Academic Support for Nursing Students

An ABSN program should be treated as a full time job.

An accelerated nursing program is a shorter, faster-paced version of a traditional Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program. It is important for students to get organized and find a routine earlier in the program to set up for success.

Create a routine

Use your syllabus

Lectures are recorded so you have the advantage of going back to fill in the blanks as you study.

• Buy a good planner and use it (many students use both a physical planner and a digital one)
• As soon as you have access to your schedule (iOnline) and your syllabi though the online course platform D2L, start mapping out the entire semester in monthly view with: Lectures (in-person or virtual), labs, clinicals
• Pay attention to classes that are weekly, EOW, or meet only a few times
• Then add in exam dates, other required workshop dates, and important due dates
• As well as PRIOR commitments you have made outside of school/personal important dates 

Use a planner or online platform

My Homework App 

Time Management and Organization (PDF)

Google calendar

Outlook calendar

Study habits may be different than during your previous degree(s). Study a little each day, and do not try to write everything down in lecture. 

Use Learning Objectives, offered in every course, to review the expectations regarding content in the course and prepare for class. Learning Objectives are the starting point for organizing information from multiple sources, and helps alleviate the fear of missing something. They can be used as a self-assessment tool for prioritizing and organizing study materials for exams.

Research shows that taking notes the old-fashioned way (paper and pen) works best.

After the Lecture - 

Take a short stretch/snack/fresh-air brake, then...

1. Spend 15 to 30 minutes reviewing the lecture, ideally done with one or two others  
   • Things the faculty stressed
   • Things you do not understand 
   • Bold/underlined/highlight topics

Concept Map Template 1 (.docx)  |  Concept Map Template 2 (PDF)

The Study Cycle

How to Remember (almost) Anything

Test Taking Anxiety (PDF)

Test Taking Strategies (PDF)

Effective Note Taking (PDF)

Active Learning (PDF)

Learning Objectives (PDF)

Overwhelm is very common in nursing school.

• In your planner, schedule in self-care breaks and you may even want to schedule in your basic self-care needs (eating, bathing, hydrating, sleeping, etc)
• The key to minimizing overwhelm with the amount of daily work is to create a balanced and structured routine. This should include a daily wake-up morning routine and a nightly bedtime routine. Consistency is key. 
• Plan on studying daily
• It should also include self-care interventions throughout the day, including while you are in class.
• When you are blocking out your day, make sure to add in “Buffer time” on either side of each appointment (including virtual lectures or meetings)
  • allow for unforeseen circumstances such as traffic, parking, internet or computer problems  

Find your support system.

• We do recommend having conversations with your friends and family prior to starting so that they are aware of how busy you will be. 
• Sometimes it can be difficult for family to understand that you may not always be available for social events, but if they are on board from the beginning, they can often become an invaluable form of support and accountability for many students.

Moving healthcare forward as a community depends on the health and wellness of each individual member. The IHP offers Health & Wellness resources like mental health counseling, fitness memberships and referrals through the EAP for addiction care and community resources.

Self Care (PDF)
 

One of our coaches, Karen Flaherty, is a certified NCLEX prep coach.