nursing student journey

From Student to Pro: The Evolution of a Bedside Nurse

Podcast episode, the nursing student, the new graduate, the seasoned nurse.

Some people know a nurse personally whether it be a family member, friend, or neighbor. Most people have been helped, in some way, by a nurse - whether it be receiving care at a hospital or witnessing a nurse care for a loved one. I think it’s fair to say that everyone, in some way, has been impacted by nurses.

In fact, for over a decade, the public has ranked nursing as the most trusted profession. We were thought of as true heroes, during the global pandemic. Nurses, however, are not all the same - we each have our own unique story to tell.

So, in this podcast episode, we invited various nurses at different stages in their professional journey to give us an inside perspective on their careers. From a nursing student to a new graduate nurse and a seasoned nursing professional, each interviewee was asked a series of questions. With these questions as a prompt, you, the listener, gain an in-depth exploration of their innermost thoughts and feelings as nurses.

>>Listen to "From Student to Pro: The Evolution of a Bedside Nurse ft. Kasey Mundell, Nurse Educator"

Rakiya Moore is a third-semester nursing student in an accelerated second-degree program. She has a previous degree in public health and wants to work in women’s health as a new graduate nurse.

In her journey through nursing school, Rakiya has emerged as a formidable force. Her motivation stems from a combination of prior work experiences and a profound realization during her pregnancy, where she witnessed the racial and social disparities in healthcare. This experience ignited a passion in her to pursue nursing with a commitment to addressing holistic patient care and maintaining authenticity in her interactions.

Rakiya's approach to learning is characterized by self-reflection and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Whether through formal mentorship or informal avenues, she absorbs information like a sponge. Despite facing challenges in adapting her learning style to the unique demands of nursing school, Rakiya advocates for individualized approaches, stressing the importance of figuring out what works best for oneself.

One pivotal moment for Rakiya came during NCLEX-style exams when she realized the significance of thinking like a nurse rather than just a test taker. This shift in perspective not only heightened her awareness in clinical applications but also led to a significant improvement in her test scores.

Looking ahead, Rakiya envisions a future for nursing that is marked by reduced burnout and increased recognition of the profound impact nurses have on patient care. With her readiness to embrace the nursing profession, we consider ourselves fortunate to have Rakiya as a part of the healthcare community.

Meet Michael Pratt, a recent graduate nurse making waves in the fast-paced environment of the emergency department (ED) at a Baltimore Washington hospital. Having completed a second-degree accelerated nursing program in August 2023, Michael's journey into nursing was fueled by a desire to leave a lasting impact on the lives of those around him.

As an exemplary student, Michael swiftly earned the favor of patients in the ED, where he now applies the concepts and clinical knowledge gained during his education. His success is not only attributed to his academic foundation but also to the guidance of a crucial figure in his nursing journey – his nurse preceptor. This mentor played a pivotal role in imparting the "nursing street smarts" necessary for navigating the unpredictable nature of the ED.

Michael's initiation into the real-world challenges of healthcare began with a crash course orientation, teaching him the ED's rapid transitions from calm to chaotic. His aspiration is to evolve into a confident nurse capable of handling any situation. Despite encountering hurdles in the healthcare system's bureaucracy and the realization that he can't be omnipresent for each patient, Michael acknowledges the importance of seeking assistance from his teammates.

The most fulfilling moments for Michael come when he implements interventions that visibly improve a patient's condition. While grappling with uncertainties about the future of nursing, he hopes for increased accessibility to healthcare and a recognition of the need for system improvements.

Reflecting on his journey, Michael wishes he had started his nursing career earlier. Nevertheless, there's no doubt that he is on a trajectory to become a nurse leader, making a significant impact in the field in no time.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kasey Weygant Mundell (@drnurseprn)

Shana Skeffrey is a seasoned nursing professional with a trajectory that showcases dedication, resilience, and a commitment to growth. Starting as a licensed practical nurse, Shana transitioned into a bachelor-prepared registered nurse. A few years into her bedside nursing experience, she felt the call to pursue a master's in nursing education, a decision that has shaped her path profoundly.

The roots of her inspiration to become a nurse can be traced back to childhood, watching her godmother undergo cancer treatment and wound care.

As a medical surgical nurse, Shana found herself thrust into the challenging realm of providing care to COVID patients during the pandemic. Currently, she dedicates her full-time efforts to shaping the future of nursing as a clinical lab instructor at an accredited nursing university.

Throughout her remarkable nine-year journey, Shana attributes her success to the invaluable support of mentors who not only provided opportunities for professional growth but also offered crucial mental health support. Interestingly, food became Shana's love language, adding a unique dimension to her journey.

The COVID era marked the most challenging chapter of Shana's career, offering her a different perspective on nursing—one surprisingly positive. Beyond the stress and anxiety, she discovered the beauty in caring for critically ill patients and witnessed the unifying strength within the nursing profession.

Educating the next generation of nurses has proven to be a profoundly rewarding experience for Shana. Transitioning from mentee to mentor, she triumphantly overcame imposter syndrome. Undeterred by challenges, Shana sets her sights on a doctorate program in clinical leadership this year, driven by a desire to continue making a difference in the lives of nursing students.

Shana's vision extends beyond personal success; she aspires to be the catalyst for positive change in the nursing profession and the broader healthcare system. With leaders like Shana at the forefront, there is hope for a brighter future in nursing.

>>Listen to this episode on the Nurse Converse podcast

Connect With Kasey on social media:

Instagram: drnurseprn

TikTok: drnurseprn7

Kasey Mundell is a certified nurse educator who specializes in clinical instruction and simulation. For the last six years of Kasey’s bedside nursing career, she has been employed at a level 1 trauma center in Maryland. Additionally, she has taught at two accredited nursing schools, where she developed innovative and strategic ways to educate the next generation of nurses. Kasey loves to “keep it real” when it comes to what bedside nursing looks like in a post-COVID healthcare system. She is especially passionate about nurse mentoring and self-care. While not nursing, she is a busy mother of two active pre-teens and two even more active dogs, a Golden and a Bernese. Kasey loves to write and enjoys chatting with amazing nurses she has met along her journey on her podcast DrNursePRN.

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My Survival and Journey through Nursing School: You will make it too!

Nursing school, february 3, 2016.

Nursing school: The smell of old coffee in your car cup holder that has accumulated from early morning studying and clinical days. The flash cards spread out all over the floor. The side passenger seat dedicated to giant books and binders. Highlighted notes galore EVERYWHERE ! Ohhhhh me, oh my, how I remember! Nursing school was one of the HARDEST times of my life! Not because of the actual school work, but the giant sacrifice you have to make with your family, friends, and personal life to GET THROUGH ! It is so challenging and provokes emotion that you didn’t know you had! I want to share with you guys my journey through school to inspire you, to make you laugh, to make you cry, and to ENCOURAGE you to NEVER GIVE UP !

I grew up in South Florida. I was the youngest of 3 girls. Yep, I’m the baby. I had 2 very loving parents and two sisters who have been nothing but wisdom and tough love in my life. When I was in high school, I took an advanced anatomy class and fell in love with the science. It was that class that helped me decide I wanted to do something with the human body! It was fascinating! There was also a big part of me that wanted to be a high school teacher! I wanted to pour into others the way my sisters poured into me. TEACHING me to be a better person, loving, and making smart decisions. Being a role model essentially. After a lot of thought and deliberation, I came to the conclusion that nursing would be the perfect combination of these two, anatomy and teaching!!

My amazing SISTERS!

I went off to College at 18. I packed my little blue Hyundai and drove myself to Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. Being the youngest of 3 to parents who never went to college, I moved myself on my own! Because I was independent and determined to go the furthest away from home, but still staying in Florida to get my Bright Futures State Scholarship! Yes, I was quite the rebel. My prom date from high school helped me unpack my little car and set up my dorm. I was independent and on my own! I had declared my major “Pre-Nursing” and was accepted into and Nursing Living and Learning community at FSU. This put me in a dorm with all pre-nursing majors. Kind of a cool concept looking back! We were to take our first 2 years of pre-requisites at FSU and then apply in our second year to the program! I was so pumped because I WAS GOING TO BE IN NURSING SCHOOL !

My little Hyundai “Blue”

Fast forward all the way to the day I got my rejection letter. YUP! My REJECTION LETTER from FSU’s College of Nursing. I never thought I would ever have to see that day. How could I be rejected? How was I not good enough? I was beside myself and needed answers. I went and talked to one of the advisors and they kindly explained how competitive the program was. They also explained that yes, my grades were decent, but there average accepted GPA that year was a 3.9!!!! I thought my 3.5 was good! I’ve learned now that a 3.5 is a decent GPA, but as competitive as today’s nursing programs have become, that just wasn’t enough.

A few days later, I met with one of my nursing professors at FSU that taught one of my nursing prerequisite courses. I told her that I did not get into the program and she was shocked herself! After consoling me and talking about alternatives, she finally suggested something that I NEVER thought would ever be an option: a community college ASN nursing program! I shut that door in her face faster than a sales person soliciting insurance! “I am too good for community college” were my thoughts! I was almost offended she even suggested it. After calming me down and explaining what she knew of the school and the program, it slowly but surely became something I would consider. That conversation was the begging of my journey into nursing school. It was humbling and one of the smartest decisions I have ever made for my career and personally! I could have not been any more wrong with my presumptions of community college and ADN programs!

I ended up applying to Tallahassee Community College’s Nursing Program. I was put on the “late list.” A week before the semester was supposed to start, I got a call from the Assistant Dean at TCC. I was actually in FSU’s bookstore buying a book for my newly changed major ( I had to change when I didn’t get into the nursing program). “Hi Kelsey, we had an applicant decline her position to our program and wanted to offer you a position in her place…..” I CRIED AND SCREAMED! I was accepted into nursing school! Little did I know about the journey in front of me.

My journey getting INTO nursing school was rough, and my journey getting OUT of nursing school was even tougher! I have never been tested so much, cried so much, studied so much, worked so hard, and spent so much time in a library in my entire life! I had professors that didn’t believe in their students (including me) and nursing preceptors that ate their young! I felt like I went through the ultimate nursing test! Three years later after being accepted into the program, I graduated nursing school, passed my state boards, and took my first job on an Open Heart unit in Tallahassee, FL! I have never endured a hardship like I did in nursing school. I can confidently stand here to say that as hard as it was, it prepared me in every way possible for the real world of nursing!

My first time shopping for “fun” scrubs and my first job with friends I went to school with!

Nursing school prepares you to TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE’S LIVES! There is no such thing as making a mistake in nursing! There’s no “second chance” when it comes to a life! The sad thing is, we are human and these hospitals and institutions need better ways to deal with “mistake.” But that’s another story. You have to be on your A-Game all of the time and make sure you take care of yourself, so you can take care of others! There is a reason why the process is so hard! Initially, I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have, which is why it took me 3 years to get through a 2 year program! But guess what? I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. I grew up in nursing school. I went from being the student first go around in the back seat, texting on her phone during lecture, to the student who was front row and center, writing down every word the professor said, and spending hours after, reading over material! I become a strong nursing student. And despite my setbacks and failures, I learned from them! I passed my state boards first time around (shout out to The HURST Review!) ! I pushed and persevered until the end. And today, I am a nurse!

I’ve accomplished things in my 3 years of nursing that many don’t accomplish in their entire career! I don’t say that to toot my own horn, I say this to make my point. I was a VERY insecure nursing student. The process ultimately shaped me. I grew to empathize with patients in a way that many couldn’t because of the personal hardships I endured. I had professors who didn’t believe in me, because of my previous failures. I went through a terrible break up, lost my mom’s twins sister, and dealt with anxiety and depression the whole way through. When I say it was the hardest thing in my life that I have ever done, I mean it! I put my mind, body, and soul into becoming the best student and nurse that I could be! Because I worked so hard in becoming a nurse, I was determined to be AN AMAZING one! God had big plans for me! I knew from the very beginning when I entered my program that I was meant to be a nurse! No one can tell you who you are going to be or what you are going to do, except yourself! You are capable of ANYTHING. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior, without your consent.”

