Bend, Oregon, Our New Home!
In a recent article with the Bend Bulletin, our School President Joanna Russell shared how we are enrolling for February 24, 2025 at our newest…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
RN to BSN – Career Upgrade!
Here at Sumner College we offer a program for current Registered Nurses, to further their education in a flexible schooling style and get a Bachelors…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | August 2024
Congratulations Hanna, for being the August 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner College! Hanna was inspired to pursue a career as a Practical Nursing…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | September 2024
Congratulations Kristina, for being the September 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kristina completed the LPN program from Sumner College and recently returned to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Niche Award!
Exciting news! Sumner Nursing College was recently ranked by Niche, listed as #1 in Best Value Colleges in Oregon, #1 in Best Value Colleges in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Check Out Our New Campus!
Welcome to our new campus in Bend, Oregon! We are excited to be welcoming the first BSN cohort February 24th, 2025. Stay tuned as we…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Info Sessions
On the fence or have questions about starting your education at Sumner College? Check out our upcoming BSN Info Sessions! Available for on-campus in Portland…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
All About TEAS
If you're considering enrolling at Sumner College (or other nursing schools!) you will be required to take the TEAS Exam. This stands for Test of…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing School Study Tips
Nursing school is known to be extremely difficult, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself! NursingWorld.org suggests a few different things to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
$5,000 Education Award Available!
Exciting news! DiversityNursing.com is offering a $5,000 education award, with easy entry and no essays, why not enter for a chance to win $5,000 to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Member Bend Chamber of Commerce
Sumner College is proud to share we are new members of the Bend Area Chamber of Commerce. Coming soon our official ribbon cutting and social…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Spirit Week!
Happy Spirit Week! Stop by the Lobby or Front Desk throughout the week to say hi and show some school spirit! Monday: Meal Prep and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH: JULY 2024
Congratulations Kinsey, for being the July 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kinsey is pursuing her BSN degree and has wanted to be a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Virtual Tour: SIM Lab 202
Welcome to Sumner College! Before you head in to our Portland Campus take a virtual tour where you can see our Simulation Lab, Hospital Simulator,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH: JUNE 2024
Congratulations to LPN student, Logan, for June 2024! Logan is able to pursue his degree thanks to his great support system, and school life balance,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Campus Alert!
We are extremely excited to announce the opening of our new additional campus location in Bend, Oregon! Conveniently located just around the corner from Bend's…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
The Heart of Healthcare
Nursing can be described as both an art and science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies a fundamental respect for human dignity…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Labor Day Weekend
Happy Labor Day! We will be closed Monday to enjoy a long weekend!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Class Start Dates
Join us on one of our upcoming start dates for RN's looking to achieve a BSN completion!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
What is an RN-BSN Program?
RN to BSN Degree- What is it? The RN-BSN degree is designed for nurses that earned their Registered Nurse licensure and would like to continue…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
There’s Still Time!
There's still time to enroll for the September 3 class start date! All three programs are starting fresh this fall; BSN, RN to BSN, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Tips for Great Admission Essays
Writing an admission essay may feel like a daunting task to accomplish, much less three, as we require here at Sumner. While they are short…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Is Nursing for Me?
Have you ever wondered whether nursing is the right profession for you? Take our personality exam to see if you have the characteristics of a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Join the Nursing Workforce
When deciding what career to go into, one often will research the career to find out information like: average income, durability in the economy, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Celebrating 50 years!! Everyday NW’s Ally Osborne visits with Joanna Russell
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Sumner College in Northeast Portland is celebrating 50 years of helping people level up and reach for their career goals in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Why choose to complete a BSN?
Sumner College is proud to offer multiple different nursing programs, suitable for all stages of life. However, completing the Bachelors of Science in Nursing is…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Our Application Process
As you find yourself getting ready to make the jump for the new term here at Sumner College, you may have questions about our application…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
BSN Info Sessions – August
This month's BSN group information meetings are scheduled for August 1, 6, 8, 15 at 12p.m on campus, 8338 NE Alderwood Road, Portland, OR 97220…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
BSN Info Sessions – July
In preparation for the September classes, please plan to attend either of these informative hour long presentations to learn more about the program, the requirements…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Meet The RN Advocating For Disabled Candidates
Applying for a new job can be overwhelming and stressful. For candidates with disabilities, the hiring process can be a disheartening experience. According to the CDC,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Dream It! Do It! Request Info
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