is there a lot of homework in nursing school

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Nursing School Assignments and Tips to Ace All of Them

If you are about to start nursing school or considering enrolling in a nursing program, you would want to know what to expect. You will write many papers in nursing school and do many other assignments. This is true whether you pursue ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, or PhD in Nursing.

Before we delve into the types of assignments and papers to expect in nursing school, let us begin by dispelling the myth that nursing school is hell; it is NOT. Instead, it is a beautiful and exciting journey into a noble profession. It entails a commitment to life-long continuous learning for you to grow.

Nursing school writing assignments are an excellent way for students to understand concepts taught in the classroom. You might wonder what kinds of assignments nursing students do. These assignments come in various forms and help students build critical thinking, creativity, research, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving skills that are critical in clinical settings.

This blog post looks at the diverse assignments you should expect or will cover in nursing school, including some tips to help you ace them and get better grades.

Common Nursing School Writing Assignments

Classwork forms the core of most nursing programs. You must have high-quality assignment submissions to attain better grades in nursing school. As soon as you decide to become a nursing student, you sign up for a marathon of writing different types of papers.

Whether you love or hate it, you will write papers before graduating from nursing school; that is the norm. Although not so many, you will encounter a few homework and assignments where you must submit a well-researched, formatted, and organized nursing paper.

The typical nursing school assignments include essays, research papers, term papers, and case studies. Others are article critiques/reviews, critical appraisal, evidence synthesis tables (synthesis matrix), PowerPoint Presentations, posters, discussion posts/ responses, and policy analysis papers. Other advanced papers include nursing care plans, SBAR template papers, evidence-based papers, capstone projects, theses, dissertations, proposals, etc.

These assignments are submitted either individually or as a group. Let us expound on this so you have a clear picture.

Essays for nursing classes come in various forms, including admission essays , scholarship essays, descriptive essays, persuasive essays, speech essays, expository essays, and narrative essays.

Notably, nursing essays focus on a single perspective, argument, or idea, which constantly forms the thesis of the paper.

Nursing essays focus on various topics relating to nursing practice and the broader healthcare field. You can write an essay examining a nursing theory or non-nursing theory or discuss a nursing issue .

Some essays, such as reflective nursing essays, use reflective models to reflect, analyze, and understand personal and professional encounters during clinical practice.

Each nursing essay should demonstrate your understanding of the topic, critical analysis, and organization skills. Besides, you should use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources to support your arguments and ideas.

Discussion Board Posts

If you pursue a hybrid or exclusively online nursing program, you will be assigned to write weekly discussion forum posts and responses. Discussion board posts are short essay-like assignments posted in a threaded format so students can discuss nursing and healthcare topics.

You will write an original discussion post, between 200 and 300 words long, and post it on the forum. You are also expected to write a peer-response post in response to or to comment on an original post done by your peers.

Discussion boards help nursing students advance theoretical concepts, learn from one another, share ideas, and get feedback that can help them advance their knowledge in clinical reasoning and practice.

Research Papers

Nursing practice is evidence-driven, translating evidence into practice to ensure quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare. As such, nursing research takes precedence during studies and when practicing.

Nursing professors assign nursing students to write research papers on various evidence-based practice topics. The students must prove their worth by researching, analyzing, and organizing facts.

Related Writing Guides:

• How to write a nursing school research paper.
• Systematic Reviews vs Literature Review

Research papers help student nurses to review literature, conduct research, implement solutions, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

Research papers are critical in developing research and writing skills, maintaining good communication, and fostering creativity and clinical reasoning.

Potential nursing research paper topics can be quality improvement, healthcare/nursing informatics , healthcare policies, practice privileges, nursing ethics, ethical dilemmas , pathophysiology, and epidemiology .

Term Papers

In nursing school, a term paper is a type of assignment completed and submitted toward the end of the semester.

Usually, a professor can assign you a specific term paper topic, or they can let you choose a topic and consult with them for approval.

Term papers can be done individually or as a group project. A term paper has an impact on your final grade.

You should use credible scholarly sources published within the last five years for recent information.

Besides, also ensure that you plan your time well, do everything as per the instructions, and submit the nursing term paper before the deadline.

A term paper can also be a nursing process change report that is expected to address an area that needs change.

Case Studies

Nursing school case study assignments are an essential learning tool.

Most professors assign hypothetical clinical case studies or case scenarios (snippets) to test your clinical reasoning skills.