GRADUATION!!!!!!!!

It is my personal mission in life to share my story, and empower nursing students all over to be the best student and nurse that they can be! Everyone’s paths are different. We all will eventually make it to the same goal, but we may have to take different routes. It is no indication of how good or bad of a nurse you will be! That is within you! I made it my goal to make a difference in this profession! Love on people like no other, and support my co-workers by carrying a positive attitude, and having their backs no matter what! There is a lot of negativity in this profession. We need to be building up strong, positive, compassionate nurses who will work well with others! THAT is nursing. THAT is team work! And this needs to be yelled from the nursing mountain tops! Nursing school is tough, and so is the field! In my opinion, nursing school is all about survival. It’s the “basic training” for nurses, and it truly feels like that! Keep your head up high! You will make it! Did you hear me? YOU WILL MAKE IT ! And you will be AMAZING !!!!

Your Heart Is Mine,

Instagram: yourheartisminern

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yourheartisminern

A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student

This is mainly because nursing school needs to provide hands-on training alongside regular classes. The exact requirements for graduation vary from program to program, but you are looking at between 700 and 1000 hours of clinicals before you’re eligible to graduate. This is on top of all the credit hours, lectures, quizzes, research projects, and end-of-term exams you typically also need.

So what does a day in the life of a nursing student really look like? Naturally, I can’t answer for every program or every student – but I can tell you how my typical days have looked since I embarked on this journey.

What Needs to Be Done?

Before you can design a realistic schedule, you need to know what to include in it. Personally, I am fond of creating timetables, so this is a ritual that I go through at the start of every semester: as soon as I register, I start drawing charts and assigning time slots.

There are always some variations in every term, but at the very least, a good nursing student schedule should include the following:

Classes – both lectures and simulation lab sessions, if any of your courses include them.
Clinical rotations – you’ll be attending a specific hospital or outpatient unit. Make sure to account for your commuting time: there is always that one hospital unit that’s further away from everything else.
At-home review time – on average, I will need to spend 2 hours a week doing assignments or reviewing the material on my own for each class I am enrolled in. Right before finals, I might need to increase this to 3 or 4 hours per class.
Self-care – this includes basic home errands, home cooking, and exercising first, and actual rest second.

If you are a full-time student, you will most likely enroll in three to five classes per term. At my school, a 3-credit course would require a 3-hour lecture every week. A 4-credit course would add an hour or two at the simulation lab, so I would never take more than one of those at a time.

Sample Nursing Student Schedule

After adding up all these hours, you may be wondering what my days actually look like by midterm.

My school is pretty good at bundling schedules to ensure we can squeeze all our lectures into two or three “study days.” This would leave three full days for “clinicals only.”

On study days

Whenever possible, I would try to enroll in two consecutive lectures rather than leave a free period between them. Why? Mainly because our cafeteria is expensive and gravitates toward deep-fried foods. I prefer to get the lectures done and out of the way and then have lunch at home while I study.

Last semester, my study days were Mondays and Thursdays. This is how my Mondays looked.

6:00 a.m.: Before the day got too hot, I would go out for a 30-minute run, followed by a shower and breakfast. As I live close to campus, it is only a 20-minute drive, even during rush hour.

7:55 a.m.: Classes started at 08:00 a.m., so at 07:55, I was usually already in class, picking out a spot and reserving seats for some tardy friends.

8:00 to 11 a.m.: Time for the first lecture of the day. During my last term, this was Maternity Health on Mondays and Nutrition and Disease on Thursdays.

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: The Maternity Health lecture was always followed by two hours at the simulation lab, which almost never finished on time. After finishing the lab session, I would usually be left with half an hour or 15 minutes to grab a quick lunch before the following lecture.

1:00 to 4:00 p.m.: The second lecture of the day (Health Promotion) was fortunately very conversational and required lots of active participation, so I had no problem staying awake.

4:30 or 4:45 p.m.: As soon as I arrived home, I would gather everything I needed for my review time, including a snack, my notes for the day, and my cat for some company.

5:00 to 7:30 p.m.: If no assignments were due the following week, my “review time” consisted of transcribing my notes into something neater or creating flashcards for key terms introduced that day. This activity always provided me with a good opportunity for some spaced repetition. Otherwise, I would draft any essays or prepare for any upcoming quizzes.

8:00 p.m.: I tried to be as strict as possible about an “only fun after 8 p.m.” rule at home. Therefore, 8 p.m. was dinner time, followed by an hour of gaming or winding down.

Thursdays were a little easier. Our morning lecturer usually finished 15 minutes ahead of schedule, so I would just head straight to my next lecture (Pharmacology), which would last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. I would then be home by 2:15 p.m. (as there is no traffic at that time), have lunch, and prep food for the following day. I would then study from 4 to 8 p.m., usually with a clearer head.

On clinical days

Clinicals were a different beast altogether. My school was affiliated with a large city hospital that could house most of my clinicals. The only exceptions were community health, which I had to do at a local government-run clinic, and mental health, where I had to attend a different hospital an hour away.

Before the pandemic, all our clinicals were held at a consistent schedule, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Last semester, they separated us into two bubbles to keep students “socially distanced” and prevent overcrowding in the wards. Each bubble would then rotate their schedule, attending from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. one week, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. the following week.

On the weeks I had the morning shift, this is what my day typically looked like:

6:00 a.m.: I rolled out of bed, made myself a hearty grilled cheese sandwich, and headed to the hospital.

6:30 a.m.: I arrived at the hospital, ate my sandwich, and had an extra-large coffee inside my car.

7:00 to 10:00 a.m.: These were consistently the busiest hours at almost all hospital units. I would usually begin by listening to the shift handover, which gave me an excellent chance to observe how experienced nurses applied their clinical reasoning. Then, I would have a few minutes with my preceptor, where she would quiz me about how I would prioritize each patient or organize the tasks for the day.

Over my last rotation I lucked out, as not all preceptors paid us that much attention.

Pro tip: Nurture your relationship with your preceptor! Preceptors are experienced RNs who already work at the unit or floor that you have been assigned to. They volunteer to provide closer supervision to us as future nurses, and they will observe any procedure you perform.

10:30 to 11:00 a.m.: Each hospital and floor has its own system and pace. In this unit, we would find a slight lull around this time – provided nothing unexpected happened. It gave me time for some fruit and a quick break.

11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: The end of the shift was rarely as hectic as the early morning hours. Usually, the last half an hour sees a lot of running around as well, as nurses get ready to hand over to the afternoon shift – but the new “COVID schedule” meant I was exempt from this.

1:30 p.m.: I would get home and immediately head for a long shower and a nap.

3:00 to 7:30 p.m.: Depending on what was due the next day, I would spend these hours either working (paid work, either translating or editing) or preparing for the next days’ lectures. Coming to class having just read the chapter that we are about to examine made it significantly easier to follow along with the lecture.

In the weeks in which I was scheduled for afternoon clinicals, I would try hard to be out of bed before 7:30 a.m. (and consistently failed). Then, I would either work or take care of household chores until lunchtime and leave for the hospital immediately after.

08:00 p.m.: I tried my best to assign half an hour for stretching, an evening walk, or some sort of quiet time. Clinicals are physically demanding, and you will spend most of them on your feet. Because of this, I don’t even try to go running on my “clinic days,” but stretching or mindful breathing would prevent my legs from being sore the next day.

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Pro Tips and Advanced Tools

Rotating schedules, conflicting assignments, and the occasional household emergency can make it hard to keep track of everything I need to do. Keeping track of it all is extra important when deciding what to tackle during your independent study time.

Reminders, alarms, and task management systems are highly personal, and as a nursing student, you will have to experiment with several systems until you find what works for you.

But just in case it helps, here is what worked for me:

Get a planner you actually use

I am terrible at this. Every year, I buy a planner with the best intention of using it to write down every assignment, errand, and due date. For some reason, stopping what I am doing to check a notebook is just too disruptive, and I eventually stop doing it.

Over the last year, I invested in a chalkboard and placed it behind my work desk, just on top of my computer screen. It’s easier to raise my head and read what I still have to do on a specific day or week.

Plus, I like to cross off what I have done.

Schedule emails to yourself while in class

Whenever a lecturer gives guidelines for a new group project or the due dates for our care plans, I immediately open the “Compose” tab on my student email. In the body of the email, I type the detailed instructions and the deadlines as I hear them. Then, I schedule the email to be sent automatically to my personal email when I know I will be home and on my computer.

In this way, I will remember to add it to my chalkboard, and I know where to find all the details for each assignment later. It’s way better than texting one of your classmates on a Saturday night to ask about what type of referencing you need to use.

The Sectograph app

My husband told me about this app back in March, and I wish I had found it two years ago. This app syncs with your smartphone calendar and creates a nice pie chart showing what your day will look like. You can even set specific recurrent events (such as clinical shifts) as “pie slices” in different colors.

Going to Nursing School at 30 – It’s Not Too Late!

Switching careers after the age of 30 is often seen as an unorthodox choice. Yet, it is a surprisingly common one in nursing. As someone who will not become an RN before 34, I can shed some light on the practicalities and emotions that come with joining nursing as an older adult.

How to Study in Nursing School: Prioritizing Guide [+ Examples]

HESI vs. TEAS: Nursing School Entrance Exams Compared

Why Can’t I Concentrate? How to Focus on Studying

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Surviving Nursing School: A Guide for Student Nurses

nursing student holding her books to her chest confident with survival guide

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your nursing school schedule? Let us help you out.

If you’re a student nurse, amid the highly-anticipated fall season comes the start of a new school year. Whether you’re a returning nursing student or entering nursing school for the first time this year, getting tips and tricks to support your journey to becoming a nurse is always helpful. You’ll likely have a mix of taught classes and independent study during the academic year, and you may participate in clinical placements to get hands-on experience in various nursing settings.

Starting nursing school may feel intimidating, so we have created this ultimate survival guide for you. It contains information on the best nursing programs, student resources, and nursing school tips—including decompression tips for student nurses. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect as you embark on this new journey and to boost your confidence about navigating the coming school year.

Making the Decision: How to Select a Nursing School

nursing student holding hands together thinking about her program

Based on your goals, you can research various college or university programs that cater to your preferred nursing educational path, then narrow down your options by considering costs or scholarship opportunities, location, and program length, among other factors.

Type of Nursing Program

There are different nursing education career paths to choose from. To work as a registered nurse (RN), you can pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or even a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Learning about these various options is essential to help you determine your career goals and shape how you envision working as a nurse.

Duration of Studies

Considering your ideal time frame for your nursing education is essential when deciding on which nursing school to attend. Typically, you can earn a practical nurse license in one year. To become a registered nurse, an ADN takes approximately two years, and a BSN takes about four years to complete, although some schools offer accelerated programs. Individuals can complete an MSN in two to three years once they complete a BSN.

Location of Nursing School

When choosing a nursing school, it’s essential to consider the location. Do you want to attend a nursing school near your home so you can commute, or will you take this opportunity to relocate to another state? Would you like to live on campus? These considerations can help you create a short list of schools to investigate further.

Accreditation

As an essential step, you’ll want to ensure that the nursing school you’re considering is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accreditation (NLNAC). Accreditation ensures that the nursing school meets the minimum requirements set by the state for nursing licensure, which is essential as only graduates of state-approved nursing programs can sit for the state licensure examination. To avoid scams or disappointments, refer to the accredited list of nursing schools early during your research. At this step, it’s also crucial to ensure you’re familiar with the prerequisites for nursing school .

