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Despite what you may think, there are some nursing student tips that are best learned away from the bedside.

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A new way of thinking is introduced to your brain when you attend nursing school, as anyone who has done so can attest. There is no reason why preparing for nursing classes should be any different from the other classes.

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In order to help you prepare for finals in a more peaceful environment and with a clear mind, here are tips to help you get (and stay) organised!

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Remove clutter from your work area.

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Dedicate 10 minutes a week to keeping your workplace in order. Toss or file any stray papers in your binder or desk drawer that you no longer require. Organise your textbooks and clean up the kitchen after you finish with the food prep for the day. If you really want to feel more in control of your life, all it takes is 10 minutes a week to tidy up.

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Plan ahead.

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Don't forget to include all of your due dates and exam dates in your schedule. Make a list of everything you have to do, both for nursing school and outside of nursing school (things like laundry and food prep). Every day, write everything down in your planner, so that you don't forget anything.

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Plan out when you'll be doing your homework.

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What do you think about taking a nap in the sacred free spaces in between classes? Possibly in the future, after all, this is a nursing school. As a result, they're an ideal location for both individual and group study. Once you've set aside this time to study, make sure you keep it. Go ahead and tell your family how long you'll be away, put your phone on silent, pack some healthy snacks, and a water bottle, and get started.

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Don't try to take it all in at once.

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In your classes, you'll hear from your professors that you need to read every single word in every single chapter. You won't be able to remember it all anyway because you'll burn out. Focus on reading the sections of the book that correlate to what you learned in lecture, or other important topics that your professor points out in your course materials. You'll be able to clear your mind of unnecessary information by doing this.

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Use two pens of different colors to write down your thoughts.

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In class, use a different color pen for taking notes, and in your textbook, use a different color pen. Make a copy of each of these notes and keep them in the same location so you can compare them later. As an example, you could write down your lecture notes on the left half of the page and your textbook notes on the right half of the page, or vice versa. This saves on paper and allows you to keep track of all of your thoughts in a single location. 

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For clinicals and lectures, you'll want a binder on your hands.

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Purchase a large binder, if you haven't already, to keep all of your class notes and clinical materials in. A pair of smaller binders will suffice if that's what you prefer. Binders like these can be used to keep track of all of your notes from lectures and clinical sessions. 

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Conclusion

Attending nursing school is difficult, but if you want to succeed, you'll need to stay on top of things. There is no need to panic. You are doing better than you think!

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