As a nursing educational tool, nursing case studies help you to develop practical, theoretical knowledge by simulating real-world experiences.

When analyzing a case study, you must use concepts and knowledge from class and class text to assess a patient, plan and implement care, and evaluate the outcomes.

Sometimes, you encounter simulated or digital clinical experience case studies such as iHuman and Shadow Health .

You should be very keen when analyzing a case study and when writing the analysis report.

Case studies help you get beyond books and use your creativity, clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems.

Your professor can give you a case study of a patient presenting with a given condition and expect you to take them through the care planning process, including admission and discharge, as you would in a real healthcare setting.

Other times, you can be asked to develop a hypothetical case study of a patient presenting with a chronic disease or a disorder and then use the case study guidelines, including head-to-toe assessment , diagnosis , nursing care planning , and discharge planning.

Related Guides:

• How to write a great nursing case study.
• How to complete a case conceptualization report (for psychiatric nursing students)

Nursing Care Plans and SOAP Notes

A nursing care plan can be part of a case study or a stand-alone assignment. Nursing care plans are essential in nursing education as they help students develop effective nursing care planning. Formulating a nursing care plan for a patient scenario or case helps treat them as you define the guidelines and roles of nurses in caring for the patient.

You also develop solid action plans for focused and patient-centred care by documenting the patient's needs. When they are part of an assignment, you can tabulate the nursing care plan using columns so that you explore every aspect independently.

Remember to use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources when giving rationale.

The SOAP notes are a clinical tool healthcare professionals use to organize patient information to minimize confusion and assess, diagnose, and treat patients. Check our comprehensive guide on developing good SOAP Notes in nursing school .

Concept Maps

Another common nursing school assignment is concept maps. Concept mapping helps you visually organize, compartmentalize, and categorize information about nursing care planning, medical diagnosis, pathophysiology, SBAR, nursing responsibilities, etc.

A nursing concept map assignment equips you with strong critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You also hone your clinical reasoning skills in the process.

Whether it is part of an assignment or a stand-alone, learn how to write great concept maps to score the best grades.

Concept Analysis Papers

If you are taking BSN, MSN, or DNP, you will likely be assigned to write a concept analysis paper. Make sure to distinguish this from a concept paper that is a proposal. A concept analysis paper examines the structure and function of a nursing concept.

The process entails a review of the literature and creativity in coming up with borderline, related, contrast, inverted, and illegitimate cases.

You also explore the antecedents and consequences of the concept before finalizing with empirical referents.

If you need to learn about the structure of a good concept analysis paper, check out our nursing concept analysis guide . We have listed concepts you can analyze depending on your speciality, instructions, and passion.

Capstone Projects

At an advanced stage in nursing school, students are expected to submit longer research papers; capstone project papers. A nursing capstone project is a final project that allows students to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and concepts gained throughout the nursing program.

In nursing education, the capstone project typically covers an evidence-based practice issue or problem. You can write a nursing change paper, look into a clinical process, problem, or issue, and then develop recommendations based on a study.

Most of the MSN and DNP capstone projects focus on clinical change or quality improvement. You will be expected to develop a PICOT question and formulate a research study to examine the issue, implement a change process using evidence-based models, and make recommendations.

Nursing capstone projects are individual research projects based on nursing topics either of your professional or personal interest. You have to demonstrate competency and commitment to improve health outcomes.

Apart from capstone projects, you will also write a nursing thesis and dissertation papers, which depend on the program requirements and your professor's preferences.

Check out these specific writing guides for advanced papers:

• How to write a nursing dissertation or thesis
• Tips for choosing the best nursing dissertation topic
• How to write an excellent capstone project paper
• List of capstone project topics for nursing school
• How to formulate a PICOT question
• PICOT question examples to inspire nursing students

Group Assignments

In nursing school and practice, collaboration and teamwork are highly recommended. You will encounter collaborative group assignments such as presentations (PowerPoint slides, Prezi, or other platforms), simulation assignments, writing nursing reports, and group research projects.

Group projects allow you to research, learn, and organize ideas together so that you can understand concepts better. It is essential to avoid social loafing in a group to gain more. Besides, plan your time well and avoid excuses.

You can also be assigned to work on simulation exercises as a group of nursing students. The aim of such exercises is to build a collaborative, teamwork, and decision-making spirit among the team.