NCLEX Pass Rates

To become licensed nurses, nursing graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination, commonly called the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses or the NCLEX-PN for practical nurses. These exams cover knowledge in nursing and readiness in practice. Looking at a nursing school’s NCLEX pass rate is essential when choosing a nursing program, as pass rates are generally a translation of the quality of education the school provides and, in turn, how ready students are to become licensed nurses.

Chasing the Dream: Top Nursing Schools in the US

Across the country, nursing school rankings consider various factors, including NCLEX student success rates and academic value. The following universities are consistently among those top-ranked nationally and are worth looking into, particularly if you’re open to relocating.

Duke University

Duke University , located in Durham, North Carolina, boasts various educational programs and is widely recognized as one of the best research schools. Undergraduate nurses can pursue an accelerated BSN. Duke University has a six-to-one student-teacher ratio, a 95 percent graduation rate, and a 9 percent college acceptance rate. The university sets itself apart by focusing on often overlooked community healthcare resources, such as partnering with TROSA , a substance abuse program.

University of Pennsylvania

Nursingeducation.org ranked the University of Pennsylvania as the best nursing program in the US. The university has a six-to-one student-teacher ratio, a 96 percent graduation rate, and an eight percent college acceptance rate. Plus, it has a 94.6 percent NCLEX pass rate for nursing students.

Georgetown University

Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., has a well-respected and established nursing program offering a direct-entry BSN program. Students receive over 850 hours of experience in clinical settings across Washington. It has a 96 to 100 percent NCLEX-RN pass rate. Georgetown University has an 11-to-one student-teacher ratio, a 95 percent graduation rate, and a 15 percent college acceptance rate.

Johns Hopkins University

The U.S. News & World Report ranks Johns Hopkins University as the number two graduate nursing school in the country. While the university does not offer undergraduate nursing programs, it provides MSN and DNP nursing programs. Nursing graduates have a 95 percent NCLEX pass rate.

New York University

New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing has an 89.8 percent NCLEX-RN pass rate and a 13 percent acceptance rate. The university offers BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD nursing programs.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

UCLA School of Nursing is known for producing high-quality graduates. It is one of the top-ranked higher education institutions in the US. It offers a BSN degree program that lays the way for other educational opportunities the university offers, such as the MSN, APRN, DNP, and Ph.D. nursing programs. It has an 84 percent NCLEX pass rate.

New Nursing Students: What to Expect

As a new nursing student, you may be anxious about being in a new setting and unsure of what to expect. Throughout your journey, you can expect rigorous academic activities alongside practical exercises, tests, and clinical rotations. Keep reading to learn more about each.

Reading: You will spend much of your time as a new nursing student reading textbooks and articles. You’ll also read many patient charts in clinicals.
Studying : Alongside your reading, you’ll spend a lot of time studying. You’ll need to learn a lot of material quickly to set yourself up for working in the many nursing specialties available to you.
Group projects : Group projects are key aspects of most nursing curriculums. These projects aim to teach students communication and teamwork. Through group work, you’ll support and help fellow nursing students who may end up being your lifelong friends.
Tests: Exams assess your competency and knowledge and are central to the nursing school curriculum. Throughout the school year, expect to do many tests that assess your skills and knowledge and prepare you for the ultimate test in nursing: the NCLEX.
Clinical rotations: Nursing schools involve clinical rotations for practical, hands-on learning. However, in most programs, the first semester involves solely in-classroom instruction.

Discover Nursa’s Top Tips on How to Maximize Clinical Placements

Top tips: how to survive nursing school .

Whether you’re a new or returning student, these nursing school life hacks can help carry you through, particularly during overwhelming or stressful periods in your educational journey.

Get organized : Finding an organization system for your time, books, and nursing materials is essential. Using tools like calendars and planners can help you keep on top of readings, classes, assignments, exams, and projects.
Create a support system: Connecting with fellow nursing students can be a source of support as they will likely experience the same ups and downs during the academic year. Be sure to seek help, advice, and guidance from academic advisors, professors, or mentors.
Schedule time for self-care: Nursing school is very demanding, and you can easily forget to care for your physical and mental health. Eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, working out, and scheduling time with your support system are essential to maintaining good health during nursing school, which, in turn, helps you perform at your best.
Determine your learning style: Knowing how you study and take in information best can save you time and frustration and help you excel as you focus on what works for you, whether studying in groups, rewriting notes, memorizing, or applying other study methods. Please be aware that if you have any special needs, most programs offer services and accommodations through accessibility or disability services.

Decompression Tips for Student Nurses

For many students, nursing school can be stressful—especially for those balancing study with work, parenting, or other responsibilities. It’s crucial to ensure you take care of yourself first . If you are dealing with feelings of inadequacy and burnout , the tips below can help you practice self-care and decompress during stressful times.

Get quality sleep : Getting sufficient sleep as a nursing student is critical to preventing fatigue and stress. Rest is also essential to improved learning and memory.
Listen to music: Listening to your favorite music can calm you after a long day. Studies have shown that music reduces stress, lowers heart rate, and releases endorphins. Dancing to music helps release tension and anxiety as well.
Keep a journal: Journaling before bed or after waking up is vital for clearing your mind. A study of undergraduate nursing students found that students who journaled had reduced anxiety.
Sit in silence: As a nursing student, you experience a lot of noise, whether at school or in a hospital setting. This noise can lead to overstimulation and increased stress levels. Stepping away for some quiet time or using noise-canceling headphones can be beneficial for winding down and decompressing.

While a healthy self-care regimen is critical, those who use “retail therapy” to de-stress can benefit from taking advantage of the many discounts for nursing students .

confident nursing student standing in a class

Educational Resources for Nursing Students

One of your top concerns as a nursing student may be passing the NCLEX . The following resources can help you prepare for this exam and boost your confidence, as you’ll know what to expect.

NCLEX practice test questions and answers
NCLEX practice exams , with commonly asked topics from the exam
NCLEX-RN practice questions , organized by category

Strengthening your nursing skills comes with time and experience. Your clinical placements, mentorship, and the number of hours you spend in nursing settings will boost your knowledge, skills, and confidence in navigating various situations as a nursing student. In addition to learning from classroom and clinical experience, you can boost your nursing skills by checking out the following resources:

Practical Clinical Skills: This resource provides reference and training guides with simulation-based lessons covering murmurs, heart sounds, EKG training, and many more health issues and nursing skills.
Straight A Nursing Student: This online resource for nursing students provides lecture notes, study aids, and additional information to help you succeed in nursing school.

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Open access
Published: 06 August 2022

Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of becoming a professional nurse: a longitudinal study

Susanne Lundell Rudberg 1 , 2 ,
Margareta Westerbotn 3 , 4 ,
Taina Sormunen 2 ,
Max Scheja 5 &
Hanna Lachmann 1

BMC Nursing volume 21 , Article number: 219 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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During education it is essential for nursing students to develop professionalism in nursing. Nurses are placed in situations based on trust, and it is crucial that their patients have confidence in them to provide professional and safe care. A key period in nursing students’ development of a professionalism occurs during training when students gain knowledge and skills that separate nurses as professional healthcare workers from laypeople. The purpose of this study was to investigate nursing students’ experiences of professional competence development during education.

A longitudinal study was carried out using qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach. Thirty-four students enrolled in a Swedish three-year nursing program, from August 2015 to January 2017 were interviewed on four occasions.

The results revealed that students’ professional role developed gradually. The students’ started their education with dreams and a naive understanding of the profession, but their understanding of the complexity of the nursing profession gradually evolved. Students became theoretically equipped at the university and developed clinical skills through practice. Students’ focus went from mastering medical technology to a more holistic approach. Before graduating, students felt ready but not fully trained.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate a discrepancy between the content of the theoretical education and the clinical settings since students identified a lack of evidence-based practice. A solid theoretical education before entering clinical training offered students possibilities for reflecting on evidence-based practice and the clinical settings. The realization that there is always potential for professional improvement can be interpreted as an emerging awareness, and development of professionalism. It is clear that students could benefit from increased collaborative work between clinical supervisors and faculty staff at the university.

Peer Review reports

It is essential to maintain professionalism in the nursing profession [ 1 ]. Nurses are placed in situations based on trust, and it is crucial that the persons depending on these professionals have confidence in them to provide professional and safe care [ 1 ]. A key period in nursing students’ development of a professionalism occurs during training when they gain knowledge and skills that separate nurses as professional healthcare workers from laypeople [ 2 ]. However, there is limited theoretical knowledge of the aspects that constitute and drive the development of nursing students’ professional competence.

Professionalism and competence

The term ‘professionalism’ is used globally to describe professions with a nonspecific focus. There is no simple, generalizable definition of the multidimensional concept of professionalism, or a simple way of assessing it [ 3 ]. When applied to nursing, professionalism is associated with behaviors such as a belief in public service, autonomy and self-regulation, and a sense of vocation [ 1 ]. So the concept of professionalism is complex and maintaining professionalism is essential in the nursing profession [ 3 ]. Apart from being time specific and related to specific contexts, nursing students’ competencies, domains and levels vary by professional assignment, description, and country [ 4 ]. The governance of nursing education varies globally, and is controlled by national regulations [ 5 ]. It has become common to use a holistic view in defining nurse competencies, including behavior statements reflecting the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and judgments required for effective performance in the nursing profession [ 6 , 7 ]. Professionalism in healthcare is associated with a wide range of benefits, for example staff displaying higher levels of professional attitudes also seem to behave more professionally [ 8 ], and increased safety for patients [ 9 ]. To integrate quality into nursing education a framework has been developed comprising six nurse core competencies; person-centered care, evidence-based practice, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement and informatics [ 10 ].

Nursing students’ journey towards professionalism

Dr Benner describes the concept of professional development in the nursing profession as evolving from novice to expert in five stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent proficient and expert [ 11 ]. In health care, the learning process, and also the socialization to develop a professional identity, have often meant adopting standards and norms of the professional group [ 12 , 13 ]. Nursing students are socialized towards professionalism during training, being required to integrate the attributes of professionalism in their routine practice [ 1 ]. Students are motivated to learn when they feel included in the clinical environment, while experiences of exclusion and lack of belonging influences negatively on motivation to learn [ 14 ]. Deliktas et al. [ 15 ] found that undergraduate nursing students’ approach to the nursing profession is associated with humanism, also identified as conscience, coupled with an ambition to touch people’s lives. It requires great effort from the students together with substantial support from teachers and supervisors to develop a comfortable professional identity upon graduation [ 16 ]. Students’ journey to becoming an RN has been investigated previously [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. However, longitudinal studies of students’ experiences of professional development throughout the whole education are scarce.

The present study aimed at investigating nursing students’ experiences of professional competence development during education.

This study applied a descriptive longitudinal design involving qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach.

Settings and participants

Thirty-four students enrolled in a Swedish three-year nursing program, starting from August 2015 to January 2017, were followed longitudinally. The group comprised 28 women and six men, a distribution coherent with national statistics of students in health care in HE [ 21 ]. In respect of age, students ranged from 20 to 51 on enrolment. Fourteen students had previously attended HE, and ten had completed a university degree in another subject. Twelve reported living in a single household and eight had children of their own, whilst ten students shared a household with up to three children.

Data collection

A purpose sampling technique was used. During the first week of education, all students enrolled were invited to participate. Information about the purpose of the study was given orally after an introductory lecture and in writing on the university’s learning platform. Students were also informed about whom to contact if they had questions prior to the interviews. Students who signed a written informed consent were invited on four occasions (Fig. 1 ) to individual, semi-structured interviews carried out in an undisturbed conference room at the university. A total of thirty-four students participated in all interviews. A semistructured interview guide was designed to capture students’ ongoing professional development, including questions about their views of nurse core competencies at interviews two, three and four, ( supplementary file ). All four interviews were carried out by the first author and lasted five to 40 min. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim [ 22 , 23 ].

Overview of methods including generic categories, main categories, and overarching themes

The study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board, Stockholm (Registration no: 2015/894–31/5).

