How to Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School like I Did

You have been accepted to nursing school and are about to start your first semester. Congratulations and good luck! In many nursing schools, the drop out rate can be highest for students in their first semester. The massive amounts of reading, the late nights studying, and nurse educators who are more drill sergeant than mentor all contribute to the stress and anxiety that comes with going to nursing school. As someone who recently completed her first semester of nursing school, here are some tips and advice to help you survive the beginning of your nursing education.

Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School-Keep up with reading

You will be reading over 100 pages of nursing textbook jargon every week. Skip a week, and don't expect the teacher to wait for you to catch up. In fact, some schools (like mine) require you take on line tests that correspond to your assigned reading every week, forcing you into not falling behind with your studies.

Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School-Kiss friends and family goodbye for 16 weeks

Well you won't need to send postcards, but you will definitely not be seeing friends, spouses, children, as often while you are in nursing school. There is too much reading and studying required of you. However, do not completely sacrifice any 'me time' during your studying. Schedule times for non-stressful activities (romantic dinner, bubble bath, massage) at least once a week.

Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School-Think like a nurse, not a doctor

This is crucial advice. The doctor treats the condition while the nurse treats the human response to the condition. This is why nurses have their own set of diagnoses. A doctor can give a medical diagnosis, like diabetes. But a nursing diagnosis would be based on how the diabetes affects the patient: weight gain/loss, risk for infection, unstable glucose levels. See the difference?

Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School- Cut down the work hours

Most nursing school programs are full time. So if possible, do NOT try to work a full time job around it. That's a sure way to cut into much needed studying time, not to mention bring on physical problems like fatigue, restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety.

Survive Your First Semester of Nursing School-Learn to take nursing tests

Remember your science classes where all you needed to do was memorize information and then regurgitate it on a test? Not in nursing school. Your first semester will (or it should) teach you how to take an exam like the NCLEX-RN, where all the answers are correct, but you have to pick the best of the bunch. Don't worry, you'll get used to it!

Sources:

Personal experience as nursing student (Essex County College, NJ)