3 answers
Macyn
Student
Boynton Beach, Florida
1
Question
Updated
1765 views
What is some important information for a first year nursing student?
What is the best advice/tip you could give a first year student going into the nursing program? How would a student prepare for the final exams for nursing efficiently?Spring2025
Login to comment
3 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
3282
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Macyn !
The first thing I can suggest is to not think of your nursing program as a mystery, think of it as something you will be learning step by step and that you will gain the knowledge you'll need for your clinicals as well as your final exams.
Make strong connections with your classmates and professors and if you feel the need, team up with a classmate for study time or form a study group if that works better for you.
Try to become familiar with medical terminology, illnesses and first aid until you enroll in your nursing program. There are books you can read and instructional videos on these subjects which can be found online. There are also medical terminology classes online that would give you a good foundation and familiarity for nursing school.
The best thing is not to over think it. Like all careers, the academics prepare you with everything you'd need to know. You will be meeting some new people and taking it day by day. There is a lot to learn and you will also need to make time for activities with friends and family, but set your priorities. There is a lot of study time involved in nursing.
Once you start nursing school, go over this with your professor, but your final exam will be the National Council Licensure Examination. You'll most likely know everything on the test as you've completed your nursing program at that point. The test content depends on if you are going for your LPN or RN. You would be tested on clinical judgment and the ability to apply nursing knowledge to real situations. Remember that there are multiple study guides, books, available for the National Council Licensure Examination for both Registered Nurses and Practical Nurses. It's nothing to really do now, but when it comes time, you can look for the study guide books or online if they have it accessible on the internet.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
The first thing I can suggest is to not think of your nursing program as a mystery, think of it as something you will be learning step by step and that you will gain the knowledge you'll need for your clinicals as well as your final exams.
Make strong connections with your classmates and professors and if you feel the need, team up with a classmate for study time or form a study group if that works better for you.
Try to become familiar with medical terminology, illnesses and first aid until you enroll in your nursing program. There are books you can read and instructional videos on these subjects which can be found online. There are also medical terminology classes online that would give you a good foundation and familiarity for nursing school.
The best thing is not to over think it. Like all careers, the academics prepare you with everything you'd need to know. You will be meeting some new people and taking it day by day. There is a lot to learn and you will also need to make time for activities with friends and family, but set your priorities. There is a lot of study time involved in nursing.
Once you start nursing school, go over this with your professor, but your final exam will be the National Council Licensure Examination. You'll most likely know everything on the test as you've completed your nursing program at that point. The test content depends on if you are going for your LPN or RN. You would be tested on clinical judgment and the ability to apply nursing knowledge to real situations. Remember that there are multiple study guides, books, available for the National Council Licensure Examination for both Registered Nurses and Practical Nurses. It's nothing to really do now, but when it comes time, you can look for the study guide books or online if they have it accessible on the internet.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question.
Macyn
You are very welcome for the advice, Macyn !
Michelle M.
Nicole Crowder
Nurse Practitioner
26
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Nicole’s Answer
It is important to understand the time commitment that goes along with nursing school. You have class, study time as well as clinicals. Working is not suggested while in nursing school so you should look for scholarships and grants to cover your cost while in school, if possible. Let your family and friends know that you love them but may not be available to spend as much time with them as you normally would.
Thank you for the advice.
Macyn
Sarah I
Registered Nurse
3
Answers
Omaha, Nebraska
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hi Macyn!
I know this answer is coming late, seeing as you posted a couple months ago, but I thought I'd still answer.
Both of the ladies above gave great advice.
Nursing school is a big commitment and takes a lot of hardwork and grit to get through - but it's very much worth it!