Data analysis

The interview transcripts were read several times making sense of the data as whole [ 24 ] and then analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a manifest inductive approach [ 25 , 26 ]. Data were divided into four chronological data sets, interviews 1–4. Each dataset was read again when conducting open coding, using NVivo software [ 27 ]. Identified codes were grouped into sub-categories labelled with a phrase that described the meaning content. Sub-categories were grouped by contextual meaning resulting in 19 generic categories. From this categorization, an abstraction was derived describing one main category of students’ experiences from each interview [ 28 ], Fig. 1 .

Individual patterns were analyzed to identify and validate shared patterns [ 29 ], Table 1 .

Finally, an overarching main theme of professional development was abstracted from the main categories and shared patterns, Table 2 . To ensure trustworthiness data was discussed among the authors in every step of the analysis until consensus was reached [ 22 ]

One main category was created from interviews performed at the same semester. Results are presented as four main categories: ‘Anticipation’; ‘Prepared for internship’; ‘Deepened understanding; ‘Insight’ with associated generic themes, summarized in the overarching theme: ‘Ready but not fully trained’, Fig. 1 .

Anticipation

In the first interview students expressed their conceptions, expectations and doubts regarding both education and the nursing profession.

Make a difference

Students voiced a desire to make a difference, to contribute to society, change structures, and help people. They also voiced expectations of receiving tools to deal with real-life problems and change the world for the better. For some students, this desire to make a difference had meant choosing to end a prosperous career in another field.

“I have expectations that you should be able to contribute something every day, to feel needed and important, an important cog in the wheel” (Student no 30).

Students also emphasized they were proud to become nurses and the profession was perceived depicted as incorporating aspects of emotionally rewarding personal development. Employment security was also underscored expressing beliefs that there will always be a need for RNs to help the sick and injured.

“I am going to have an occupation I’m proud of, when people ask what I do for a living I want to say that I am a nurse and it is the best job in the entire world, that is the strongest anticipation” (Student no 31).

Self-confidence

The students presented a picture of being aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, and expressed a belief in their personal capacity, looking forward to the challenges to come. Students explained the decision to become an RN saying that they had been told they had a suitable personality, but they underscored that the final decision had been their own. Some mentioned having a childhood dream of becoming an RN.

“Many have told me; you should become a nurse, but it was I who made this decision, because I did not want to become a nurse for a long time because I didn´t want to study” (Student no 1).

Doubts were identified in three areas: one´s true nature, life situation, and the nursing profession. Concerns of trying out if RN would be an appropriate occupation, being incapable, coming to dislike the profession or regretting having started the program were linked to ideas about self-awareness and personality. Responsibilities to significant others were mentioned as a potential obstacle in coping with the education. Doubts about the profession concerned poor working conditions including an overwhelming workload, becoming stuck in the middle and not being appreciated.

“That I shall never be able to relax but will always be sitting in the wrong chair all the time, and to have to struggle financially, no salary, will I be able to take extra shifts or not, yes worries, and if I should feel it isn´t my cup of tea too, it would be sad if I had put a lot of effort into the education” (Student no 31).

Prepared for internship

In the second interview after two semesters in theoretical education students were about to put their theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

Theoretically equipped

Students expressed a belief in their own progress and having learned a lot, feeling theoretically prepared for internship. However, this experience of being successful in their studies was not particularly influenced by failing exams or not passing a course.

“A lot of theoretical knowledge that I think is still present even if you forget a little here and there, I think it is in the back of your head somewhere, and anyway, still you don’t feel that you’re thrown in at the deep end, now you get to learn to swim, but you still have some knowledge, that you hopefully will be able to try” (Student no 11).

Need experience

The transition of knowledge from abstract to concrete was expressed as a longing to develop clinical skills. Consequently, the desire for internship was regarded as a long-awaited opportunity to develop practical experience.

“I’m just looking forward more and more to internship and to see how it is for real and so on, because sometimes you want to be able to see if it is as good as you read in the books” (Student no 20).

Professional approach

Students testified to the experience of having changed their outlook on their personal life and of being able to act professionally when needed. They felt more competent having acquired more knowledge. Students talked about an increased interest in searching for evidence-based practice in daily life and compared this with how they used to do things because they had heard or read about it somewhere. They described this in terms of a change in mindset, being more thorough when it came to searching for information.

“I have learned the difference between just being nice and being too much sugar and spice with the risk of being condescending, just think of small things such as saying that, like not to say, come on, let’s go and shower, because it may not actually be the way to talk to someone, it becomes a little statement of stupidity, sweetie or love or whatever, so I think my communication has probably improved, and I think I have a slightly more humble attitude than before” (Student no 3).

Trust in educators

A trust in educators emerged in this interview, expressed by expectations about being taught what they need to become an RN. Additionally, sometimes the understanding and relevance of topics brought to the fore in the teaching did not occur until after having completed a course; during the course the aims and structure sometimes came across as unclear and ambiguous. Students expressed taking for granted that all the topics taught built on evidence-based practice.

“It’s hard to say because I have not practiced it, I feel that we get the tools at university that equip us to think safely” (Student no 8).

Insecurity was brought up by students in terms of lacking knowledge, competence, or ability. The fear of making mistakes and harming a patient was one of the students’ worst fears. Feelings of underperforming were mentioned and often related to personal issues. When talking about pressures felt in relation to studying, students mentioned that they had themselves to blame, for example because of poor planning or prioritizing other things besides studying.

“The thought of internship makes me incredibly nervous, but also very excited so there are conflicting emotions… it is nerve-racking in both directions, but I hope that you feel safe then with all the theory that we have received, we have gained a very solid knowledge so that’s not what I’m unsure of, it’s rather my own competence to take in everything I’m a little unsure of” (Student no 23).

Fairy-tale world

Since students were about to embark on their clinical practice, issues about this reality were highlighted. There was a preconception of what to expect, combined with thoughts of being taught about a fairy tale world. Even so, the pre-understanding of how things worked was considered valuable. Additionally, an awareness of being underpaid as an RN was raised, but this was overruled by the prospect of receiving emotional rewards in the profession.

“These things are repeated all the time, but you never get the chance to discuss what reality looks like, and what do I do if it doesn´t look like this, because it doesn´t, so it becomes very much like what the fairy tale world looks like, and we hope reality looks like that too “ (Student no 5).

Deepened understanding

The third interview took place halfway through the program when all students had attended internship. The internship was described as an opportunity to transfer theoretical knowledge to practical skills. Students particularly testified to experiences involving broadened knowledge of the nursing profession, nurse core competencies and the health-care organization.

Constant process

Development at this stage was experienced as challenging. Learning was described as a personal responsibility, although students also stressed the importance of being able to observe supervisors as good role models.

“It is a constant learning process, searching for knowledge, you should always question why do we do this, there should be evidence… we develop all the time” (Student no 26).

Contrariwise learning

Students described examples of supervision settings in which the tutor did not follow guidelines or failed to uphold patient safety. Students dealt with such ‘negative learning experiences’ by setting personal objectives not to act as these tutors. Students underscored that those experiences of negative examples could potentially be more beneficial given opportunities to reflect on these together with a peer.

“It is very educational to be out and see both good and bad examples because then you see how you absolutely don´t want to work and how you don´t want to become and what you don´t think is okay” (Student no 16).

Want to influence

When talking about negative matters in health care, students highlighted their visions of making influence. Students talked about the ability to act professionally during internship, something that became complicated when supervisors took shortcuts or skipped guidelines. Sometimes this led to a complex change in mindset about the professional role as students did not want to question the supervisors openly.

“Sometimes it has also been like this:’You see that I have gloves on me, ok’, although they don´t have gloves,’for educational purposes I have gloves, you know now, okay’.“ (Student no 25).

Reality shock

Some clinical placements were described as being charged with a negative atmosphere including staff who acted negligently or carelessly. It was concluded that the nurse core competencies were an excellent theoretical model, but some of them were regarded impossible to maintain. For example, students’ estimations of patients’ safety in clinics ranged from dangerous to secure. An unsafe environment was explained as a consequence of exhausted staff and lack of time. Students were annoyed with the amount of documentation and non-appropriate software, stealing time from patient care. Instances of hierarchical thinking were mentioned as a minor problem, primarily experienced in meetings with employees close to retirement age.

“You want so incredibly much, and you have your high ambition when you go out [in the clinic] and so, and then there is no time or something, it was kind of quite scary to come out and see how it actually is in reality” (Student no 10).

Learning practical skills was described as exhausting since trained staff offered diverse methods, sometimes lacking in evidence. Students also voiced problems identifying ‘the correct way’ to perform medical technical. Additionally, students did not want to oppose their supervisors but rather sought their guidance and support.

“It was tough to have such a long internship, it was absolutely dreadful … and then you are new and should be so damn alert… because it is our own responsibility, our own learning of course, you want so much… I was actually completely exhausted” (Student no 33).

In the fourth interview, the students were aware that their education was coming to an end, and they were about to leave the student role. Students highlighted that even if they felt prepared to work as RN:s, they did not consider themselves fully trained.

Feeling prepared

Students expressed having learnt the professional role, being equipped, and having trust in their own competence and ability. Competence was referred to as a personal capacity, including both professional skills and abilities. Students also testified to having an insight into the necessary knowledge of an RN and expressed gratitude to persistent lecturers pushing them to learn things they initially did not understand.

“From not really knowing what I got myself into, to knowing I have an ethical compass, and I can question certain actions or prescriptions that I am not sure about, that I wish the patient well, that I can see it” (Student no 27).

Influences of reality

Students reflected on poor terms of employment, mentioning issues of low salary, lack of time and poor working environments. These concerns were strengthened by internship experiences of working alongside tired staff or those only waiting for retirement. Students also reflected on societal values that have a negative impact on RNs, for example increased ethnocentrism, and an overall hardening climate. Moreover, students voiced fears of becoming bored and not caring about their work, linking back to encounters with tired and overworked nurses at the clinic.

“I saw staff who didn´t have time to eat lunch and such, it may not be a major part of the profession itself but more healthcare in general and that is probably what I have thought about a lot, will it be like that when I finish and have to work for well, thirty more years” (Student no 13).

Exciting and scary

Despite describing a conviction of being able to work as an RN, emotions of insecurity were voiced in terms of an unknown future regarding both graduation and being employed. Worries about ending up in a non-functional workplace were voiced as well as the importance and purpose of collaboration. Having observed teams of varying functionality students also talked about the importance of belonging to a purposeful team. To take on a leading role of an interprofessional team was considered to be both exiting and scary. Additionally, students underscored the advantage of participating in an introductory program when applying for employment, along with a strategy to change workplace if they felt dissatisfied.

“It feels scary at the same time as it feels really fun and fine to finally finish, I aim for advanced studies eventually, but I want to work to feel a bit more confident” (Student no 8).

Personal development

Students reported an increased level of personal awareness in terms of having developed humility and ability to identify their own shortcomings. Reflections on supervisors working against regulations due to lack of time or laziness, led to reasoning about the risk of ending up the same way, not taking care of patients in an evidence-based and secure way. Another opinion was that the education offered too little time to develop the ability to handle future professional challenges.

“I have gained a lot of knowledge, but also that you grow a lot as a person and as a human, in what you do you learn a lot about yourself “ (Student no 24).

Overarching theme: ready but not fully trained

The interviews revealed emotions of being competent but also of lacking knowledge and skills; students considered that continued learning and development was necessary to work as a professional RN. The students pointed out that they would give up working as an RN if they felt there was no need for further learning, because there will always be room for improvement, leading to the overarching theme; Ready but not fully trained as students explained that the nursing profession implies lifelong learning and lifelong improvement.

Findings from this study describe students perceived gradual transformation of becoming a professional RN. In particular our findings indicate that students entering higher education sometimes have a naive or idealized view of the nursing profession, driven by dreams such as helping people, developing a career and delivering excellent nursing, as found by ten Hoeve et al. [ 30 ]. Similar to Lindberg et al. [ 31 ] we found that today’s entrants to nursing education believe in themselves and their ability to make an impact.

