Nursing students frequently ask me what they can do to be successful in their studies. I always share my Top 10 Tips for Classroom Success, which I am outlining below to get you started on your studies: 1) Be on time to class and focus on what need to be done that day – that will markedly enhance your ability to retain the material being taught. 2) Take notes, placing a special emphasis on topics the faculty member emphasizes, being sure to link your notes to the course objectives and topics being discussed. 3) Ask questions – engaging faculty with your questions is a major component in developing your critical thinking and application skills and thoroughly understanding the material. 4) Participate in a study group – working with three or four others who have the same level of motivation to excel can markedly enhance your success. 5) DON’T WORK during the school week; the top reason students fail their nursing program is by spending too many hours working and taking away from classroom lecture participation and clinical practice. 6) Complete at least 50 NCLEX® questions weekly with 90% accuracy – following this prescription ensures exposure to a vast amount of content you’ll need to pass your NCLEX® test. 7) Limit your caffeine and stimulant intake – too much of either eventually leads to poor concentration and retention. 8) Manage your stress. Nursing school itself is very stressful and, when combined with family and other obligations, it can become even more worrisome. I suggest meditation techniques 10 minutes a day to help your focus and imagery of success. 9) Listen to your faculty. They’ve been in the arena for several years and bring a wealth of clinical and classroom knowledge and experience. 10) Create a monthly calendar that sets out study time before each class, due dates for assignments – including papers to be written, benchmarks you must achieve, and your work, family, and social obligations. Planning everything at least 30 days out enables you to successfully meet your various obligations. Those are the tips that helped me get through nursing school. Hopefully, they’ll help you as well. Under Dr. Anders, Fortis has been recognized for its simulation technology leadership in educating nursing students.