When in such groups, expect to work with your peers to assess the hypothetical patient, communicate with your peers, formulate a care plan, and manage any arising issues as you would in clinical settings. Do not take such activities for granted; they contribute significantly to your grade.

Presentations

Your professor can assign you to design a PowerPoint Slide accompanied by speaker notes and send it for grading or present it online or in class. Under presentations, you will also be requested to design flyers, posters, and other visual documents to disseminate information.

It could be about a disease, health promotion, or nursing research. You must also make PowerPoint slides when presenting a thesis, dissertation, or capstone for assessments. Remember, this is the chance to bring out your creativity.

Expect other assignments such as dosage calculations, HESI test exams, skills checkoffs, electronic medical record documentation, nursing student portfolio, online quizzes, drug write-ups, process recordings, group drug presentations, etc.

In most cases, you will be given a template to use wisely and make it as appealing as possible.

Tips to Help You Ace Nursing Assignments

A lot goes into getting the best grades in nursing school. One of the main determinants of your nursing school grades is the assignments, which you are required to do and complete within set deadlines.

Even though many nursing students perform better on clinical, that needs to reflect in written assignments. Most students fear research and writing or do not take writing assignments seriously. Regardless of the assignment, here are some practical and effective tips to help you ace your nursing school writing assignments and surprise everyone, including yourself.

1. Plan your Time

The number one challenge for nursing students that inhibits them from completing assignments is the need for more time management.

Most students are juggling studies and work to make ends meet. It worsens when you have a massive workload from more than one class and a family to look after.

The simple trick to beat this is to manage your time well. You can schedule your assignments for periods when you are free and when you can concentrate and cover more. Assignments have deadlines ranging from hours to days or a few weeks.

To succeed, keep track of your assignments and other academic activities, such as mid-term and final examinations, so that you can plan your study periods. You can use online time management tools and apps to allocate your nursing school homework time.

With proper planning, you should be reassured about the last-minute rush to complete your assignment, which is responsible for the colossal failure we are experiencing in nursing schools.

2. Follow the Course Guidelines to the T

Guidelines, prompts, and reading materials accompany each writing assignment and homework. Sometimes a professor can be generous enough also to give you access to the Rubric, which breaks down how they will assess assignments. Ensure you read everything and note what is required before working on any paper.

Pay attention to these, read, and familiarize yourself with the course guidelines. Understand the formatting requirements preferred by your school, such as Vancouver, APA, or Harvard. Most nursing schools will specify this in the course documents. Also, check the databases and journal articles you can use when writing your nursing assignments.

Preparing in advance by reading the course materials to identify the recommended study materials. You will have a deeper understanding, knowledge, and skills to handle every nursing assignment correctly.

3. Have an Active Study Buddy

A nursing study buddy can be one of your classmates whom you study with. Study buddies offer mutual support, which comes in handy when completing assignments.

Select a bright and committed person with something to offer so you are not only giving. Set the study hours and have accountability follow-ups to ensure you cover much of the syllabus and concepts in time.

A study buddy can help you understand nursing concepts, theories, models, and frameworks. They can also help you review your written papers and give valuable feedback when editing and proofreading your nursing papers.

A knowledgeable, accountable, committed study partner can help you revamp your grades by submitting high-quality assignments.

4. Join a Study Group

A study group is a tried and tested means of completing nursing assignments. Apart from building your teamwork and collaborative skills, you can brainstorm ideas, critique one another, and learn more about the class assignments. With diversity in thoughts, you can get valuable insights and inputs for personal-level work.

Besides, you are also guaranteed to ace the nursing group assignments with ease. When doing group work, try to rotate into new groups so that you can appreciate the diversity of thoughts and reasoning. You can also identify individuals from your groups, those that are active, as your study buddies.

When you have accountability partners within the group, you commit to given tasks and make necessary follow-ups. If you are a part-time student, consider having students whose free time is similar to yours to benefit everyone.

5. Get Writing Assignment Help

As with other subjects in college and university, nursing students face challenges such as time management, complexity of assignments, too many assignments, and writer's block. When you feel overwhelmed with completing your nursing class assignments, you can always pay someone to handle the class for you or at least do your coursework or assignments.

One sure way to get assistance without drawing too much attention is by trusting assignment help websites like NurseMyGrade.com with your papers. Many students do not have time to complete assignments or find them challenging. Consequently, many hire nursing assignment helpers from nursing paper writing platforms.

