Someone who is considering joining the nursing profession may wonder: What is a typical day like for a nursing student? Learning a little more about the life of a nursing student may help an individual make a final decision regarding a future career (see: Top 10 Best Online RN to BSN Programs). Take a look at a day in the life of a nursing student.
Preparing for the Day
A nursing student who has three or four courses to attend per day will likely spend part of the morning reviewing material for classes. For instance, in preparation for a pharmacology course, a student may look at the notes he or she took during the last class meeting. Along with reviewing notes, the student reviews the day’s assigned reading. The person may have highlighted several sentences in a textbook or made some notes that he or she wants to look over. If the student has written a paper, he or she may read it again just to make sure that nothing was left out. After the student gathers all of the necessary materials, it’s time to travel to the school’s campus or go online to attend distance-learning courses.
Classes
When class begins, a nursing student diligently takes notes and listens to the instructor’s lesson. A student with questions may raise his or her hand or make a note of the question to ask after class. A nursing student takes a variety of classes. An instructor will likely give lessons on the fundamentals of nursing, anatomy or nutrition in lecture form. Alternatively, nursing students must also take clinic courses. In these types of courses, a student learns how to master a skill by practice. During a clinic course, nursing students may learn how to take a patient’s blood pressure, give a vaccination, clean a wound or swab a patient’s tonsils in order to perform a lab test. In short, clinic courses convey valuable hands-on lessons. Once classes are over for the day, a nursing student heads to the library or home to start the studying process.
Studying
Some students find that they are able to study more effectively when they are alone. Others benefit from the give and take of other nursing students in a study group. Where and how a nursing student studies is an individual choice. A student may have a specific assignment or some reading to accomplish for each course. Or, the student may have a research project to work on that is due near the end of the semester. An organized nursing student lists his or her assignments in order of priority. If a reading assignment is due the next day, then that assignment would likely be placed at the top of the list. This technique can help a nursing student complete work with efficiency.
Additional Reading: What Are Some Essential Study Tips for Nursing Students?
After Study Time
Finally, when study time is over, a nursing student may go out to meet friends at a restaurant to relax. Some nursing students have part-time jobs that allow them to get some experience in the healthcare field. Either way, a nursing student must make sure that he or she gets enough rest to be alert and ready to learn the next day! That is what a typical day is like for a nursing student.