During the first year students were primarily focused on acquiring theoretical knowledge to develop a solid basis. After having completed a year of theoretical education, they felt prepared to test their theoretical knowledge in practice. Moreover, due to the first theoretical year, students’ self-esteem had increased even if they were not always aware of their progress until they had had time to reflect and look back. Their own professional development became tangible when they started to compare their current skills and competence with the experiences they had at the outset of education, a “delayed” professional understanding. Our findings advance earlier work on delayed understanding that refers to a situation in which students taking a particular course have difficulty understanding topics introduced in the teaching, and why particular things should be learned [ 32 ]. Later on, they do see the point of taking the course, but this understanding can sometimes be substantially delayed, which may cause some students to experience considerable frustration.

When entering clinical practice students are theoretically equipped, but most students lack practical experience, they are on a Novice level [ 11 ]. In the second year, after practicing their skills in clinical environments, students described how theory and practice were joined to become a whole. Our study indicate that the students’ expectations constituted motivation for theoretical studies, which in turn provided readiness for practical training with the support of acquired theoretical knowledge. The experiential learning in clinic seems to give the students possibility to enter the level of Advanced beginner [ 11 ].

The clinical environment was sometimes a rough wake-up call when students’ experiences did not quite meet their dreams and expectations, previously described by ten Hoeve et al. [ 30 ]. Even so, this study revealed that students testified to experiences of having been able to train according to guidelines, although the staff worked according to routines without practicing person-centered care. Students’ professional development became obvious when they reflected on, and assessed, the behaviors and actions of the clinical staff. Interestingly, students used the experience of meeting supervisors lacking in professional competency as “bad examples” which led to a personal goal not to act in a similar way. From these observations it is clear that learning occurs in all areas, also when there are discrepancies and gaps [ 33 ]. Despite the negative experiences of students, our findings suggest that students did mature as human beings, identifying changes in their own behavioral patterns, indicating they were involved in a transformative learning process [ 34 ]. Gaining experience from both work and personal life seemed to be beneficial to professional development. Furthermore, during the clinical education, students deepened their understanding through experiential learning and at the time of graduation, the students had developed a professional insight. Benner describes that newly graduated nurses are mostly Advanced beginners [ 11 ], but our results suggests that many students have reached the level Competent.

Students professional development became visible in how they transformed their understanding of the six core competencies: person-centered care, evidence-based practice, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement and informatics [ 10 ]. In the early interviews, students spontaneously ranked the importance of each competency, some considered more essential and others less significant. At the end of the program students described a pattern of connection between all core competencies, implying that if one was missing it would be to the detriment of the others. Students’ ability to connect the core competencies as parts forming a coherent whole revealed their understanding of the complexity of the nursing profession as described by Guaroni et al. and Lindberg et al. [ 31 , 35 ]. Similar to findings reported by Manninen et al. [ 36 ] our results showed students’ focus on professional development shifting from managing medical-technical skills to the capability of using a person-centered and holistic perspective when interacting with patients. Our findings of students’ ability to overview the context and achieve a holistic understanding of the core competencies reveals a clear progression in their professional development. The findings presented here indicate that students experience insecurity at the end of their education as they realize they have to master nursing care as well as be able to co-ordinate the professional team, an observation which has previously been reported by Lindberg et al. [ 31 ]. These dichotomous emotions of excitement and fear at time of graduation could be connected to the fact that the biggest step from being a student to a professional RN involves taking independent responsibility as shown by Kumaran and Carneys [ 37 ]. Additionally, students’ observation that an RN always needs further development clearly indicate that the interviewees reflected on their own professional competence as well as nursing competence in general. This is an important reminder for employers and managers to sanction time for staff professional development activities.

Strengths and limitations

This study offered longitudinal insights into a sample of 34 students followed throughout their education. Different measures were taken to enhance trustworthiness including dependability and credibility [ 23 ]. All students who had entered the nursing program, regardless of previous experiences, were invited to participate. The same interview guide was used on each occasion although students started their studies at different times. All interviews were carried out by the first author, who had a pre-understanding working as a lecturer at the university. To reduce impact on students’ participation no interviews were performed in the semester when the first author graded the students. The interviews took place at one specific university and these contextual boundaries need to be taken into consideration in assessing the transferability of the results to other contexts. However, the Swedish nursing program is regulated by national guidelines, likewise to nursing education globally which suggests that these findings may be of relevance to programs of a similar kind. The findings presented here make important connections the more general concept of authenticity and Benner´s [ 11 ] nursing theory and Mezirows theory of transformative learning [ 34 ] which may potentially enhance the generalizability of the results.

The process of developing a professional competence as a nurse progresses gradually. Upon graduation, students feel ready but not fully trained, which signifies a professional approach in which an RN can always improve academic and clinical skills. A solid theoretical knowledge contributes to students reflecting on both their own role and the nurse’s role in clinical settings. Our findings indicate a discrepancy between the content of the theoretical education and the clinical settings since students identified a lack of evidence-based practice. It is clear that students could benefit from increased collaborative work between clinical supervisors and faculty staff at the university.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to that the material may contain details about participants that might need to be anonymized but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students for giving their time and valuable information.

Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. Supported by grants provided by the Stockholm County Council (ALF-project) and the Sophiahemmet Research Foundation, Sweden.

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Susanne Lundell Rudberg & Hanna Lachmann

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Susanne Lundell Rudberg & Taina Sormunen

Department of Nursing Science, Sophiahemmet University, P. O. Box 5605, 114 86, Stockholm, Sweden

Margareta Westerbotn

Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, 118 83, Stockholm, Sweden

Department of Education of Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

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HL designed the study. SLR performed interviews and analyses. SLR, HL, TS, MW and MS drafted and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Lundell Rudberg, S., Westerbotn, M., Sormunen, T. et al. Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of becoming a professional nurse: a longitudinal study. BMC Nurs 21 , 219 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01002-0

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Navigating the Transition from Student to Nurse: A Comprehensive Guide

Becoming a professional nurse is an exciting and transformative journey. After years of hard work, dedication, and clinical experience, you're ready to transition from being a nursing student to a professional nurse. This transition can be both exhilarating and challenging as you navigate new responsibilities, settings, and expectations. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore essential tips and advice to help you navigate this transition successfully and embark on a fulfilling nursing career.

Embrace Lifelong Learning

As a professional nurse, learning doesn't stop once you graduate. Embrace the concept of lifelong learning and commit yourself to staying updated with the latest research, evidence-based practices, and advancements in healthcare. Pursue continuing education opportunities, attend conferences, and join professional nursing organizations to expand your knowledge and enhance your skills.

Build Strong Communication Skills

Effective communication is the cornerstone of nursing practice. Develop strong communication skills to interact with patients, families, colleagues, and members of the healthcare team. Learn to listen actively, convey information clearly, and cultivate empathy and compassion in your interactions. Effective communication enhances patient care, fosters collaboration, and promotes positive outcomes.

Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Finding a mentor can greatly support your transition from student to professional nurse. Seek out experienced nurses who can provide guidance, share insights, and offer advice on navigating challenges. A mentor can be a valuable resource to help you grow both personally and professionally, providing guidance on clinical skills, career advancement, and work-life balance.

Embrace Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for professional nurses. It involves the ability to analyze situations, assess patient needs, make sound decisions, and prioritize care. Practice critical thinking in your clinical practice, challenging assumptions and seeking evidence to guide your nursing interventions. Continuously refine your critical thinking skills through case studies, simulation exercises, and real-world experiences.

Develop Effective Time Management

Time management is crucial in the fast-paced world of nursing. Learn to prioritize tasks, organize your workflow, and effectively manage your time. Use tools such as to-do lists, calendars, and task management apps to stay organized and ensure that you complete your assignments and responsibilities in a timely manner.

Embrace Self-Care

Nursing can be demanding, both physically and emotionally. Prioritize self-care to prevent burnout and maintain your well-being. Practice self-care strategies such as regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and stress management techniques. Take breaks when needed and seek support from colleagues and loved ones. Remember, taking care of yourself allows you to provide the best care to your patients.

Reflect on Your Practice

Reflection is an essential component of professional growth. Take time to reflect on your nursing practice, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate your achievements. Engage in self-reflection, journaling, and debriefing sessions with colleagues or mentors to gain insights and enhance your skills as a nurse.

Advocate for Your Patients

As a professional nurse, you are an advocate for your patients. Speak up for their needs, rights, and preferences. Ensure they receive safe, high-quality care by collaborating with the healthcare team, promoting informed decision-making, and addressing any concerns. Develop strong advocacy skills to make a positive impact on patient outcomes.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning from a nursing student to a professional nurse is a significant milestone in your career. By embracing lifelong learning, building strong communication skills, seeking mentorship, and developing critical thinking, time management, and self-care strategies, you can navigate this transition successfully. Additionally, incorporating technology and leveraging nursing apps can greatly enhance your practice and streamline your workflow.

Consider utilizing task management apps to stay organized and prioritize your tasks effectively. These apps can help you create to-do lists, set reminders, and track your progress, ensuring that you stay on top of your responsibilities. Check out NurseTasks.

Explore nursing reference apps that provide quick access to drug information, medical references, and clinical guidelines. These apps can be valuable resources during patient care, allowing you to access up-to-date information and make informed decisions.

Incorporate mobile health apps that enable you to monitor patients' vital signs, track medication adherence, and provide educational resources. These apps can facilitate patient engagement, improve communication, and enhance patient outcomes.

Furthermore, telehealth apps have become increasingly relevant in healthcare, providing remote consultation and monitoring capabilities. Familiarize yourself with telehealth platforms and understand how to effectively utilize them to provide virtual care and support.

Remember to stay informed about emerging technologies and their implications for nursing practice. Embrace technology as a tool to enhance patient care, improve efficiency, and expand your professional capabilities.

As you embark on your nursing career, continue to adapt and embrace advancements in technology. Incorporating relevant apps and technologies can significantly contribute to your success as a professional nurse, allowing you to provide high-quality, patient-centered care while maximizing your productivity and efficiency.

Embrace the challenges and rewards of your new role, and with a combination of essential nursing skills and the integration of technology, you'll be well-prepared to make a meaningful impact in the lives of your patients and contribute to the advancement of healthcare.

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Christensen M, Craft J. Gaining a new sense of me: mature students experiences of under-graduate nursing education. Nurse Education Today. 2021; 96 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104617

Kevern J, Webb C. Mature women's experiences of higher education: lessons for nursing. Collegian. 2003; 10:(4)8-13 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1322-7696(08)60070-0

Office for Students. Recruitment of mature students to nursing, midwifery and allied health courses – research. 2019. https://tinyurl.com/tdys7yv (accessed 1 November 2022)

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The experiences of mature nursing students: achievements against the odds

Claire Leader

Lecturer in Adult Nursing, Northumbria University

View articles

Zvide Mudekwa

Former Northumbria University Nursing Students and now all Registered Nurses (Adult)

Dawn Longstaff

Karen Younger

Corley Purnell

The abolition of the student bursary for nurse education in 2017 led to a decrease of 15.2% in mature nursing students ( Office for Students, 2019 ). Before this, the average age of a student nurse at entry was 29.

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) figures indicate that the number of applicants to nursing courses over the age of 20 has dropped by 40% ( UCAS, 2019 ). This problem exists alongside the national shortage of nurses.

Mature students make a unique contribution to the nursing profession and have a variety of life experiences to bring. However, research has also shown that programmes of study for mature students are impacted by a range of factors, including caring responsibilities for children or older family members, financial responsibilities and complex learning needs following a long break from education ( Christensen and Craft, 2021 ), particularly in the digital era where familiarity with technology is essential.

