How To Study for Nursing School Success

Sumner College Phlebotomy graduates are thriving in Arizona. Are you next?
If you desire an collaborative career, phlebotomy is the occupation for you. Not only is the profession’s abilities regularly expanding, but phlebotomists are able to…
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#HealthcareCareer in Phlebotomy – Enroll Today at Sumner College Arizona
Sumner College Arizona provides unique opportunities for our students to learn and develop practical experiences before they begin their career. Phlebotomy continues to grow as…
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Nursing Assisting Median Annual Wages
Sumner College offers a Nursing Assistant Program on the Arizona Campus. If you’re looking for a career where you can make a difference in the…
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CNA – Job Projected Outlook 2020-2030
Job Outlook Nursing Assistants and Orderlies Percent change in employment, projected 2020-30 Home health and personal care aides; and nursing assistants, orderlies, and psychiatric aides…
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CNA – Job Summary – What does a CNA Do?
Now is a great time to pursue a career as a Nursing Assistant. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Nursing Assistants Job…
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Now Hiring – Financial Aid Officer
Financial Aid Officer Within a centralized financial aid services environment, evaluates, approves, and awards financial aid to students in accordance with federal, state, and college…
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Joanna Russell visits with CW’s Nicole DeCosta about the RN to BSN Program at Sumner College
RN's that already have their Associates Degree have so many more options for continuing education. Joanna Russell, President, Sumner College talks with Nicole DeCosta, CW's…
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Interview with Joanna Russell and CW’s Nicole DeCosta
Right now is a great time to enter the healthcare field interview with Joanna Russell, President, Sumner College. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwtLsLKZKZc[/embed]…
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Informational Sessions – Seats Available June 15th
Sumner College has a few remaining seats open for the June 15th Nursing Informational Session with President, Joanna Russell. It's all online! Sign up now…
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Nursing Assistant Types
UCNA, CNA, and LNA Note: As of July 1, 2016, Arizona offers two types of nursing assistant credentials in Arizona: Certified Nursing Assistant, designated as…
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Class of 2022 Entering the Best Job Market in Years
Great NBC News story highlighting the job search experience for recent grads like Aga Sophia Noel, an Occupational Therapy Assistance graduate from CECU member career…
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Now Hiring – Dean of Students
Sumner College is hiring for a Dean of Students. Title: Dean of Students Supervisor: Vice President Job Summary: The Dean of Students is part of…
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Joanna Russell visits with CW’s Everyday Northwest
President, Joanna Russell visited with Ashley Howard from CW's Everyday Northwest to discuss continuing education options in nursing. [embed]https://youtu.be/2lMNewz-GeY[/embed]…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Tiffany
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Tiffany is a recent PN grad. She shares her story, "Working as a phlebotomist at a plasma…
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Heartwarming Stories of Nurses Who Went Beyond Their Call of Duty
Article and Image Content shared from Readers Digest. When it comes to kindness, compassion, and caring for others, nurses have us all beat. They work…
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Heartwarming Stories of Nurses Who Went Beyond Their Call of Duty
Article and Image Content shared from Readers Digest. When it comes to kindness, compassion, and caring for others, nurses have us all beat. They work…
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Heartwarming Stories of Nurses Who Went Beyond Their Call of Duty
Article and Image Content shared from Readers Digest. Image credit: COURTESY MARK SHIPMAN When it comes to kindness, compassion, and caring for others, nurses have…
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Heartwarming Stories of Nurses Who Went Beyond Their Call of Duty
Article and Image Content shared from Readers Digest. When it comes to kindness, compassion, and caring for others, nurses have us all beat. They work…
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Heartwarming Stories of Nurses Who Went Above and Beyond Their Call of Duty
Article and Image Content shared from Readers Digest. When it comes to kindness, compassion, and caring for others, nurses have us all beat. They work…
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Personal Finance – Here’s How Much Money Phlebotomists Make In Every State In 2022
Phlebotomists perform an invaluable role in the medical world and beyond. They draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations, and research, not to mention explaining to…
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Sumner College Blood Drive
Last week Sumner College held a blood drive. Here are some photos from the day.…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Sharon
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Sharon is a recent Medical Assisting grad. She shares her story, "Before enrolling in Sumner College’s…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Patrick
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Patrick is a recent LPN grad. He shares his story, "Prior to enrolling at Sumner College,…