If you feel like hiring the right professionals, use NurseMyGrade. We offer customized writing solutions to nursing students at different academic levels. Our nursing experts can complete short and lengthy assignments. You will have a well-researched and formatted paper written in Vancouver, APA, MLA, ASA, AMA, Harvard, or any citation style you choose.

You can use the tips and insights above to master nursing school assignments. We wish you all the best as you strive towards excellence. Don't worry about the many assignments. Instead, be grateful that they will equip you with knowledge, skills, and experience to make you the best nurse.

How Many Papers to Write in Nursing School

We have so far covered the general aspects of the types of assignments to expect in nursing school. Under the assignments, you may ask yourself if you must write many papers in nursing school.

While the answer depends on your professor, institutional curriculum requirements, and nursing level, you will undoubtedly write a couple of academic papers before graduating from nursing school. You will write research papers, essays, proposals, white papers, policy analysis papers, capstone project papers, case studies, scholarship essays, personal statements, quality improvement reports, etc.

Suppose you are pursuing a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program. In that case, you will likely write between 13 and 15 papers during the LPN program, including short and long essays, reflective journals, essays, patient-based case studies, and others as your professor pleases.

If you are in a 2-year ADN program, expect to complete about 20 to 30 papers, including care plans, SBAR reports, essays, case studies analyses, research papers, reports, and other assignments.

For a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, you will write between 35 and 50 papers. If you are taking the online class program options, like the WGU BSN program, you might write more papers because they form the basis for your assessment.

BSN-level papers are demanding because you must strictly adhere to the formatting styles and be critical and organized in your presentation.

If you are taking a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, an advanced-level study for registered nurses (RNs), you will do about 20-50 papers, given that it offers the foundation for nursing research. Again, at an advanced level, the MSN writing assignments are complex.

You need to plan well, research widely, and analyze facts thoroughly before drawing conclusions. During this level, expect to write papers such as MSN essays, discussion posts and responses, specialized case studies, research papers, clinical reports, advanced SOAP notes, nursing care plans, policy papers, position papers (white papers), dissertations, theses, capstone papers, project papers, and change project papers.

You are expected to show exquisite research skills for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, considered the highest level or terminal degree in nursing practice. At this level, you have specialized, advanced your knowledge, and have adequate experience.

Mostly, DNP papers are a little longer. You will write between 20-30 papers; depending on your nursing school curriculum and supervisor's preference, it could be less or more.

If you opt for the research route, you will write many research papers, technical papers, policy analysis papers, white papers, reflection papers, nursing dissertations, PICOT-based change project papers (DNP change project papers), and other assignments.

Finally, for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing programs, you should expect to write between 10 and 15 papers covering research-oriented topics.

Attaining this degree makes you the epitome of success in the field. You can advance into a nursing researcher, educator, leader, or manager.

We have writers that can help you handle all these types of papers regardless of the academic level. Our Online Nursing Writing pros are available for hire anytime and any day.

Having worked successfully with many nursing clients/students, we are confident to help you achieve your dreams.

Before you go ...

There are many assignments and papers to complete in nursing school, including written assignments, quizzes, exams (oral and written), reflective journals, journal entries, e-Portfolio, integrative reviews, teaching plans, presentations, etc. Whether taking an LPN program or advancing your career by pursuing a Ph.D. in Nursing, you will do many nursing school assignments.

Do not take assignments as a punishment. Instead, consider them as tools to equip and shape you into a desirable nurse practitioner.

If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious about completing the assignments, you can hire our nursing writers to help you. We can help you ace nursing assignments online and ensure that you get 100% well-researched, organized, and proofread papers.

Our papers are 100% original and non-plagiarized. The writers understand how to structure nursing papers, formulate great paragraphs using the MEAN, PEEL, or TEEL formats, and write desirable papers consistently, scoring the best grades. You can call us your nursing assignment slayers or acers because, in a few hours, we will help you get it all behind you. We can help you ace online nursing classes and tests/quizzes .

Click on the Order button and fill out the form to get our writers started in making you a nursing paper that gives the best grade. No topic is challenging for us, and we allow you direct communication with the writer in the process of getting help.

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NurseMyGrades is being relied upon by thousands of students worldwide to ace their nursing studies. We offer high quality sample papers that help students in their revision as well as helping them remain abreast of what is expected of them.