Kevern and Webb (2003) emphasised how the experience of mature students does not align with those of school- or college-age leavers. Recruitment strategies must acknowledge the complexities associated with studying and attending placement while balancing competing responsibilities if we are to attract mature nursing students back to the profession.

This article presents the unique experiences of four mature nursing students who completed a programme of nurse education in 2021. The perspectives of these women aims to shine a light on the initial draw to nursing and the commitment and dedication shown to achieve their goals while juggling their roles as mothers, primary wage earners and student nurses.

Zvide: ‘the sky is the limit’

I was educated at home in Zimbabwe and was working in an accounting firm until I relocated with my two boys to the UK to join my husband. For the first 6 months I was unable to secure an office job so I did voluntary work at a day-care centre. Eventually, I got a job as a support worker at the care centre and remained in this role for almost 7 years. During my time there, I worked alongside community nurses who all encouraged me to study nursing, but I felt I was too old to go back to school and, besides, I had children to look after.

My mum, who was still in Zimbabwe, became unwell with cancer and I flew home to see her. She was looked after by amazing nurses and doctors. They were so caring and supportive. Sadly, we lost my mum, which was devastating. When I returned to the UK, I decided that I was going to make her proud. I told my family that I was going back to school to be a nurse, but I was still doubting myself because of my age and thinking about how I was going to cope. With the family supporting me, we made some enquiries at the local college, where I was told to do mathematics, English language and biology at A-level.

It was not an easy journey for me, as a mother, wife and student. I eventually completed my A-levels and then got a place at Northumbria University, which was a dream come true. I never thought I was going to be able to manage that at my age.

‘At university there was a lot of support … but it was diffcult as a mature student of colour … but with support from my lecturers I fulfilled my dream’

During my degree, I was really pushing myself and trying my best, but I faced a lot of challenges. At university there was a lot of support but, in practice, it was difficult as a mature student of colour, especially in my third year. I almost quit because of the pressure at that time but, through support from my lecturers, I fulfilled my dream, and wherever my mum is, I know she is very happy and proud.

I am determined that, as a nurse, I will give back some of what I received when my mum was unwell to other communities, hospitals and families. I would like to encourage anyone out there that, with perseverance, you will reach your goal and the sky is the limit.

Dawn: ‘my nursing journey from 16 to 56’

In May 1981 I sat my CSEs, passing them all. I had wanted to be a nurse since I was 6. I took my exam results with me to an interview for a place at college to study for a nursing diploma. Within days I was accepted and given a date in September 1981 to start my journey. However, this was not going to happen as I was offered employment as a supervisor's assistant at a Blyth manufacturing factory and took it.

Obviously, I had made the wrong decision but I continued to work until my first child was born, followed soon after by my second and third. Time flew by, my family grew, eventually having families of their own. When my daughter asked me what she should do with her life, I suggested going to college to become a midwife as she often talked with enthusiasm about looking after pregnant women. She was reluctant to go to college alone so I volunteered to go with her to do an access to nursing course, along with GCSE English and maths. Within 2 weeks of the courses starting, my daughter left and never returned, but as I had restarted a journey, I could not stop and followed it through.

Over the next 2 years, I had meltdown after meltdown. I lost my father in between my first and second years of college, which put extra pressure on studies. I was not savvy with technology and could not work a computer to the standard required. Nevertheless, I acquired all the required qualifications, was awarded ‘student of the year’ and gained a place at Northumbria University, studying the BSc honours degree in adult nursing.

As my first year at university started so did my meltdowns. On a few occasions I almost stopped studying, but was advised by friends to continue as it would be worth it in the end. It was so difficult going back into education after so many years. Learning how to reference my work was a nightmare. The book Cite them Right ( Pears and Shields, 2013 ) was my soulmate for the 3 years of university, as was coffee to keep me up in the early hours to get my assignments done on time.

The younger generation at university had it down to a fine art – enjoying life and doing their work. I felt that all I had to give were life skills in comparison to young students who seemed so intelligent to me. However, when we were in lectures, I could answer questions and explain things being discussed; students told me I knew more than I thought.

I made it through the first year. Then I lost my mother 4 days before the start of my second year and was devastated. I had time off for bereavement, then COVID-19 hit. I opted out of my placement and, yet again, I contemplated giving up, but my student friends once more helped me through, pushing me into the third year. I have so much to thank them all for. By Christmas 2021, I had achieved my goal and finished my studies and I am finally a registered adult nurse.

I feel overwhelmed that my parents have not been here to witness this as they would have been so proud.

Karen ‘the struggle is real’

If someone had told me when I left school nearly 27 years ago that I would become a nurse, I would have laughed. At the time, I could not even watch Casualty, unless it was through my fingers.

I had spent some time in hospital with chronic osteomyelitis at the age of 11 and was frightened every time a nurse walked towards me, so nursing was never on my radar at all.

‘It is hard, there is no denying that, but the difference with this line of work is its rewarding nature’

I left school and got the qualifications I needed for administration and clerical work. Later, my father-in-law became increasingly ill with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and had periods in and out of hospital. At the time, I put my all into understanding the disease, and realising when he was going to be poorly by noticing the signs. We had the support of a community matron who I will never forget as it was she who planted the seed that I would make a great nurse. Her reasoning was that I could read the signs and know when my father-in-law was going down hill.

After my father-in-law died, I took a look online at what I would need to do to become a nurse and then quickly dismissed it. I was working full time, on a good wage and I thought to lose that would be absolute madness. As time went on, I found myself caring for my father, who had became poorly and died unexpectedly, and for my mum, who had health issues and my husband, who had also become ill. I had left my job to stay at home and look after my husband, with frequent visits to my mum. The seed of an idea that was planted 11 years previously by the matron came to the surface again.

I had nothing to lose, so I signed up at age 38 to go to college to do an access to nursing course. My family were behind me and said they would support me. At the time, I had two younger children who were 11 and 4, and my eldest was 19 and embarking on his own career.

I was never very academic at school and college hit me like a bolt out of the blue! Harvard referencing, reports, essays, journals – the list of challenges was endless. But I got through it all and passed with flying colours and I managed to gain offers of a place at two different universities. Me going to university! I felt like I was dreaming.

When I walked into the classroom at university, my first thought was that I was the oldest in the room. I was old enough to be the majority of these students' mum but, as time went on, I realised they seemed to respect my age and it worked. Having a little age on my side, I felt benefitted me greatly; I had a number of life skills that I could put to good use, particularly in communication, which is a huge part of nursing.

Understanding patients and knowing how to communicate well with a wide variety of different people from different backgrounds came much easier, I think, because of being a more mature student.

Everything seemed to be going well and then my personal life was turned upside down with a few different things. I considered walking away from nursing altogether and concentrating on my children. I remember wondering if it was worth it.

My tutor and the university were amazing, the support they gave me helped me greatly. They helped put things into perspective for me. I realised that the guilt I felt leaving the children was normal. It was a struggle but my self-belief started to build and I passed my degree and gained employment in the role of a practice nurse. It is hard, there is no denying that, but the difference with this line of study and work is its rewarding nature.

Corley: ‘the good days give back tenfold’

My journey began after my daughter fell gravely ill with a sinusitis infection that led to multiple brain operations, months in critical care and a prosthetic skull. This experience changed my outlook on life and provided me with the tools to become a part of the medical world and hopefully have a lasting impact. A critical care nurse in particular sticks in my mind. She offered me time and advice that gave me so much hope. I remember thinking how I would love to be as amazing as her. I had struggled all through my life with confidence issues and insecurities that led to debilitating anxiety, which peaked after my daughter's recovery.

This life experience gave me the grit to put my failings behind me and achieve my lifetime ambition to gain a degree in nursing. Returning to study at 33 years old, with a family and all the responsibilities that go along with that, was to be challenging. I threw myself into preparing financially, personally and professionally with the support of my amazing family and friends, a bonus not everyone has. As I progressed through my degree, I quickly realised this support network was essential for childcare, emotional and financial support.

I was always very academic at school so, unlike a lot of mature students, the academic work scared me a lot less than the practical. My first placement was on a busy respiratory ward. My demons were creeping in and my anxieties and self-doubt were forefront in my mind, repeatedly telling myself I was not capable.

I was a complete novice to nursing and I felt expectations of mature students were generally higher. I arrived on the ward one day after an unpleasant situation had occurred and broke down in tears. This was the first, but not the last time this happened. Resilience began to grow from this point as I sought help and support from the university resources. My personal tutor gave guidance and advice and believed in me from day one, something that helped me persevere and not give up. Using all the resources that are available to you will go a long way in helping you reaching the end. Knowing that I was not the only person to be in a specific situation, facing these things head on, did help build a stronger, resilient me.

Nursing as a mature student is an emotional rollercoaster. You can come home and feel like you're on top of the world and have succeeded in your professional role and then the next day you feel you have gone back to the start and anxieties and confidence issues begin to take a hold. I would tell myself that someone like me, a teenage mum from a council estate, just can't succeed in this world.

Then there's life at home, your career consumes you. It took every single piece of my being to continue and pick myself up every day and start again. This is where the guilt kicked in; guilt of missing out on my children, sacrificing so much of their lives to pursue my career. I had to continually repeat to myself and my children that I was doing this for my family and their outlook on life would hopefully benefit. I hoped I would pass on my dedication and ambition to my three amazing girls to allow them to succeed in their lives.

To end on a positive note – I have achieved my degree and I have learned so much about myself. I have gained work in a busy emergency assessment unit in a fantastic team and I feel content with the person I am becoming. I feel worthy of my position as I have worked hard to get here. My anxiety still exists, but I have learned to control it and do not allow it to control me, the hardest hurdle I have ever had to jump. So yes, being a mature nursing student is hard but the rewards far outweigh the downsides. You meet the most amazing people from all walks of life, giving something money can never buy. Get through the hard days and the good days give back tenfold.

The Student as Storyteller

The written word is posited to be one of the earliest forms of innovation, yet oral and visual storytelling goes back even further. That is because stories connect people across cultures and generations. For nurses to connect with patients, communities, administrators, or policy makers, we need to emphasize storytelling’s importance in healthcare—and innovation—and teach nurses the fundamentals of the art of telling stories earlier in their careers. Our guest contributor this month is Nicole Sunderland, clinical practice nurse leader at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and adjunct professor at Penn State University Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. Dr. Sunderland argues that storytelling is an integral component of education, especially for undergraduate nursing students. She details how the application of storytelling can be integrated into the clinical mentorship of our students. Finally, Dr. Sunderland maps out how students can use various storytelling techniques to create an engaging clinical story that can be shared during patient presentations, to communicate policy changes, and even to provide better patient care.

Many nursing students experience a range of emotions during clinicals. Some of these include stress, anxiety, and depression. Some students worry about how they will behave in clinical settings. They frequently observe events involving delicate themes like codes, organ donation, interpersonal problems, and novel circumstances they have never encountered. Students’ anxiety levels and maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as denial, behavioral disengagement, venting, and self-blame, were positively correlated in a study by Masha’al and colleagues. Storytelling was incorporated to help foster connection with patients, decrease anxiety and other coping behaviors, create a positive clinical experience.

Although a program called Tales From the Bedside exists in graduate nurse residency programs and includes panel discussions and small group work, limited research exists on how storytelling helps nursing students. Throughout history, numerous societal and cultural standards have incorporated storytelling. Mendoza describes various historical forms of storytelling, including songs, chants, poetry, and paintings. Depending on the culture, these have been handed down from one generation to the next. According to Garmston, some organizational leaders share their stories through these channels to help form narratives, encourage followers, and establish their influence over the people they serve. People can connect and engage with others through stories and discover fresh and original ideas for composition and content.

I’ve been using storytelling as a link between experience and clinical application while serving as a facilitator for nursing students. As a facilitator, storytelling directs me on how to encourage students’ development and learn from those sharing their stories. To assist others in creating their own custom experiences, I have developed some quick tips.

