Top Five Tips to Consider after Choosing a Nursing School As your start date approaches, you may feel nervous, apprehensive, and basically just terrified. You may know that nursing is your dream job; however, there is always that question in your mind that you wonder if you have made the right decision. You never know exactly how difficult school will be, and will you do ok in the classes and tests. Take a deep breath, and celebrate the fact that you are going to be a nurse. If you have chosen nursing as a profession, it’s a good indication that you do in fact have a desire to be a great nurse. As for how you will do in school, well, that’s hard to say, however, if you were accepted into the nursing school, it’s a safe bet that the school felt you would do well, so trust their judgment. You can assume that every person that enters the program with you, shares your same apprehensions, so you are far from being alone. Advanced Preparation Regardless of the length of time that you have before you begun school, it will serve you well to start getting prepared. If you are relocating to attend nursing school, the earlier you begin making plans, the better off you will be. •Locate a convenient place to reside. Remember, this is not a permanent home, so it does not need to be something that you would be comfortable in for years to come. Try to plan your housing around the first year of schooling only. You will become acclimated to the area and housing after the first year, and you may develop a friendship and potential roommate, so keep an open mind that first year. The school may have a housing advisor that can offer suggestions, or check with your guidance counselor. Stay as close in proximity as you can to your school; it will make it much easier if you attend after school study sessions. Make sure you have your housing secure in advance, and plan to move in a week prior to school starting so you can get organized. It's important to be settled in your residence by the first day of school so that you can concentrate on school itself. In the event you are attending school in a location that you already reside, the living quarters are one less thing to be concerned with. Just ensure you have a quiet and organized study area available so that you are not trying to rearrange things during study hours. Related:
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Make sure you are financially prepared for school. If you have several months before class begins, and are not already working, it may be a good idea to find a temporary job. The more funds you have saved the better off you will be when school starts. It is to your benefit when you don’t have to be worried about finances, so have some funds saved up and set aside. You may find that you have time for a part time job while attending school, however jobs in areas around schools may be difficult to come by, so be prepared financially. Being Prepared to Start School Your guidance counselor will generally create your schedule for your first semester, with your input. They will make it as simple as possible, by signing you up for your classes, and printing out your class schedule. So here is what you should do next, so that you are prepared for your first day of school. •Take your printed schedule and go straight to the bookstore. Take copies of the classes that you will be attending, and coordinate them with the books that you will need for the class. Look up reading material on the topics that your professors will cover. Give yourself an advantage, and read about the materials that the professor will be covering. •Stock up on any supplies you may need for classes, binders, black pens, hi-lighters, and folders. Your professors will advise you the first day of your class exactly what supplies you will need for their class. Get everything that you think you will need before the first day of school. That will make less work for you to do when school actually starts, and you will be more prepared and organized, having less to buy. Being prepared is key in making a smooth transition into the nursing school. You may not know everything that you will need in the way of supplies, however you can stock up on items that are basic, and what you assume you will need. Scheduling Around School Life is going to change for you once you start school. You need to plan out exactly what your days and weeks will consist of. After allowing for your time in school, create a study schedule. Plan to have a quiet place to have your study time, and block out distractions, no phone calls, no social media, and no company, just study time. This time is crucial to your nursing studies. The better you do in nursing school, the more successful you will be in finding a job when you graduate. If you are unable to secure a quiet study area at home, consider using a library to
study daily. Check the school communication site or the community bulletin board to see if there are study groups being organized. If there is a study group for new nursing students, consider signing up for that, it will help you get acquainted with other new students, and you can exchange notes and ideas regarding your classes. If you are currently working, you have decisions to make regarding work while actively attending school. Working full time may prove to be too much, however part time work is usually fine, providing you have a flexible schedule. Related: What Not to Eat at the Beginning of Your Shift Mentor or Friend Check to see if the school has a mentoring program. Many schools offer a mentor to new students. If they do not offer such a program, start meeting people on your own. It is especially beneficial to connect with someone that has completed their first year of nursing school. They could enlighten you as what to expect. Visiting your School Arrange to visit school a couple weeks prior to your start date. Familiarize yourself with the campus or in the case of a smaller school, just the school layout. If possible, visit your teachers and ask if they have a list of supplies you will need for their class. If you cannot visit the teachers and introduce yourself, try to get their school email addresses so you can contact them and ask for a supply list requirement. The more you can buy and organize prior to school starting, the better off you will be. You should be provided with a list of books needed ahead of time, so make sure you get them first thing so there is no danger of not locating them. If you can determine special readings or topics that your professors may cover, educate yourself in advance, and you will be more apt to follow along and comprehend the information discussed. Last Minute Purchases • Purchase toiletries that you will need for the first 2-3 months. If you will be living in a dormitory, or sharing a residence with other people, invest in a toiletry organizer that you can keep in your room and easily carry to the shower with you. Make sure you get shampoos, conditioners, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, razors, and soaps. Buy some healthy snack foods for those late night study sessions. Almonds, yogurt, anything that will be filling yet not overloaded with calories. If you will be sharing a home with others, an option to keep your snacks for your use only, may be to buy an inexpensive tool box. You can get a plastic tool
box for less than $15 that will have a locking feature. You can store non perishable foods and keep them locked up for your use only. Store the tool box under your bed. Starting nursing school is an exciting time, and you can make a smooth transition into school by being prepared ahead of time. Keep in mind, no matter how organized and prepared you are, there will some things that come up once school has started that you have not prepared for. Make sure you have an emergency financial fund for extra supplies or books that you need after school is in session. Knowing that you will be working toward your future career will make all the preparations and planning worthwhile. You will have good days and bad days, and probably a few days that you question your decision to become a nurse. Don’t give up. There is a reason you selected the profession of nursing to go into, so be prepared to deal with difficult times, it's actually a good lesson for your future career to have some trying times. When you are tired, and overworked, do one thing for yourself that will make it all worthwhile. Keep your eye on the end prize, becoming a nurse. Related: List of nursing organizations
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