Study Tips for Aspiring RNs
Somewhere between your notes, lectures, and that growing list of things you still need to learn, it can start to feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. You may find yourself sitting down to study, getting through a few pages, then realizing that half of it didn’t stick, or you might just feel overwhelmed with where to start.
This is a reality for many people working toward becoming a registered nurse (RN). It can take time to figure out how to manage your workload, learn and retain new information, and stay on top of your everyday responsibilities at the same time.
The good news is that finding studying hacks that work for you can significantly improve your nursing student experience. By making a few practical changes to help you stay focused, avoid burnout, and stay in control, you can set yourself up for academic and professional success.
Break Things Up
Trying to power through hours of studying in one go seems efficient at first, until your focus starts slipping and information becomes harder to retain. This is where breaking things up can help. Instead of long, draining sessions, it is often easier to work in shorter, more manageable time segments.
Though each person’s experience is different, a good approach is having 20 to 25 minutes of focused study followed by a 5 to 10-minute break. During this break, you can stretch, check your phone, message friends, or even play a short game. Once the break ends, you will hopefully feel more refreshed and equipped to learn.
Get Ahead
It’s easy to fall into the habit of waiting until a deadline is close before you start studying, but that last-minute pressure can get to you. Getting ahead can reduce stress in your life and help you not feel rushed as you work to understand crucial concepts.
You can read some of the material before a lecture, review your notes far in advance of exams, and take small steps every day to get ahead. Getting in those small extra blocks of studying can help you avoid procrastination and reduce stress down the road.
When you start early, you usually have more time to sit with the tougher concepts instead of flying through them. This gives you a better chance of fully grasping a concept, as opposed to rushing to pass an exam. Best of all, when you work ahead, you often end up with a bit of breathing room later and can enjoy other things without deadlines hanging over your head.
Plan Your Weeks
When you have a heavy workload, a little bit of planning goes a long way. Without preparation, things can become overwhelming very quickly, but taking a few minutes to plan your week can help you avoid this and divide things up realistically between your days.
Try putting together a visual plan of your classes, study periods, and other responsibilities, leaving extra space whenever you can to account for the unexpected. You can write your schedule out in a planner, use a print or dry-erase calendar you hang on your wall, try an app on your phone—whatever works best for you.
These extra gaps might be just what you need to fit in some extra study time without it feeling like a last-minute scramble, or they might be a great place for you to incorporate something restful.
Prioritize Rest
Some students cut back on sleep when they feel the pressure piling on. One more hour of studying feels productive at first, but sleep deprivation can affect you more than you realize. Pretty soon, it will bleed into your academic performance and overall health.
Getting enough rest is an imperative part of your mental and physical well-being, and it can influence how well you concentrate, absorb information, and remember things in the long-term. Though no day or week is perfect, try to aim for no less than seven hours per night, but shoot for eight or more whenever possible.
In addition to sleep, make sure you're giving yourself proper physical and mental breaks. Beyond study breaks, this can include things like self-care practices and periods of downtime.
Find What Works Best For You
Try not to get caught in the trap of thinking there’s just one “right” way to study, especially when you hear what works for other people. What clicks for someone else might not really land for you, and that’s okay. Everyone tends to process and remember information a little differently.
It’s best to experiment until you find helpful approaches. If you think what you’re doing isn’t quite working, then you can always mix things up.
You can use flashcards, say things out loud instead of reading them in your head, use apps, or write things down with colored pens. Maybe you work best if you study alone, or maybe you thrive in groups and in settings where you and your peers can quiz each other. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so try to find the strategies that work best for you.
IHI Support for RNS
As you work toward becoming an RN, there are resources available to help you. Idaho Healthcare Institute (IHI) works with the College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) to support nursing students through their academic journeys.
Our LPN to RN Bridge Scholarship Program offers financial support and helps you fast-track your career so you can jump into the next step in your field at an accelerated pace. CEI students in this program gain healthcare experience while experiencing the benefits of a program designed to support working LPNs.
Contact Us Today
At IHI, our goal is to help aspiring nurses move forward with more confidence and less stress as they pursue their nursing dreams.
Get in touch today to see what support is available to you and how we can positively influence your academic life and career.