Not only are nurses essential to the healthcare industry, but they are essential for our health and longevity. The path to becoming a nurse is paved with long days, hard work, and often lots of pressure. Demanding and strenuous, the trials of nursing school prepare young adults to enjoy successful careers as nurses.
That said, balancing the curriculum, schedule, and clinicals that nursing school requires can be challenging. Learning how to manage such responsibilities is half the battle for future nurses. Doing so is not only rewarding, but it also prepares you for a bright future in nursing with limitless possibilities.
How to Thrive Under Pressure Throughout Nursing School
The many pressures of nursing school can create unique challenges that can be hard to deal with. You must learn a large volume of information and undergo clinical lessons in a short period. Nursing school also entails taking important exams that ultimately dictate your future career.
The physical, mental, and emotional demands of nursing school are hard in equal measure. However, figuring out how to thrive under these demands can set you up for a long, successful nursing career. The best ways to thrive under the many pressures of nursing school include:
1. Make the Most of Your Time
Time management is essential for any college student, but nursing school carries unique challenges. Balancing your curriculum while shadowing nurses and undergoing nursing clinical studies can be hard. You can make this much easier if you create a tight schedule and stick to it.
Create a list of goals that you can realistically achieve within a specific timeframe. You will likely find that you’re less stressed as you slowly check things off your list. Sometimes, this entails turning down extracurricular activities that take you away from your studies.
Don’t beat yourself up for saying “no” to a party or social gathering if it would interfere with your schedule. Saying “no” now is better than feeling the pressure of cramming for a test because you’re out of time.
2. Create a Support System
One of the most comforting aspects of nursing school is that you have so many peers to lean on. Your fellow nursing students understand what you’re going through more than anyone else. While everyone’s experience is unique, your shared workload is an important bond.
You will naturally create a support system by attending classes, socializing, and undergoing clinicals with your peers. Not only can you help each other study, but you can also vent to each other.
There’s no need to feel ashamed about stress, especially when you’re surrounded by future nurses going through the same thing. It also helps to create a study group as that helps many people retain information. Study groups also work wonders to motivate many people to study when they may otherwise put it off.
3. Motivate Yourself
The high workload of nursing school can make it hard to stay motivated. Staying on top of your studies and keeping a tight schedule can make this much easier. You can also motivate yourself if you continually remind yourself why you’re there.
Think about the gravity of the information you’re learning through classes and nursing clinicals. Reminding yourself of the importance of what you’re learning can help you succeed in nursing school. This is especially true during nursing clinicals when you get hands-on experience.
4. Prioritize Self Care
It’s all too easy to neglect self-care when you’re deeply engrossed in your studies. However, this is an easy way to burn yourself out and stretch yourself thin. Poor sleep and dietary habits are not only physically unhealthy, but they can affect your mental health.
Sleeping 7 to 9 hours per night can work wonders to make you feel better in nearly every way. A healthy diet full of protein, fiber, and electrolytes can also make the workload much easier.
Procrastination goes hand-in-hand with an unhealthy diet and sleep schedule. Avoid procrastination so you don’t have to cram and throw your circadian rhythm off. Talk to a friend or mental health professional if you notice signs of burnout.
5. Consider Your Career Path
There are many paths to nursing and careers within the field. For example, some people pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and enter the workforce right away. However, others continue their studies to get a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Graduate nursing degrees naturally require more education and time to obtain. It’s important to consider whether you want to stop at a BSN or continue and pursue an MSN or DNP degree.
Once you decide, you must apply the same self-care and time-management skills to your continued studies. This is just as important, if not more important when pursuing graduate nursing degrees as they take longer to obtain. Keep in mind that you have plenty of time to consider this early in nursing school.
Set Yourself Up for a Long and Rewarding Nursing Career
Years from now, you will fondly remember your time in nursing school despite all the stress and hard work. However, this is only possible if you continually take care of yourself, set small goals, and prioritize your studies. Doing so will help you make great connections and learn how to manage your schedule as a full-time nurse.
Photo Credits
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren
With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.
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