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ALL IN: Johnson&Johnson WellBeing for Healthcare Campaign
ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare is a call to action by #FirstRespondersFirst and The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation as a coalition of leading…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Lyric
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Lyric is a recent LPN grad. She shares her story, "Prior to attending Sumner College, I…
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#Hiring a Clinical Coordinator – Nursing Programs
JOB DESCRIPTION Position: Clinical Coordinator for Nursing Programs Supervisor: College President Job Description of Clinical Coordinator: The Clinical Coordinator is responsible for acquiring and maintaining clinical sites…
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Sunday, May 7th is Mother’s Day
Happy Mother's Day from Sumner College!…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Kaitlyn
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Kaitlyn is a recent LPN grad. She shares her story, "Wanting to expand my skills as…
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Celebrating Sumner Graduates | Meet Julie
At Sumner College, we like to celebrate our graduates. Julie is a recent RN grad. She shares her story, "Prior to enrolling in Sumner College’s…
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Now Hiring! Nurse Educator Associate Labs & Clinicals
Job Summary: The Nurse Educator Associate will teach, guide students in their labs and clinicals, along with enhancing the design of the curriculum. This person…
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It’s the time of year when eager students are venturing into their first semester of nursing school. Most likely, they have been bombarded with advice from other seasoned students. However, starting nursing school is like jumping into frigid water. You know I is going to be a shock to your system and yet, you can’t comprehend just how much of a shock until you jump in. Fortunately, there are effective study strategies that can help students to make a smooth transition.
Effective Study Strategies
STEP 1 You Must Study … STUDY!
Unless you have a photographic memory or some other learning super power, you will have to study. I was one of the many nursing students who cruised through prerequisite classes and rarely broke a sweat. I realized early in my first semester that what had worked for me in previous courses, was not going to be enough. Most students have to “step up” their study skills in nursing school to be successful.
STEP 2 Lay a strong foundation
There is a way you can spend less time studying and still be successful. The secret? Put a consistent effort into all of your coursework. For example:
STEP 3 Attend class
I often hear students say, “I don’t go to class because they just read off powerpoints”. Even if this is the case, instructors place emphasis on important and “need to know” information. Attending class gives students an opportunity to hear the information and ask questions.
STEP 4 Listen in class
Pay attention, take notes and review your notes for a few minutes after class. It also helps to compare your notes with another student’s and see what they thought was important.
STEP 5 Rethink assignments
Students often lament course assignments as “busy work” that distracts from study time. It helps to reimagine coursework as additional exposure to information and an opportunity to test knowledge.
Schedule Yourself for Study
Time management in nursing school is crucial to your success. Studying will compete with personal, academic and social responsibilities for a valuable chunk of your time. Therefore, go ahead and schedule your study time. Here are a few tips:
STEP 1 Master the calendar
Just thinking about your nursing program, personal and work schedule can quickly lead to feelings of chaos. It is important to see the “big picture” of your schedule instead of trying to keep up with all the separate moving parts. Develop a master calendar plotting out all your scheduled activities (class, work, clinicals, appointments, family responsibilities) and then schedule your study time. Be sure to include due dates for exams, assignments and other important deadlines.
STEP 2 Be realistic
Scheduling yourself only a few 20 minute study sessions a week will most likely result in very intense cramming sessions. Schedule adequate blocks of study time, but be sure to work in breaks. Studying without breaks leads to fatigue and poor retention of information.
Take Good Notes
After scoring low on exams, students would often show me pages and pages of detailed notes and ask with obvious frustration, “What am I doing wrong?”. When it comes to note taking, quantity is not always equal quality. Here are a few tips:
STEP 1 Read before the lecture
Having a general awareness of the material before you attend the lecture will put you a step ahead. This doesn’t mean reading in detail all 200+ pages to be covered, but it does help to have an idea of the topics that will be presented.
STEP 2 Get organized
There are many different note taking strategies and it is important to find the method that works for you. Remember, you may need to change what you have done in the past. A few methods for you to explore include:
You can read descriptions, pros and cons of each method here.
STEP 3 Handwritten vs electronic notes
Research has shown handwritten notes have an edge over electronic notes when it comes to retaining information. However, there are pros and cons to both depending on student preferences and learning style. Here are just a few:
Laptop Notes
Pros:
Cons:
Handwritten Notes:
Pros;
Cons:
The bottom line- finding the note taking method that is best for you. But first, you need a commitment to explore and put different strategies to test.
Author J.Adderton, BSN, MSN