What is Nursing School Like & How to Prepare for It

• What to Expect
• Nursing School Exams
• Class Structure
• Common Classes
• Clinicals Overview
• What to Buy
• How to Prepare

Congratulations, you’ve made it into nursing school! You've worked so hard to get to this point and now here come the nerves. You're thinking to yourself, “What have I gotten myself into?!” Well, thankfully there are nurses who’ve been here before you and have lived to tell the tale. Read on to get an idea of what to expect during nursing school , including:

• What do you learn in nursing school?
• What classes do you take?
• When do clinical rotations start?
• How hard is nursing school?

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What is Nursing School Like?

Your study habits will change.

You're going to be asked to learn A LOT of material. As a result, you will have to become aware of your study habits and adapt them to maximize your information intake. It will be challenging in your first semester, but you'll quickly get the hang of it.

You’ll learn to go beyond the textbook

A lot of information will be provided to you -- via textbooks, lectures, and other coursework content -- but you will also need to use your judgment to obtain the information in different ways when you don't fully understand the material. Read the text, watch videos, or get actual experience through volunteer work or hired work.

What Are Nursing School Exams Like? 

You will be challenged with exams that are structured in ways that are very different than in the hard sciences. Nursing is not black and white and because of this, exams can be especially challenging.

Build the ability to understand what is being asked of you. These exams are not created to set you up to fail, but rather to get you to think in a certain way. This way of thinking will help you in your nursing practice.

How Are Nursing Classes Structured? 

Although every nursing school will have its own curriculum, typically your first semester consists of three to four days of lecture, with one to two days of simulation lab. You will find yourself on campus a lot, both in scrubs and in regular clothes. 

What Classes Do You Take During Nursing School?

The first semester of nursing school usually has three to four major courses, typically:

• Fundamentals of Nursing 
• Health Assessments
• Pharmacology

The classroom structure will feel similar to other classes you may have taken in high school or college. You'll attend lectures, complete homework, and take tests. You may also get to select  nursing research topics to write papers for these classes.

In addition to the didactic courses, you'll attend skills or simulation labs for a certain amount of hours once or twice a week. Here, you will learn how to perform the various skills required of the profession: inserting peripheral IV's, NG tubes, and other important tasks.

You will need to wear your scrubs and bring all your tools as if you're going into a day at work in the hospital.

When Do Clinical Rotations Start?

Some programs begin exposing first-semester nursing students to the actual hospital environment, while other programs do not offer clinicals until the second semester.

If your program does have clinicals in its first-semester curriculum, it will usually be in the latter half of the semester. Check out this article to find out what clinicals are like in nursing school. 

What Do I Need To Buy For Nursing School? 

In addition to your textbooks, scrubs, and stethoscope, you may be exposed to a whole slew of items marketed to nursing students. These products can include simulated charting programs to practice documenting, iPhone and Android apps that offer reference material, and other products that may seem like the keys to success in the nursing program. 

Be wary! There’s a lot of free material available to you and no product is going to pass nursing school for you. It just takes time and dedication, something you are already capable of! 

How Hard Is Nursing School?

Nursing school will definitely challenge you academically, but it will also be hard emotionally, physically and mentally. How hard is nursing school? That depends on the program. But, don’t worry, here’s what you need to know to get through it. 

Emotional challenges

Being a beginner is really hard. There's so much to learn, which can make you feel insecure. When you're first starting out, the sheer amount of things that you need to learn seems like an impossible feat. This is when all the questions come rushing in: “Can I do this?”, “Am I good enough?”, “Is this right for me?” Just remember that this is totally normal. 

To overcome these feelings, you NEED a support system. It can be your best friend, partner, mom, or all of the above. You just need someone to check in with you who can see with a more objective view of how hard you're working and how far you've come. 

Secondly, seek out a mentor. Ideally, this would be someone in the field who can give you perspective on what you're learning. A professor, preceptor, or even another Nurse.org community member -- reach out!

Physical challenges

The nursing school schedule is demanding. You’ll have long days, early days, days filled with sitting in a lecture followed by a few more hours of simulation in a lab.

Here are my not-so-secret tips to surviving a demanding schedule: 

• Drink water. 
• Take your vitamins. 
• Keep a consistent workout schedule that is flexible for your coursework. 
• Find ways to decompress your stress - being in nature, time with friends, etc. 

