How to Be Successful in Nursing School: 10 Powerful Tips

The decision to switch to a nursing career is exciting but challenging. If you decide to enroll in Concordia University Irvine's Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, you can earn your nursing degree in as few as 15 months. However, that accelerated timeline means you must devote most of your time to your studies. Avoiding distractions and staying focused will help you determine how to succeed in nursing school.

Wondering exactly how to be successful in nursing school? As you prepare to start the ABSN program, follow these actionable tips for nursing school students.

Nursing School Tips for Success

The following tips can help you conquer the challenges you'll encounter in nursing school, such as making the best possible use of your time and staying healthy. Another important factor is your mindset when considering how to get through nursing school. Remember your reasons for wanting to become a nurse and nurture your intrinsic motivation and drive to successfully meet the challenges in front of you.

1. How to Be Successful in Nursing School by Preparing

One of the secrets of how to succeed in nursing school is to plan for success before you even begin. If you enroll in Concordia's Accelerated BSN program, you can choose from three start dates per year: January, May, or August. Once you select a start date, you can create a plan to prepare for success on day one.

Here's a quick look at some preparations you may need to make:

• Employment: Make plans to either resign from your current job or take a leave of absence. If you take a leave of absence, you might return to that job following graduation while preparing to take the NCLEX and submitting nursing job applications.
• Mindset: You must treat nursing school like a full-time job to succeed. If it's been a while since you were in school, develop the right mindset by brushing up on academic skills using free online resources.
• Supplies: You'll need to purchase supplies ahead of your start date, like scrubs and a stethoscope.
• Prerequisites: Your admissions counselor will ensure you complete all prerequisites before your start date. Concordia requires prerequisites in Christian theology, science, mathematics and humanities classes.

2. Create a Distraction-Free Study Space

One of the most essential tips for nursing school is to designate a space designed for optimal productivity and learning retention. Not everyone has access to their own home office, however. If that describes you, and you have other household members, you'll need to carve out a corner in your home's quietest, least busy room. 

Invest in a comfortable, ergonomic office chair, as you'll spend lots of time in it. You'll want excellent lighting in your study space to reduce eye fatigue, and you'll want to have everything you need close at hand, such as pens, index cards for creating flashcards and similar items.

You'll need a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if you live in a busy, noisy household and have trouble creating a quiet, distraction-free study space. It can also be helpful to orient your desk to face a wall.

3. Plan Your Schedule

You'll do a lot of juggling during nursing school. You should plan each week's schedule to stay on top of your commitments. Use a day planner or a scheduling app to indicate your classes, labs and clinical rotation shifts. Note upcoming exams, assignment deadlines and group study sessions. You should also schedule solo study sessions for your coursework and NCLEX prep.

4. How to Get Through Nursing School with Good Organization

Whether or not you're taking classes online, you can expect to jot down plenty of notes along the way. You should also take notes during nursing labs and clinical rotations. It's essential to keep everything organized so you know exactly where to find information during your study sessions

Use whichever organizational system works best for you. Some students use well-organized binders with color-coded dividers. Others prefer a digital organization system with separate subfolders for different nursing topics or classes.

5. Ask Questions and Seek Extra Help When Needed

Even if you're working through your classes online, you can still connect to your instructors. This is particularly true if you're a student in Concordia's ABSN program, where our instructors are committed to supporting the success of each student. Never be afraid to ask questions and request further clarification on anything confusing.

6. Connect with Peers and Join a Study Group

Nursing school students often form close relationships with other members of their cohort. You're going through a challenging program together, and you can lean on each other for emotional support. 

You can also form a study group with other members of your cohort. Even if you prefer studying alone, try a study group. For the best results, create a small study group with other hardworking students committed to succeeding in nursing school. Establish an agenda for each meeting so members know which material will be covered during that session.

7. Cultivate a Professional Appearance and Demeanor

If you're enrolled in the campus-based ABSN program in Irvine, you'll complete clinical rotations in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Students enrolled in the hybrid ABSN program complete onsite clinical rotations primarily in the Inland Empire. No matter where you complete your clinicals, you should view them as opportunities to sharpen your nursing skills and cultivate a professional appearance and demeanor.

Plan on arriving for each shift early and dress neatly in clean scrubs with long hair tied back. Be eager to tackle any tasks assigned to you and always maintain professionalism. Avoid engaging in workplace politics or gossip and instead focus on the task at hand.

8. Solicit and Be Receptive to Feedback

You should always be receptive to feedback during clinical rotations and nursing school labs. Remember that although you're working at a healthcare facility during clinicals, it's still a learning environment, and your primary purpose is to learn how to provide safe and effective patient care. It's only natural to make a few mistakes here and there; what counts is being willing to learn from them and receptive to the feedback of your nursing faculty and working RNs.

9. Practice Self-Care

Nursing school can be stressful, and you'll be working long hours. It's important to take care of your physical and mental health. Try the following tips to complement your overall strategy of how to be successful in nursing school:

• Set aside time for exercise on most days of the week. It can be challenging to fit in a lengthy workout on a nursing school schedule, so consider high intensity interval training, comprised of high-intensity workouts that take little time.
• Prioritize sleep as much as possible. Cutting sleep to have more study time isn't a sustainable strategy, and it doesn't lend itself to learning retention or concentration. Practice good sleep hygiene.
• Eat nutritious foods instead of resorting to fast food. Consider cooking in large batches on the weekend to have ready-made meals for the week ahead.
• Care for your mental and emotional wellness. When you're stressed, contact family or friends for emotional support and practical assistance. Consider booking appointments with a therapist, either online or in person.

10. Schedule "Me Time" to Avoid Burnout

Nursing students and working nurses can be susceptible to burnout, given the long hours and intensity of their work. Another way to practice self-care is to schedule some "me" time daily. Even if you can only set aside 10 minutes to do something you enjoy, that's 10 minutes well-spent.

Your Path to Success Starts Here

Your path toward succeeding in nursing school, no matter your previous academic background, begins at Concordia. Thanks to our dedication to student support, our ABSN graduates have a 98% NCLEX pass rate. With a focus on graduating caring, compassionate and competent nurses who embrace Christian values, Concordia encourages students to approach each patient from a holistic, individualized perspective.

If you're interested in graduating with your bachelor’s of nursing degree in as few as 15 months with the benefit of a hybrid learning model, Concordia's ABSN program may be the right choice for you. Contact an admissions counselor today by completing the form and applying these nursing school tips for success.