Start with your expectations

Mentoring students over an entire semester can be a major undertaking. As a basic framework, a formal welcome email that outlines the expectations of the clinical experience and what to expect in the post-clinical setting is sent out at the beginning of each semester. Storytelling is used in this way to provide the student guidance and to showcase how they can begin to visualize themselves in this setting, providing their own story. As the students only spend a limited amount of time on the unit before rotating to other clinical experiences, the story provided in the email encompasses a fictional narrative of a student sharing their patient story with potential common diagnoses, typical morally troubling events, and an invitation to debrief. The use of storytelling in this way allows students to connect with a patient’s story even before beginning their clinical rotation.

Post-clinical time is the time to shine

Depending on the number of students and the level of patient complexity each student presents, post-clinical time can last up to 2 hours. During the post-clinical session, students present a patient experience they encountered during their clinical shift. It is up to the student to choose the patient they will discuss. This presentation is an ideal time for the student to assist in crafting a patient’s narrative and hone their storytelling skills. It requires the student to use their distinctive degree of mastery, apply those skills to the outlined paperwork, and provide the student an opportunity to craft their story. The student is prepared with resources, guidelines, and three examples of stories to assist them in putting this patient story together.

Storytelling develops self-identity

An essential part of guiding nursing students to success involves the ability to help them seek self-awareness. Encouraging students to share their stories and own their lived experiences, whenever possible, contributes to authentic storytelling, strengthened by self-reflection on their practice. According to Grenny and Zitter, the act of sharing a narrative engages emotions, encourages change in one’s mental model, creates the opportunity to break biases, and helps transition a student from a familiar area to one that is less familiar. This technique can aid in navigating numerous modalities in a challenging patient stay or influencing a student’s response to a certain life-saving surgery they’ve observed. Through self and cultural assessment, a student’s narrative identity may not only aid with confidence in providing bedside report but also with the development of intercultural competency with individuals.

Storytelling develops structural understanding

Storytelling might be a valuable tool to understand how policy affects care or how the development of evidence-based practice affects future practice. Understanding organizational structure and processes should be given significant weight in addition to telling a story. Using an example of a complicated patient, consider how adhering to a catheter-associated urinary tract infection bundle and policy helped prevent infection or prevent worsening outcomes. The creation of policies can be influenced by narrative. By mastering storytelling techniques, policy changes can be communicated through law or regulation, expert evidence or declarations, and examination of existing policies. Some examples of techniques include sharing a personal story aligning with the clinical day, bringing patients to life by displaying vivid pictures and scans on the large computer screen to pair with a clinical diagnosis, and providing other students with a STAR moment by giving them “ S omething T o A lways R emember.”

The fundamentals

Take the following steps to create your own special storytelling time.

Know your audience . Although I am specifically targeting students, any group can use storytelling. Knowing your target audience first will enable you to choose the appropriate tone and provide the best results.
Make them care . A storyteller should care about the details they are sharing. Building basic and advanced concepts in patient care can help foster better engagement. Knowing how to relate to someone on an emotional, intellectual, or artistic level is the first step in setting the tone. For people to feel comfortable relating to stories, they must connect with them on a personal level.
Understand how to give feedback. Reflecting on one’s practice and developing one’s thoughts on caring in preparation for a professional career are part of a student’s journey. Coaching the student as a storyteller entails understanding how to facilitate the development of a relationship with the story’s contents, identifying the student’s communication abilities, and offering insightful criticism.
Learn to fail . In narrative storytelling, there is a saying known as the “crappy first draft.” This piece of work should be celebrated to assist people from the dangers of perfectionism. This idea should be employed in verbal storytelling, even if it is more frequently used in writing.

Finally, just put pen to paper and write…bird by bird!

Garmston RJ. The Astonishing Power of Storytelling: Leading, Teaching, and Transforming in a New Way . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin; 2019.

Grenny J. Great storytelling connects employees to their work. Harvard Business Review . September 25, 2017. https://hbr.org/2017/09/great-storytelling-connects-employees-to-their-work

Mash’al D, Shahrour G, Aldalaykeh M. Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heliyon . 2022;8(1):e08734. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08734

Mendoza M. The evolution of storytelling. Reporter . May 1, 2015. reporter.rit.edu/tech/evolution-storytelling#:~:text=Storytelling%20originated%20with%20visual%20stories,written%2C%20printed%20and%20typed%20stories

Zitter J. How storytelling can help young doctors become more resilient. Harvard Business Review . October 16, 2018. hbr.org/2018/10/how-storytelling-can-help-young-doctors-become-more-resilient

The views and opinions expressed by My Nurse Influencer contributors are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of the American Nurses Association, the Editorial Advisory Board members, or the Publisher, Editors and staff of American Nurse Journal . These are opinion pieces and are not peer reviewed.

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Tips for Nursing Students in Their First Year

Congratulations, you’re embarking on your nursing student journey! While there may be a long road ahead and some bumps along the way, becoming a nurse is well worth it. If you’re anxious to start or want to be well prepared for what’s to come, here are 7 lucky tips for nursing students’ first year of school.

Tip 1: Prepare for rough days

Okay, let’s face it. Nursing school isn’t a walk in the park, and even if you’re determined to breeze on through, you’re bound to have bad days. But, hey! That’s okay. Our best tip for nursing school is to expect some rough times every once in a while. Nobody is perfect, and you’re learning a TON. Recognize that your first year in nursing school is a big adjustment, and you’ll get the hang of it over time.

Tip 2: Find your go-to study method

Make a study group or run to your favorite picture mnemonics –find what works best for you. While you may have a tried-and-true method that’s worked in the past, don’t be afraid to venture and find new study strategies. Nursing school is significantly different than your undergrad experience. You may surprise yourself with new ways you like to study and with faster ways to retain information.

Tip 3: Get ready to bounce back

As mentioned earlier, not every day will be perfect. Don’t expect to fail, but expect to pick yourself back up again if you’re having a tough time. Having a growth mindset in this kind of environment is key. If you’re not understanding a nursing topic or are struggling with your study habits, take a break and come back to it later, ask for help, or use a different study resource.

Tip 4: Stay motivated

With newfound knowledge and challenges in your first year of nursing school, the best tips for nursing students are tips that help them stay motivated. The Picmonic app is designed to help keep you on track and gamify your study time. Now, when you take actions that result in learning content, you’ll earn experience points (XP). You can also unlock achievement-based badges by completing different challenges.

Tip 5: Raise your hand

Asking for help isn’t something to be ashamed of. Attend office hours, email your professor, and reach out to fellow nursing students to get clarification on subjects or ask questions. It helps to get a different perspective or to hear a concept in someone else’s words in nursing school.

Tip 6: Use all the free resources you can get

Read blogs from professionals on how to simplify your first year of nursing school or get tips for your first semester of nursing school , watch Youtube RNs or Tiktok NPs to get a laugh in with some educational content, or sign-up for Picmonic’s free 5-day trial to give your wallet a breather. This is a great way to diversify your study methods. With Picmonic’s 5-day trial, free users will access a set of the most popular picture mnemonics that are fully available to Learn and Quiz on for a period of 5 days.

Tip 7: Sign up for Picmonic on your first day

Picmonic is a useful study tool to have in your first year of nursing school, through clinicals, taking the NCLEX, and beyond. Picmonic uses picture mnemonics with whacky and memorable characters, concepts, and stories to capitalize on memory science and help you remember more in less time. Covering thousands of nursing facts, Picmonic even offers a pass guarantee for the NCLEX. Essentially, its many features will help you study for exams, learn the fundamentals of nursing, take a quiz before the forgetting curve sets in , and study on the go. It’s a nursing school must-have.

Now that you’ve got the best tricks and tips for nursing school, download the Picmonic app to get started today!

Here’s What to Do After Graduating Nursing School

Get Picmonic and start your journey now.

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Navigating the Journey: A Comprehensive Guide for Nursing Students

Embarking on the journey to become a nurse is both challenging and rewarding. This comprehensive guide is designed to support nursing students in their educational and professional pursuits, offering valuable insights into the world of nursing.

Understanding the Nursing Student Experience

The life of nursing students is unique, blending rigorous academic study with hands-on clinical experience. It’s a path that requires dedication, resilience, and a passion for healthcare. From the very start, nursing students are immersed in a learning environment that prepares them for the multifaceted role of a nurse.

The Academic Path for Nursing Students

Nursing must navigate a demanding academic curriculum. This includes studying a wide range of subjects from anatomy and pharmacology to ethics and patient care. The academic rigor ensures that nursing is well-equipped with the knowledge necessary to provide high-quality care.

There are a large number of students who face problems managing their online nursing classes due to their busy schedule, now you can always use the ScholarlyHelp take my online class for me service to conquer the academics.

Clinical Rotations: A Crucial Element for Nursing Students

Clinical rotations are a crucial part of the nursing student’s education. These rotations provide hands-on experience in various healthcare settings, allowing students to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world situations. It’s where theory meets practice, and students begin to hone their clinical skills.

Challenges Faced by Nursing Students

Students of Nursing face numerous challenges throughout their education. Balancing intense coursework with clinical hours can be demanding. Additionally, students must develop critical thinking and quick decision-making skills, which are essential in high-pressure healthcare environments.

Support Systems for Nursing Students

It’s essential for students of nursing to have robust support systems. This can include academic advisors, mentors in the healthcare field, and peer support groups. Such support systems can provide guidance, encouragement, and practical advice throughout the challenges of nursing education.

The Importance of Self-Care for Nursing Students

Self-care is vital for students of nursing. The demanding nature of nursing education can take a toll on physical and mental health. Students should prioritize self-care practices like regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate rest to maintain their wellbeing.

Preparing for the NCLEX and Beyond

For students of nursing, passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a pivotal step. Preparing for this exam requires diligent study and understanding of nursing concepts. Success in the NCLEX paves the way for a rewarding career in nursing.

Embracing Technology in Nursing Education

Students of Nursing, today must be adept at using technology, as modern healthcare is increasingly reliant on digital tools. From electronic health records to telehealth services, nursing students should embrace technology as a crucial component of their education and future practice.

The Evolving Role of Nursing Students in Healthcare

The role of students of nursing is continuously evolving. Today, they are expected to be more than caregivers; they are advocates, educators, and innovators in healthcare. This evolution reflects the growing complexity and significance of the nursing profession in the healthcare system.

Community Involvement for Nursing Students

Community involvement is an important aspect for students of nursing. Participating in community health initiatives provides practical experience and helps in understanding the broader social determinants of health. It also reinforces the commitment to serving diverse populations.

The Future for Nursing Students

The future for students of nursing is bright and full of opportunities. With an increasing demand for healthcare services, nursing professionals are needed more than ever. Students of nursing today are the future leaders who will shape the direction of healthcare.

Emphasizing the Value of Interprofessional Education

Interprofessional education is becoming increasingly important for nursing students. This approach involves learning alongside students from other healthcare disciplines, such as medicine, pharmacy, and social work. Such experiences prepare nursing students for the collaborative nature of modern healthcare, where teamwork across different specialties is crucial for providing comprehensive patient care.

The Role of Research in Nursing Education

Nursing students are also encouraged to engage in research activities. Participating in research enhances their understanding of evidence-based practice, an essential aspect of nursing. It enables students of nursing to contribute to the advancement of healthcare knowledge, ensuring that they stay abreast of the latest developments and innovations in the field.

Lifelong Learning for Nursing Students

Finally, students of nursing are introduced to the concept of lifelong learning early in their education. The healthcare field is ever-evolving, and continuous learning is essential for nurses to provide the best care possible. This commitment to ongoing education ensures that once students become registered nurses, they remain competent and knowledgeable healthcare professionals.

Students of Nursing, embark on a demanding yet incredibly rewarding journey. Their path is filled with challenges, learning, and personal growth. As they navigate their way through the complex world of nursing education, they prepare not just to become nurses, but to become leaders in healthcare, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of patients and communities.