I, personally, worked throughout nursing school. I worked part-time as a tech (aide) in an ER, mostly because I wanted to work in the ER once I graduated. During breaks I would pick up more hours or just enjoy some time off altogether - but for me, it was very helpful to work while in school. It was difficult and there were nights with not much sleep along the way, but it was doable. Working as a tech during school helped me stand out a little bit when it came to applying once I graduated - I had years of hands-on and "real life" experience that some of my classmates didn't. It also helped to apply the knowledge that I was learning in school while I was at work - I worked with incredible nurses and doctors that would walk me through patient diagnoses and help me to really start building the critical thinking skills. Again, something that I felt really helped when it came time for me to start working as a baby RN after graduation. That being said - working during nursing school isn't for everyone. And my classmates that didn't, are all thriving in their careers as nurses!
Additional advice I would give:
-Anytime you have clinicals - take every opportunity to jump in on things. Whether it's following your assigned nurse into a patient's room, asking your nurse questions at the nurse's station - relish in the learning time.
-Ask about job shadows while you're in school. I shadowed my aunt, who is a research nurse, while I was in school. I pretty much knew I wanted to be an ER nurse - but being able to shadow her to see what she does was also amazing. I will say that this is something I took initiative on for myself, I asked my aunt and then got permission to go ahead with the shadow from her employer. It wasn't something my nursing school offered (at least at the time).
-Study groups are helpful for a few reasons. One: it can make learning and studying more fun. Two: if there's something you don't understand, there's a good chance someone else in the group does and they may be able to explain it to you in a way that makes it "click." Three: if everyone in the group is having difficulty learning something / finding an answer, you can all work together to critically think through it or find the answer. Four: If you understand something that someone else in the group doesn't, you can explain it to them - (called active learning), which is also you practicing a skill that you'll need as a nurse someday - teach-back - when teaching patients about their medications/devices/etc. Five: study groups bring an inherent accountability. You're part of a group that plans to meet and study at x time for x amount of time, which leaves little to no room for procrastinating.
-Make time for self-care. Nursing school is stressful. And balancing the studying, projects, exams, and clinicals with some downtime to take care of you is super important. One of the nurses I shadowed early on in nursing school told me this. It helped me make this a regular practice that I've continued to implement to this day. Nursing is also stressful at times & there are days where you leave work totally drained - those are the days where you absolutely need to care for your self - because it makes you better able to care for others.
-Ask Questions!!! Never hesitate to ask questions. During class, during clinicals, during study groups...always ask questions. Ask your instructors, ask nurses that you're shadowing, ask doctors. There's never a "stupid question" when it comes to nursing. I would much rather train and work alongside nurses that ask questions when they don't know how to do something - than to have someone do something, not knowing how - and end up causing harm to a patient because of it. I still ask questions, plenty of them, to this day and I've been doing this for 13 years. Especially in the ER - there's always something new we encounter every day. New conditions are identified. New medications are always coming out. Best practices change. Always ask questions:)
As far as the NCLEX - any accredited nursing school should be working to prepare you for it while you're in school. Mine used a system called ATI. Beginning sometime during the second year I believe, part of the curriculum was to take these ATI exams. They were short, and specific to the semester or course (pediatrics / OB / pharmacology / critical care / etc.) - but they were, essentially, small practice NCLEX exams. And at the end of nursing school, there was a bigger and more cumulative exam. I felt that this really helped prepare me for the actual NCLEX. After graduation, I kept all of those books and continued to use them for review.
When it came time to study for the NCLEX - I took my exam about 5 weeks after graduation. I took about a week off of any type of studying after finals and graduation - and then dedicated 4 weeks to going full steam ahead with NCLEX prep. I didn't take any review courses outside of the one built into nursing school, but I did purchase a couple of review books that I used in addition to the ATI books from school. I went PRN at work during those 4 weeks and spent the majority of the time studying. The day of the NCLEX, I felt as prepared as I could. And it was worth every bit of studying.
Hope this helps!
The fact that you're thoughtful enough and taking enough initiative to gather advice like this - tells me you're going to do great in nursing school.
Wishing you the best!
I know this answer is coming late, seeing as you posted a couple months ago, but I thought I'd still answer.
Both of the ladies above gave great advice.
Nursing school is a big commitment and takes a lot of hardwork and grit to get through - but it's very much worth it!