It sounds simple, but it’s SO IMPORTANT. Doing these basic things to take care of yourself will help you enjoy the process so you don’t end up hating your life while you’re in school.

Mental challenges

One of the biggest challenges is stepping into an environment unlike any you’ve had to deal with before. If you’ve never worked with the ill, it may be a shock to you when you witness your first death or are present while a patient is suffering from an intense manic episode. 

It’s going to be a struggle at first, but over time you’ll learn to maintain your calm and stay professional even during intense moments. It won't come right away, but it will come. Be patient and simply take note of how those around you have found ways to keep their cool.

How to Prepare for Nursing School? 

You've already seen the memes and videos about how demanding a nursing program can be. Yes, there is a lot of content to learn over the course of a short time, but one of the biggest challenges is putting the information into context. 

When you enter nursing school without any former medical experience, it can be very difficult to relate the material to real-life situations. You need to think about, 

• How do I apply this to my day-to-day duties on the job?
• What does this mean for my patients? 
• How does this play into the bigger picture? 

Learning the "bigger picture" of healthcare is not something that happens in one semester, or even after your first year as a nurse. This is part of being a novice -- you are figuring out care and how your work impacts patients on both a microscopic and a macroscopic level. Be patient with yourself and learn to be a confident beginner! 

Up Next: 10 Best Study Tips and Tools for Nursing Students

Mariam is a writer and travel nurse from El Paso, Texas. After three years in the ICU, she hit the road with her husband and two pups, living in San Francisco, Tennessee, and Los Angeles. Currently in New York City, Mariam is a nurse journalist for Nurse.Org. Catch her on Instagram @mariamcat.

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• Pre-Nursing
• Nursing School
• After Graduation

24 Nursing School Tips for Your First Year and Beyond

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Throughout nursing school, you’re busy and have many, many things to juggle. Gathering and implementing nursing school tips can help make the school year go more smoothly.

Jump to Section

Tips for nursing students’ first year, study tips for nursing students, general nursing school tips, how do students fail nursing school, how do nursing students learn best, how should a nursing student study.

It’s no secret that nursing students face many challenges, from the long hours spent studying to the high cost of tuition. Courses and exams can be overwhelming, but necessary in going toward the next step in your future nursing career.

It’s a lot of work and a lot of pressure — but you’ve got this! After you make it through nursing school , you’ll officially be a nurse professional.

We have nursing school tips for those going into their first year, and for those finishing out their degrees.

When you’re starting as a nursing student, everyone tells you that the first year is the hardest. They say it’s full of sleepless nights, long hours, and possibly some tears. 

But there are ways to make your first year less stressful, easier to pass, and maybe even more enjoyable. So let’s start our list of twenty-four tips to help you get off on the right foot in your first year of nursing school:

• Know your learning style. Find out how you learn best, and use it as a tool to help you succeed in school.
• Ask plenty of questions. Most instructors are more than happy to help you with questions, so don’t be afraid to approach them.
• Complete pre-class prep (if available). Whether it’s required or not, complete reading and assignments before class starts so you can focus more on the lecture itself.
• Take advantage of all resources available. Since you’re already paying tuition, put your hands on every school resource you can get, such as job boards, recorded lectures, the cafeteria, etc.
• Don’t be afraid to use outside learning resources. Using learning resources outside of school can help by giving different strategies and testing tools, like NCLEX practice tests .

Find out how our learning resources stack up with others .

• S pecific – Exactly what goals can you meet? Which steps do they require?
• M easurable – What kind of data will you use to gauge success and in which amounts?
• A chievable – How are your goals attainable? Do you have the required tools and resources for them?
• R elevant – How do your goals fit in with your curriculum? 
• T ime-bound – What’s the projected timeline for achieving your goals?
• Have a sound support system. Ask friends or family members if they would be willing to help you out, especially when things get tough for you.
• Make friends with other nursing students. You’ll be spending a lot of time together, possibly for more than a year. Having friends will make nursing school much more bearable.

How long do you have to be in nursing school for your degree?

It’s not just about knowing how to study. You need to understand how to approach studying, when to study, and how much time you can spend studying.

