerate into Your Nursing Career with Marian’s ABSN Program
Marian University’s ABSN program offers three start dates per year for your convenience. Talk to an admission advisor today to discuss your eligibility to earn a BSN with this accelerated format. If you are ready to build lasting relationships and become a nurse, learn more about our 16-month accelerated nursing programs.