Nursing programs at GCU challenge students to prepare for practical care through rigorous academics, clinical training and licensure readiness, all while balancing demanding schedules.
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Approved and verified accurate by the associate dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions on Feb. 3, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
The mission of Grand Canyon University’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is to prepare graduates to provide evidence-based, quality care to improve patient outcomes. Our supportive nursing instructors are committed to helping each of our nursing students not only survive but thrive in our learning community.
Connect with a university counselor today to learn more about our nursing degree programs. They include our pre-licensure BSN, RN to BSN program and accelerated BSN (ABSN) program.
No matter which nursing degree program you’re working through, there is no question that nursing school places considerable demands on your time and energy level. Nursing school is difficult by design; since nurses are responsible for their patient’s lives, the curriculum must be thorough and challenging enough to adequately prepare nurses to tackle any challenge in modern healthcare.
In addition to the curriculum, other challenges of nursing school include juggling a demanding schedule and finding enough time to prepare not only for classes, labs and clinical rotations, but also for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. On top of that, some nursing students may also be juggling a job in addition to their school responsibilities.
It’s advisable to spend some time learning how to prepare for nursing school in advance of your start date. You can also begin with the following nursing school survival guide to support your progress throughout the program.
These seven actionable nursing school tips can help you manage your workload and mitigate the stress:
You’ll ideally designate blocks of time for regular study sessions throughout the week. However, you should also take about 15 to 20 minutes before each class to review the material and your notes from the previous class.
In addition, take the time to skim over the material for the upcoming class. This will give you a heads-up on the most important topics for that session.
There is no such thing as a dumb question. If you don’t understand a particular nursing concept or need clarification, don’t hesitate to raise your hand and ask questions. Similarly, as you review the material during study sessions, write down questions to ask later.
Mentorship in nursing can connect students to new opportunities, offer career guidance and provide emotional support. If you previously did a job shadow at a hospital, you may have been able to find a nursing mentor that way. Otherwise, you might find a mentor when you start doing clinical rotations.
Joining a study group in nursing school can help you study collaboratively and work on building a professional network among members of your nursing cohort. Ideally, you’ll find a study group with members who are committed to mastering the material and will make the best use of their time in each session. It’s best to arrive at each study group with a clear agenda agreed upon by each member.
Staying organized is an essential part of balancing work, school and life. For example, having a planner can help lay everything out so that little parts of your day do not slip through the cracks.
If keeping a small planner does not suit you, a large monthly planner will help you visualize everything that needs to be done and show you all the spaces that can be filled with studying, homework or leisure activities. Using a digital day planner app is also a good option.
It’s also important to keep all of your learning materials organized. Whether digital or physical, implement a system that organizes notes by class and/or topic area.
While you may be eager to fill your time with activities, it is important that you make time for yourself. Are you a bookworm? Grab your favorite novel, sit down and relax. This will increase and conserve your energy so as to not become overtired and overworked.
If reading might not be your cup of tea, plan a night in to watch movies or catch up on your favorite TV show with friends or family. No matter how you choose to spend your downtime, try not to think too much about how to survive nursing school during this time. Instead, give yourself permission to truly relax and decompress.
After long hours spent working through your BSN program, you might feel too tired to work out. Yet, exercising can be invigorating and may help you maintain higher energy levels.
Regular physical activity is particularly essential for students because it helps support brain function and health. It can offer the following benefits:1
Short bursts of exercise are healthy for you.1 Try doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which get your blood pumping but don’t require much time.
