How do I survive nursing school?
This is a question that came to me through a nursing student via my son.
So when my son is out meeting new people, he tends to meet a lot of nurses.
And he always comes home and says, Mom, how can I meet all these nursing people?
And oh, by the way, they want you to answer this question.
And the question that came last week was ask your mom, how do I survive nursing school?
My name is Tammy with NurseMinder.
And that's what I'm going to share with you in this video is some strategies on how to
survive it.
Now, first of all, I have to share with you, we did a music video several years back for
NorQuest college, it's on the internet, it's called Dear Future Nurse.
And we took the advice that end of first term students would give themselves if they could
go back to day one.
So if you want to know how to survive nursing school, that video is a great place to start.
And of course, I will link up the video in the description below.
So you can find it really easily.
And yes, it is missing.
Now, this might actually work for med school too.
But the thing you need to know about studying healthcare is there is a massive volume of
information that you are going to get assigned to you that there's no way you can recall
it.
So don't set yourself to the standard that you are expected to recall it.
Instead focus on the learning objectives, they're going to tell you what you need to
know.
And the key thing in those learning objectives is the verb.
So if it says list, the steps of cellular division, you simply list A, B, C, D, that's
it, don't learn it any deeper.
If it says describe or explain, then you'll need to actually go through each step and
understand it so that you can teach somebody
there is another descriptive or identify if you need to identify, then it's likely going
to be an image that you are going to have to label.
So recognize the verb is important to this learning objective.
And the learning objective is going to guide you where in the book you need to read, you
do not need to read the entire chapters.
That being said, most learning objectives may actually follow the chapter.
But that's okay.
Focus on what it's asking you to do.
So that's the second tip in terms of surviving nursing school.
Now, the third tip is just give yourself grace.
And in fact, that should be the very first tip because as you're reading through, you're
going to be assigned multiple chapters a day, per class, with the expectation that you're
ready to go next class, it can feel overwhelming, do what you can give yourself breaks and connect
in with some study groups.
Now, there will be strategies that will be offered to you in school to maybe break up
the reading.
So have a group of four and you guys assign a chapter to each person, they make the notes,
and they give them to you to help reduce the time that you spend reading.
It's a great strategy, if that supports you.
I was never the student who would accept somebody else's work is my own.
I still read all the chapters and made my own notes.
But that's just me.
If that works for you utilize that you don't have to do all the work.
In nursing.
We don't do all the work, we work as a team.
So as long as you're confident that they have given you the highlight that you need to know
and the answer the learning objectives, critical, then that's an excellent strategy to help
reduce the workload, but then also get together and quiz each other and share what you're
learning because that's another level of deepening the knowledge base for you there.
How did you survive nursing school, drop it in the comments below, because I'll tell you
what, you guys have a vast experience that you need to share so that others can see how
you are making it work for you, so that they don't give up on their dreams.
So share below.
And I don't know if I've said this tip yet, but take a break.
Your brain works best when it's not stressed.
If you're feeling stressed, you're feeling anxious, you're probably not going to remember
what you're reading.
So take a break.
Give yourself 20 minutes, go for a walk, have a bath, talk to a friend, reset your brain
so it's prepared to take the next set of information.
All Nighter.
Studying sessions generally don't work out very well.
So make sure you're hydrated.
You're eating while you're sleeping well and you're taking breaks.
Now last, when it comes to the exams, just know that they are designed to make you feel
like you failed every time you walk out of an exam.
I mean, there will be times you walk in, you're like okay, I nailed that.
Awesome.
I did really good.
I felt confident.
Yes.
But then there are those questions where you're going to be like, Oh my god, there was more
than one right answer.
Yes, and there's a best answer.
So you always need to look at your priorities.
airway is a huge priority.
If you have a situation where airway is this is the concern.
Your answer should be connected to airway.
So you need to in your school, find out how they're teaching those priorities and
then that is how you're going to assess the answers on every question.
The second thing is, you may find that they're all, all the answers to your question are
relevant to the care that you're giving.
So let's just say for example, tracheostomy care, what would you do?
And they list for things that would be all relevant, you need to go, which one do I have
to do first before the next step becomes irrelevant?
So when you're measuring out your answers,
if you select that, I need to pre section the client
as your primary answer above, for you educate them, you need to consider that education,
what you're doing is, is the highlight the first step before you section them.
So just understand those pieces as to if you look at all four answers, and all four are
relevant, ask yourself which one do I have to do first, in order for the others to make
sense.
And then just enjoy it.
Don't put a lot of pressure on yourself, you're going to be an amazing nurse, whether you
get a C, A, B, or an A, or most of your learning comes actually when you're on the job.
So what we want to focus on is getting you through school,
doing what your teachers are asking you to do.
So little hint here.
Sometimes the textbook stuff is not what you're going to see in reality.
So don't get too stressed out about that.
But do ask questions when you're in clinical and something looks different than what you
were taught ask that just say, Hey, I was taught this little differently.
Can you share with me how you come to understand this.
And lastly, there are going to be some people you encounter who are not nice, don't accept
that.
You are not the reason they're not nice.
That's their choice.
If you happen to be working with somebody who is a bit rough around the edges, that
may be a great opportunity for you to practice your communication skills and just talk to
them about how you learn best, what you need from them and ask them how you can support
them as well.
It's a team.
And if you happen to have somebody who's unwilling to bend, then talk to your instructor.
They may be able to talk with the nurse themselves.
I have mediated many issues.
And see how you guys can work together before you go and think all nurses are horrible and
mean and this is a profession that you don't want to be in, do the work, do the relational
work and don't become like them.
Leave a better legacy.
I hope this helps that go out there and kick some nursing ass
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai