Nursing is a challenging but rewarding profession.
If we’ve learned anything in recent years, it’s that without nurses, hospitals and health care would crumble.
Nursing school is the first step, but first, this is what you should know before you pursue nursing school.
You Will Initially Feel Overwhelmed
In the first days and weeks of your coursework, you will feel overwhelmed. Unless you’ve got nerves of steel, the amount of studying and readings required will feel insurmountable at first.
Every nursing student takes time to adjust to the heavy coursework. Use your first year to develop quality study habits and work together with your fellow students; they’re facing the same struggles! Take a deep breath, stay organized, and take it day-by-day.
Every Class Is Crucial
In college, you can skip a class once in a while; what’s the harm? Perhaps that’s possible with other majors, but good luck surviving nursing school after missing courses. In nursing school, the coursework is both intense and quick.
Health and science courses have a lot of content to get through in little time, so every class covers lots of material. If missing a class is unavoidable, speak with your professor and classmates to ensure you don’t fall behind.
A Work-Life Balance Is Important
Nursing school can be intense with the mountains of readings, and it’s crucial that you keep up with your studies but don’t burn yourself out. Scaling back your social life for nursing school is common, but don’t inundate yourself with studying. Taking time for yourself to relax and unwind is the key to avoiding burnout.
Things Make Sense Once Clinicals Begin
Most nursing schools will start you with a semester of coursework before clinical rotations. The first couple of months can be difficult for many, but once you start clinicals, the material will make more sense. Clinical rotations are crucial to your studies as it’s the first time you get to shadow and study nurses and patients. You’ll find that reading about nursing is different than putting that knowledge to use, so prepare by learning everything you need to know before starting nursing clinicals.
Don’t Fear the NCLEX
The big, final challenge of your studies is the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the test you take after graduation that certifies you as Registered Nurse (RN). The NCLEX will cover all you’ve learned in school, sometimes taking up to five hours. But don’t live in fear of it!
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Keep your focus on your current studies, and if you stay organized and on schedule, the NCLEX won’t be so scary. Even if you come up short the first time, it’s common for RNs to retake the test and still become great nurses.
Nursing school is a challenging journey for many. There are many things you should know before you pursue nursing school, but the main point is that it won’t be easy. It will test your resolve, but if you’re serious about being a nurse and passionate about helping others, you’ll make it through and become a great nurse!
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