How To Plan A Study Schedule For Nursing Students

As a nursing student sometime its hard to get yourself into studying mode. You may feel like you wasted precious time that wasn’t spent on studying. Knowing when is the best time to study will help you focus more. You will be able to create a better environment for studying with a good study schedule.

First, you will need to know how much time you have for studying and when those times will be. You need to block out time for things that are fixed in your schedule like classes, clinical and work. The remaining time left will be where you can plug in your studying time. Once those have a place in your schedule, you will add time for lunch, travel, dinner, sleep and self-care. If you know when you can get the most focus, save that time for studying. Try to cut the time you need to travel. It will help to track the time you are actually studying. This will take trial and error to find something that will work for you.

What Can I Use to Effectively Plan My Study Schedule?

Your schedule will change on a weekly basis depending on what you need to do. You will need a good system that you can carry around with you. What you use will be based on what is the most convenient way for you to jot down your to do list and plan your schedule.

Smartphones/Tablets

You will want to have a system that you’re already carrying around. What is better than using your smartphone to log in your schedule. You have the options to use the calendar widget on phones like the Android or download an app with a monthly view of your schedule. The convenience that comes with using a smart phone are the features that will save you time. You can look for the options that will put all your classes and study time automatically on weekly repeat. The cons to this method is that it lacks the option for a more customizable schedule all in one place.

Planners

Some people like writing things down with pen and paper. If that is the case, getting a physical planner will help you plan more effectively. Most planner have the options of having both a monthly and weekly layout. The monthly layout allows you to see exams and assignment due dates that are coming up. You will use the weekly layout for planning your study time, to-do list and task.

Look for a vertical layout planner for an effective way to block out your time for studying.

Laptops

If you carry around a laptop and prefer things to be digital, you may want use your laptop as a planner. If you are tech savvy, you can create your own monthly calendar on programs like Microsoft Excel. Having a digital planner will help you see your schedule all at once. There may be programs or free calendars that you can download or use online. The disadvantage will be the time it takes for you to create your own or find one that works for you.

How Many Hours Should A Nursing Student Study?

One way of figuring the time necessary for each class is to go by the this rule of thumb. Set aside 2 hours of study time for every 1 hour of class. If you are a full time student, you will set aside around 24 hours per week dedicated for studying. By following this method, you get to choose how to break up those hours. You may only have certain days to focus on studying so this will give you a general idea.

If you don’t need to cram all your study hour into several days of the week. You can dedicate everyday to studying around 3-4 hours. This will get you into a consistent study schedule everyday. You will be able to average out around 24 hours throughout the week. This method will give your brain the time it needs to absorb all the information.

Keep in mind that everybody has different study habits. How much time you can put aside for studying depends on what works for you and what are your needs.

Where Can I Go To Study For My Nursing Classes?

A good study area should have a bathroom, a charging outlet and access to internet connection. Your best option might be studying at home. This will help save you time from traveling and offer a better comfort. You may have obstacles such as a noisy household. Move your study time to a more quiet time of the day. With that said, it may still not be an option for everyone.

You can look for options at your school. Students usually have access to a private school library, a study lounge or an empty classroom. These are quiet areas that offers amenities for you to study productively. If these are not accessible, you can study for free at any public library or at a coffee shop near you.

Test out each location out to see which one will suit your studying preference.

What Should I Study For My Nursing Classes?

Your study material should include notes from class and your textbook. If you take good notes in class, that will cover most of what you should study. These notes are an outline for how you should tackle you textbook for more in depth information.

In an competitive nursing program, it will help to know how in depth you should study from the textbook. It will help to ask your professor or a nursing student that already took the class before. A tip for passing your first exam is to cover each recommended chapter thoroughly. After your first exam, you will be able to gauge how well you should study for future exams.

How Do I Know I’ve Studied Enough?

You could be reading each paragraph in the textbook over again and still feel like nothing is sticking in your head. If you are not sure how well you’ve process your study material. A good way to test yourself is by teaching someone what you’ve learned. This is where a study group is helpful for studying. You will find the holes in your studying if you are unable to explain things you’ve just learned. This is will also help you identify what information is important in your textbook.

Tips are shared from website Nurses Fix