I, personally, worked throughout nursing school. I worked part-time as a tech (aide) in an ER, mostly because I wanted to work in the ER once I graduated. During breaks I would pick up more hours or just enjoy some time off altogether - but for me, it was very helpful to work while in school. It was difficult and there were nights with not much sleep along the way, but it was doable. Working as a tech during school helped me stand out a little bit when it came to applying once I graduated - I had years of hands-on and "real life" experience that some of my classmates didn't. It also helped to apply the knowledge that I was learning in school while I was at work - I worked with incredible nurses and doctors that would walk me through patient diagnoses and help me to really start building the critical thinking skills. Again, something that I felt really helped when it came time for me to start working as a baby RN after graduation. That being said - working during nursing school isn't for everyone. And my classmates that didn't, are all thriving in their careers as nurses!
Additional advice I would give:
-Anytime you have clinicals - take every opportunity to jump in on things. Whether it's following your assigned nurse into a patient's room, asking your nurse questions at the nurse's station - relish in the learning time.
-Ask about job shadows while you're in school. I shadowed my aunt, who is a research nurse, while I was in school. I pretty much knew I wanted to be an ER nurse - but being able to shadow her to see what she does was also amazing. I will say that this is something I took initiative on for myself, I asked my aunt and then got permission to go ahead with the shadow from her employer. It wasn't something my nursing school offered (at least at the time).
-Study groups are helpful for a few reasons. One: it can make learning and studying more fun. Two: if there's something you don't understand, there's a good chance someone else in the group does and they may be able to explain it to you in a way that makes it "click." Three: if everyone in the group is having difficulty learning something / finding an answer, you can all work together to critically think through it or find the answer. Four: If you understand something that someone else in the group doesn't, you can explain it to them - (called active learning), which is also you practicing a skill that you'll need as a nurse someday - teach-back - when teaching patients about their medications/devices/etc. Five: study groups bring an inherent accountability. You're part of a group that plans to meet and study at x time for x amount of time, which leaves little to no room for procrastinating.
-Make time for self-care. Nursing school is stressful. And balancing the studying, projects, exams, and clinicals with some downtime to take care of you is super important. One of the nurses I shadowed early on in nursing school told me this. It helped me make this a regular practice that I've continued to implement to this day. Nursing is also stressful at times & there are days where you leave work totally drained - those are the days where you absolutely need to care for your self - because it makes you better able to care for others.
-Ask Questions!!! Never hesitate to ask questions. During class, during clinicals, during study groups...always ask questions. Ask your instructors, ask nurses that you're shadowing, ask doctors. There's never a "stupid question" when it comes to nursing. I would much rather train and work alongside nurses that ask questions when they don't know how to do something - than to have someone do something, not knowing how - and end up causing harm to a patient because of it. I still ask questions, plenty of them, to this day and I've been doing this for 13 years. Especially in the ER - there's always something new we encounter every day. New conditions are identified. New medications are always coming out. Best practices change. Always ask questions:)
As far as the NCLEX - any accredited nursing school should be working to prepare you for it while you're in school. Mine used a system called ATI. Beginning sometime during the second year I believe, part of the curriculum was to take these ATI exams. They were short, and specific to the semester or course (pediatrics / OB / pharmacology / critical care / etc.) - but they were, essentially, small practice NCLEX exams. And at the end of nursing school, there was a bigger and more cumulative exam. I felt that this really helped prepare me for the actual NCLEX. After graduation, I kept all of those books and continued to use them for review.
When it came time to study for the NCLEX - I took my exam about 5 weeks after graduation. I took about a week off of any type of studying after finals and graduation - and then dedicated 4 weeks to going full steam ahead with NCLEX prep. I didn't take any review courses outside of the one built into nursing school, but I did purchase a couple of review books that I used in addition to the ATI books from school. I went PRN at work during those 4 weeks and spent the majority of the time studying. The day of the NCLEX, I felt as prepared as I could. And it was worth every bit of studying.
Hope this helps!
The fact that you're thoughtful enough and taking enough initiative to gather advice like this - tells me you're going to do great in nursing school.
Wishing you the best!