How to prepare for nursing school in 2023|Full Guide

Did you just get accepted into a nursing school? Or are you still in the admission process? Whichever way,  you need to know how to prepare for nursing school. Getting into a nursing school is no small feat.

Nonetheless, Nursing is also a very rewarding career, therefore attending nursing school is definitely worth the effort. Even better, having the right guidelines and tools for success can make your time preparing for school easier.

I have over time heard students say things like “it’s difficult to get into nursing school”. Well, to be successful in nursing school, you must prepare and complete all of the enrollment criteria.

If you want to go to nursing school, there are certain things you should know before your first semester in nursing school.

Knowing these things will help you manage your time as a nursing school student.

In order for you to succeed, you will have to prepare properly before going into nursing school, and this article is dedicated to helping you gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to get ready for your nursing career, as well as helping you succeed in nursing school.

Thus, before we dive in, What is nursing school?

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What is nursing school?

The nursing school refers to academic programs that prospective nurses might pursue in order to become registered nurses. If you wish to become a registered nurse, you can get an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Why go to nursing school?

Nurses are in high demand, and the employment market is expanding. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for registered nurses is expected to rise at a 9% annual rate between 2020 and 2030. This projection reflects a gain of almost 276,000 jobs throughout that span of time.

Nursing professions may also be financially rewarding, with a registered nurse earning an average annual pay of $89,208. After completing nursing school, you may be able to take advantage of a variety of unique possibilities. Working as a nurse allows you to work in a range of places, such as offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and home health care settings.

How to prepare for nursing school: Things you need to have

Before getting into nursing school, there are certain requirements that are of uttermost importance.

Carefully read the list below, and make sure you do every single thing on this list.

#1. Finish all required prerequisites

As someone who is aspiring to become a nurse, you should already know that there are certain requirements you must meet up with.

Different nursing schools have different prerequisites, so you may have to find out what requirements are peculiar to your preferred school and try to have them.

Also, you may want to choose a school that doesn’t have rigid requirements. This is because such schools are easier to get into.

While getting all relevant requirements to make you in constant communication with the admission counselor.

Having constant communication with the admission counselor will help you stay on track to meet up with these prerequisites to attend your nursing program.

#2. Take the TEAS test

The ATI Nursing Education administers The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). 

Having a high score in the TEAS is a very important prerequisite for most nursing schools.

This test is done to evaluate your reading skills, math skills, science knowledge, and use of the English language.

#3. Stay up to date with your immunization

Usually, most nursing schools will also require new students to get immunized against illnesses like hepatitis B, mumps, and chicken pox.

With or without the instruction of your nursing school, it is important for you to update your immunization.

By so doing, you can protect yourself against germs and illnesses.

#4. Connect with other nurses.

Before going into nursing school, you should try to connect with other student nurses who are already in the school.

By creating a good relationship with these senior students, they can help you know more about the nursing program, how the school works and what to expect.

The importance of connecting with other students cannot be overemphasized.

#5. Assist a professional nurse

By becoming an assistant to a professional nurse, you will certainly gain some level of experience.

When I say assisting a professional nurse, I mean going to work with him or her and having a keen understanding of what a day in the life of a nurse looks like.

You may think it’s difficult to find a nurse who you can assist, but it’s not as difficult as you think.

If you find it difficult to connect with any professional nurse, you can contact your preferred nursing school and request to be partnered with a professional nurse.

#6. Become a certified nursing assistant (CNA)

While preparing for nursing school, another thing you should consider is becoming a certified nursing assistant.

In some nursing schools, becoming a certified nursing assistant is one of the prerequisites or requirements to get accepted.

But, whether or not your preferred nursing school requires you to be a certified nursing assistant, becoming one will certainly be a plus for you.

In the course of your training as a nursing assistant, you will gain practical experience, this way you won’t be a novice in clinical practice.

#7. Take a job

Preferably, it is best you get an entry-level healthcare job close to your preferred school.

But, if you can’t find an entry-level healthcare job close to you, then you can accept any job that involves working with and for people.

Jobs that involve working with people will help you build and develop interpersonal skills as well as organizational and communication skills.

All these are skills that any good and professional nurse should have.

#8. Take care of all essentials

When I say essentials, I mean those little things that matter, like a comfortable pair of shoes, a few skirts and shirts or pants that don’t necessarily require ironing, beverages, and snacks.

These things look small, but when you get into nursing school, you will find out how important they are.

This is practically everything you need to know on how to prepare for nursing school.

Make sure you make a comprehensive list that contains all of these and ensures that they are all sorted out before your first semester in nursing school.

What am I supposed to know before going to nursing school?

Aside from knowing how to prepare for nursing school, there are also certain things you should know before going into nursing school.

Sincerely I am of the opinion that this article won’t be complete if I just stopped telling you how to prepare for nursing school.

On that note, here are certain things you should keep.in mind before going into nursing school:

• The workload may be stressful and challenging: Yes, attending a nursing school can be very stressful, and at some point, you may even feel overwhelmed. Therefore planning ahead and minimizing the attention you give to less important or unnecessary activities is of the uttermost importance
• You will have to spend so much time studying: In order to assimilate everything as fast as possible, you will have to study. In nursing school, you should study at least 4 hours every day. Forming a study group will be of great advantage to you.
• Understanding is more important than grades: This is not to say your grades don’t matter, of course, they do. But having a good understanding of what you need to know is important. With a good understanding, you will find out that your grades will also be on the high side.

Nursing is a very serious career, in nursing school, you will be prepared for life as a nurse, you don’t hope to find that so easy, therefore prepare yourself for the challenge ahead.

What is the hardest part of nursing school?

This article on how to prepare for nursing school will once again be incomplete without telling you what the hardest part of nursing school is.

Pathophysiology and pharmacology are some of the hardest classes or courses you will encounter in nursing school.

In order to succeed in these courses, you will have to have a good understanding of these courses, you will need to also understand your prerequisite courses.

How many hours do I have to study in nursing school?

In nursing school, you will have to study for at least 4 hours every day. Depending on how fast you memorize and understand things, your study time may be more or less.

But, whichever, try to create at least 2 hours every day studying.

Conclusion

Nursing school can be very stressful and challenging, but with good preparation, you can overcome the stress.

You have done the needful by knowing how to prepare for nursing school, now it’s time to put this knowledge into practice.

As you go through the journey to becoming a professional nurse, we hope that you have a smooth ride.

References:

• Nurse journal
• Ramuseen

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