To continue our list, check out these study tips:

• Use study guides.  They give you an overview of what’s covered on tests and quizzes, so you know what kinds of questions they’ll ask. Study guides also help you organize your notes so you can always access them.
• Study a little every day. When you maximize your study time with an even pace, information can stick in your brain much better come exam time.
• Form or participate in a study group. Studying in groups can make learning easier and give you different perspectives on how certain concepts relate together.
• Use your downtime as study time. We know that most students don’t want to spend their precious free time studying. But if you want to succeed in nursing school , it’s important that you make it a priority and squeeze in some time off-campus.
• Use nursing mnemonic devices . Mnemonics are little tricks that help with memory retention by associating new information with things that are already familiar and easy to remember.
• Complete practice questions. Practice questions help you understand where you’re lacking subject-wise and avoid stumbling on exams. 
• Review the information learned after class. Take at least five minutes after class is over to review what you’ve learned while lectures are still fresh in your mind.
• Don’t use cramming as your sole study method. It may be tempting to rely on cramming right before exams to free up your spare time, but spending time each day to study will ensure exam success. 

Taking exit exams soon? Check out our NCLEX Cram Sheet .

Here are some other tips for your nursing school term, regardless of what year you’re in:

• Get organized. This goes for your school supplies (laptop, notebooks, equipment, etc.), your time, and your study area (if you have one).
• Master your time management. Time will be your most valuable resource throughout the school year, so managing your day-to-day as best possible is crucial.
• Keep a calendar and schedule. You can use tools like Evernote, Google Calendar, or a planner so you always know what’s coming up next (in the week, month, etc.).  
• Give yourself breaks. Take a break if you ever feel overwhelmed with schoolwork or like things aren’t going well. It’ll help clear your head and give you perspective on what needs more attention.

• Find activities to do outside of school. Finding things to do outside school, like volunteering or pursuing hobbies, can also give your mind a break from nursing school stress.
• Develop good sleep habits. Getting enough sleep is important because it helps your brain function properly and keeps your body from getting tired during long shifts at work or school. 
• Get to know your instructors. They’re great sources of medical knowledge, and can help guide you through your nursing education.
• Maximize your clinical experiences. Clinicals get you hands-on experience for your future nursing career. Learning as much as possible during your clinicals can set you ahead after graduation.

Hopefully, these tips can help you get through your classes and exams with ease.

Other Nursing School FAQs

We’re answering some of the most pressing questions from nursing students wanting to get through nursing school unscathed:

Some nursing students fail nursing school because they don’t study (or don’t know how to study effectively). Failing exams, not doing homework, or skipping labs and clinicals also result in failing out. But some other reasons (that aren’t talked about as much) include:

• Falling too far behind 
• Stress stacking up 
• Losing passion for nursing 
• Insufficient funding
• Support systems falling apart

Something else to consider is that many nursing school classes are graded on a curve. So if you’re in a class of students that consistently score high, your ‘A’ and ‘B’ scores could still bring you to the bottom of the class. And for a lot of students, it could be enough to fail. 

That’s why it’s so important to build a report with instructors and understand how to stand out in the class.

Nursing students can learn best when they’re actively engaged in class and relaxed outside the classroom. So instead of just reading your textbook, try to use what you’re learning in your clinicals and lectures.

And if you want to take a learning approach based on the senses: 

• Visual learners prefer pictures and diagrams. 
• Auditory learners prefer lectures and audio recordings.
• Kinesthetic learners prefer hands-on experiences.

There are several effective approaches to studying, and none are completely wrong. Just make sure that you understand exactly what you’re trying to learn, as it can be easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of the big picture.

If you have trouble with covering entire subjects, try breaking up your study sessions into smaller chunks and focusing on only one piece of the subject at a time. This will help keep things more manageable and less overwhelming.

Want More Than Nursing School Tips?

What will help you get through a nursing school year (whether it’s your first year or not) is investing in an effective resource. 

Gathering and going through with nursing school tips can help make your next school year go more smoothly.

SimpleNursing has everything you need before you step into class, during your lecture, for your study time, and after graduation for your NCLEX. You can read over our study guides, take quizzes with video rationales, and focus on any subject.

Start off your nursing school term with a free trial today.

Want to ace Nursing School Exams & the NCLEX?

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What is Nursing School Like? Study Tips to Help You Succeed

5 min read • April, 28 2023

Welcome to nursing school! You'll be challenged each day when you study nursing, but the result is a job in a rewarding profession. If you're feeling anxious, you're not alone. Most new students worry about how to prepare for nursing school. Read on for nursing school tips and a primer on how to survive nursing school.

What Is Nursing School?

Depending on your professional goals, a nursing school may entail a diploma program or an , bachelor's, or graduate-level degree. Whatever course you take, your education will be rigorous, but success is achievable if you come in knowing what to expect in nursing school.

Assignments for nursing school may include care plans, case studies, research projects, group presentations, and clinical (and plenty of textbook reading, of course). The nursing curriculum includes:

• Didactic coursework presented online or in-person
• Laboratory skills, including simulations of skills performed in clinical
• Hands-on clinical care at a hospital, nursing home, or other health care facility

Nursing school isn't meant to be a passive experience. Success requires a different learning mindset. The content learned in the classroom will be applied later in the laboratory and clinical settings. Rather than memorizing information, you must ensure that you understand the content. Then you use critical thinking skills to implement these skills when caring for patients and to pass the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX) .

Learn more about  nursing clinicals and what students should expect .

How to Prepare for Nursing School

Most nursing programs offer an orientation to review the curriculum and expectations. You'll have a different orientation once you begin the program's clinical portion.

The nursing curriculum is firmly grounded in science and math courses. When preparing for nursing school, think about your previous or existing schoolwork in those areas and decide if you'll benefit from additional tutoring. Many nursing schools require a specific grade or grade point average before acceptance. Some nursing programs may also require pre-nursing courses or an entrance exam.

What Classes Do You Take in Nursing School?

In addition to supporting courses, the most common classes taken in nursing school include:

• Fundamentals
• Pharmacology
• Adult Health
• Women's Health
• Mental Health
• Nursing Research
• Health Assessment
• Public Health

9 Tips for How to Be a Better Nursing Student

• Determine your learning style.  You may identify with one or several of the four primary learning types (visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic). For example, one nursing student may learn better by reading textbook content and reviewing lecture notes, whereas another may absorb information by hearing the lecture. To confirm your learning style, complete a  Vark questionnaire
• Schedule study time like it's a job.  Setting regular study sessions will promote retention of content versus cramming the night before an exam. Remember that memorization isn't the key to success in nursing. Instead, focus on how you'll implement the content in nursing practice. Make it a point to review notes after each lecture while the content is fresh.
• Join a study group.  A study group can help you understand class content since other students may have more comprehensive notes or an easier way to remember information. Studying with your nursing peers may provide a support system to keep you accountable and stay motivated.
• Hire a nursing tutor.  If you're struggling in one specific nursing class, consider hiring someone to work with you one-on-one to help you understand the content. Be sure to ask for help. Even once you've completed a class, each nursing course builds upon the other, so the content may come up later or on the NCLEX.
• Take breaks . Most people can only look at the same content for so long before they lose focus. Practice self-care and take breaks. Knowing how to get through nursing school is about creating a balance between your studies and your personal life. Develop good self-care habits now to  prevent burnout  later.
• Try different study formats to see what works best for you.  Textbook reading and reviewing lecture notes are a foundation, but don't stop there. Make study guides, learn mnemonics, rewrite lecture notes, make flashcards, and watch informational videos. Once you've created a system, save and organize this information so you can refer to it later when  studying for the NCLEX .
• Take practice NCLEX tests . NCLEX-style questions require critical thinking. Many nursing exams use these types of questions to help you prepare for the licensing exam. Become familiar with this style of questions and take  practice tests  to hone your critical thinking skills.
• Get to know your nursing instructors . Classes provide time to ask questions, take additional notes on the nursing content, and build relationships with peers and nursing instructors. Take advantage of this access to knowledge and expertise. Ask questions, seek advice on the NCLEX, and learn from others' experiences as nurses. Remember that your nursing professor may also be a resource for future internships and letters of recommendation.
• Review the Code of Ethics for Nurses.  The NCLEX contains a section on ethical practice for nurses. The  Code of Ethics for Nurses  was developed by ANA and is available for students to view.

Final Thoughts

Time management is an essential skill for nursing students. A good study habit for nursing students is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) that help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. These may include your study time and duration, test score goals, or plans to  join a nursing organization.

These tips will help set yourself up for success as you study nursing and pass nursing school. As the largest entity in health care and the most trusted profession, nursing programs aim to prepare nurses to be their very best. Expect to be challenged, but keep in mind the vast rewards nursing school delivers.  

Find  additional resources for nursing students  and discover the benefits of being an ANA Student Subscriber.

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