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July 8 - july 9.

Students entering their sophomore to senior years of high school can start their nursing journey this summer with PNW’s faculty-led nursing camp! Prospective nursing students will dive into what it means to be a successful, modern nurse. This FREE 2-day camp will engage participants in learning sessions about basic nursing fundamentals, group outings on-campus and simulation lab activities.

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Nursing Student Receives SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence

STONY BROOK, NY, April 8, 2024 – Nicole Jellen, a Stony Brook University School of Nursing student, has been named a 2024 recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence ( CASE ). This award is the highest honor that can bestowed upon a student by the University. A student leader, peer educator, and active volunteer, Jellen will receive this honor at a ceremony in Albany on April 11. This May she will graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the School of Nursing.

According to the SUNY Chancellor’s office, the award “honors SUNY students who have successfully integrated SUNY excellence into many different aspects of their lives, including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, or creative and performing arts.” The award also celebrates students’ abilities to lead, give back, and be role models for fellow students.

Growing up on Long Island in Port Jefferson Station, Jellen was intrigued by nursing as a young girl as she saw her mother, Jessica Jellen, work as a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse and make a huge difference in the lives of babies, and their families. Jellen decided early on to pursue nursing as a career.

She was nominated for the CASE award by four leading Nursing faculty. Jellen has flourished as a nursing student at Stony Brook in all areas of academics and service.

Jellen maintained academic excellence all four years and achieved a 3.94 GPA. She was elected President of the Pre-Nursing Society in 2023, where she served as a mentor and teacher to students. She is also a pathophysiology and pharmacology tutor to fellow students.

Additionally, Jellen is a certified nursing assistant, March of Dimes volunteer, a volunteer educator about domestic violence, and a member of and part of the social media committee for Sigma Kappa Gamma, an academic honor society in Nursing.

Jellen is setting the bar high for her future too. She aspires to be an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse after graduation, specifically in the Cardiothoracic ICU, and hopes to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

“My mother inspired me to take on the path of nursing, and as a nurse I hope to make my patients’ darkest days a little brighter,” says Jellen. “The Stony Brook School of Nursing experience has transformed me in the best way possible. The faculty, my classmates, and coworkers continue to remind me just how fulfilling nursing as a field truly is.”

Professor Lani Blanco, MA, RN, Jellen’s School of Nursing mentor, and one of the faculty who nominated her, describes Jellen as a student who has not only stood out in her academics and passion for nursing but also for her outstanding community service and compassion – all great qualities for a future nurse.

“Her achievements have made such a lasting impact to aspiring and current nursing students, the School of Nursing, the University, and to the communities we serve,” says Blanco. “The world needs nurses now more than ever, and I look forward to the wonderful and significant impact she will make in the field of nursing.”

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Stony Brook Heart Institute Among First in Nation to Perform Leading-Edge Blood Pressure Treatment

STONY BROOK, NY, January 25, 2024 – The Stony Brook Heart Institute at Stony Brook University Hospital is expanding its advanced treatment options for those with high blood pressure. The Heart Institute is among the...

Stony brook, ny; stony brook university: winter snow storm on 2/12/19.

Stony Brook University Achieved Highest Enrollment for First Year Class for 2023-2024 Semester

More Transfer Students Applied Than Ever Before Stony Brook, NY–September 20, 2023–Stony Brook University’s 2023-2024 admissions’ application rate and enrollment has experienced new highs as the university...

Marine biologists are learning more about microbes in the sea, viruses being the most prevalent…..

Viruses are the most prevalent biological entities in the world’s oceans and play essential roles in its ecological and biogeochemical balance. Yet, they are the least understood elements of marine life. By unraveling...

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The Honors College

2024-2025 honors flowcharts, gerald d. hines college of architecture and design.

Architecture, B.ARCH | Honors Flowchart
Environmental Design, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Industrial Design, B.S | Honors Flowchart
Interior Architecture, B.S | Honors Flowchart

C.T. Bauer College of Business

All Business Majors, B.B.A | Honors Flowchart

College of Education

Department of curriculum and instruction.

Teaching and Learning (4-8 ELAR), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (4-8 Math), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (4-8 Science), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (4-8 Social Studies), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (EC-6 Bilingual Generalist), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (EC-6 Generalist), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (EC-6 Generalist with ESL and Special Ed Supplemental), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Teaching and Learning (EC-6 Generalist and Special Ed EC-6), B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Services

Health (Health Promotion), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Health (Public Health), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Human Development & Family Studies EC-6 Generalist, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Human Development & Family Studies, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certification, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Human Development & Family Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Human Development & Family Studies, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Cullen College of Engineering

Department of biomedical engineering.

Biomedical Engineering, B.S.B.E. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Chemical Engineering, B.S.Ch.E. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil Engineering, B.S.C.E. | Honors Flowchart
Construction Engineering, B.S.Con.E. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer Engineering and Analytics, B.S.C.E.A | Honors Flowchart
Computer Engineering, B.S.Cp.E. | Honors Flowchart
Electrical Engineering, B.S.E.E. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering, B.S.I.E. | Honors Flowchart
Systems Engineering, B.S.Sys.E. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering, B.S.M.E | Honors Flowchart

Department of Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Engineering, B.S.P.E.T.E. | Honors Flowchart

Cullen College of Engineering, Technology Division

Department of construction management.

Construction Management, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Supply Chain and Logistics Technology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Engineering Technology

Biotechnology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Computer Engineering Technology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Electrical Power Engineering Technology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Mechanical Engineering Technology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Human Development and Consumer Sciences

Human Resources Development, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Retailing and Consumer Science, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Information and Logistics Technology

Computer Information Systems, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Digital Media, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Technology Leadership and Innovation Management, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Exploratory Studies

Exploratory Studies | Honors Flowchart
Integrated Studies, 3 Concentrations, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Integrated Studies, 2 Concentrations, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership

Global Hospitality Leadership, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Hobby School of Public Affairs

Public Policy, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Public Policy, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Jack j. valenti school of communication.

Film & Media Studies Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Interpersonal Communication Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Health Communications, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Journalism, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Integrated Communication Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Advertising Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Organizational/Corporate Communication Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Public Relations Communication Concentration | Honors Flowchart
General Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Broadcast Television Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Sports Production Concentration | Honors Flowchart
Digital Cinematography Concentration | Honors Flowchart

Department of African American Studies

African American Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Communication Sciences and Disorders, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Communication Sciences and Disorders, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Communication Sciences and Disorders, American Sign Language B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Comparative Cultural Studies

Anthropology, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Anthropology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Liberal Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Liberal Studies, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Religious Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Economics

Economics, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Economics, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of English

English - Applied Linguistics, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
English - Creative Writing, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
English - Literature, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Health and Human Performance

Human Nutrition & Foods (ACEND Track), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Human Nutrition & Foods (Nutritional Sciences Track), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Human Nutrition & Foods (Nutritional and Fitness), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Kinesiology – Exercise Science (Health Professions), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Kinesiology – Exercise Science (Primary), B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Kinesiology – Fitness and Sports, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Kinesiology – Sport Administration, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Hispanic Studies

Spanish, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of History

History, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Modern and Classical Languages

Chinese Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
French, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Culture and Literatures- Italian Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures - Francophone, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures – Global Cinema, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures – Global Modernity, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures – Middle Eastern Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures – Ancient Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
World Cultures and Literatures - German Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Philosophy

Philosophy, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Political Science

Political Science, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Political Science, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Psychology

Psychology, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Psychology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Sociology

Sociology, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Sociology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Sociology, Health and Medicine Concentration, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Sociology, Health and Medicine Concentration, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Sociology, Workplace Diversity Concentration, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Sociology, Workplace Diversity Concentration, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies, B.A. | Honors Flowchart

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Department of biology and biochemistry.

Biochemical & Biophysical Sciences, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Biochemical & Biophysical Sciences, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Biology, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Biology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Honors Biomedical Sciences, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Mathematical Biology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Chemistry

Chemistry, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Chemistry, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Computer Science

Computer Science, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Atmospheric Science, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Earth Science, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Environmental Sciences – Option A: Environmental Geosciences, B.S | Honors Flowchart
Environmental Sciences – Option B: Atmospheric Science, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Geology, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Geophysics, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Mathematics

Mathematics, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Mathematics, B.S. | Honors Flowchart
Mathematics, B.S-Data Science Option | Honors Flowchart
Mathematics – Mathematical Finance Option, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

Department of Physics

Physics, B.A. | Honors Flowchart
Physics, B.S. | Honors Flowchart

College of Nursing

Pre-Nursing (B.S.N.), Traditional Track | Honors Flowchart

IMAGES

Infographic: 10 Steps to Becoming a Nurse- I'm on step 8!
My nursing journey by Juanita Foley
Nursing Student Journey #nursingstudent #studentnurse #journey
How to Become a Nurse (Nursing School Journey)
Nursing School Journey: How to Get In and Taking Pre-requisite Courses
My Nursing School Journey: Week One

VIDEO

WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A NURSE

COMMENTS

The Story Behind My Nursing Journey
As the weeks went on, I knew deep down inside that I wanted to become a nurse, so I changed my major back to nursing again. This pattern continued over and over until I finally had to ask God about what major I should choose. I asked the Lord to send me a sign of what I needed to do with my life. Later that week, He gave me three distinct signs ...
'Life as a student nurse has been an amazing journey'
Becoming a new student nurse can be daunting and watching others work so quickly and knowing how to react to every scenario can knock your confidence. Low
From Student to Pro: The Evolution of a Bedside Nurse
The Nursing Student. Rakiya Moore is a third-semester nursing student in an accelerated second-degree program. She has a previous degree in public health and wants to work in women's health as a new graduate nurse. In her journey through nursing school, Rakiya has emerged as a formidable force.
My Survival and Journey through Nursing School: You will make it too!
That conversation was the begging of my journey into nursing school. It was humbling and one of the smartest decisions I have ever made for my career and personally! ... It is my personal mission in life to share my story, and empower nursing students all over to be the best student and nurse that they can be! Everyone's paths are different ...
My journey as a student nurse
Category: Nursing and midwifery. 5 June 2019. Final-year Adult Nursing student Jade reflects on her time at ARU, and the things she has learnt and experienced on her journey to becoming a nurse. As I begin my final placement as a student and my training comes to a close, I am left reflecting on what my journey as a student nurse has meant to me ...
A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student
7:55 a.m.: Classes started at 08:00 a.m., so at 07:55, I was usually already in class, picking out a spot and reserving seats for some tardy friends. 8:00 to 11 a.m.: Time for the first lecture of the day. During my last term, this was Maternity Health on Mondays and Nutrition and Disease on Thursdays. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:
How Nursing Helped Me Discover My Purpose
Students Speak: How Nursing Helped Me Discover My Purpose. Nursing is a challenging career. One nursing student shares her continuing education journey and how she found a passion for coaching and mental health. When I wore that "old fashioned for the year 2002" nursing school uniform for the last time, I promised myself I wouldn't set foot in ...
Our courageous nursing journey : Nursing made Incredibly Easy
Our courageous nursing journey. When we begin our nursing journey and accept our first position as a professional nurse, we're filled with excitement. With each new patient encounter, our clinical skill set expands, our critical-thinking skills refine, our senses of targeted inquiry heighten, and our logistical reasoning skills magnify.
'Make the most of your student nurse experience'
The first thing I will say is I absolutely love being a student nurse. Despite what is on the news and social media about the struggles of studying and.
Student Nurse Guide
New Nursing Students: What to Expect As a new nursing student, you may be anxious about being in a new setting and unsure of what to expect. Throughout your journey, you can expect rigorous academic activities alongside practical exercises, tests, and clinical rotations. Keep reading to learn more about each.
Undergraduate nursing students' experiences of becoming a professional
Nursing students' journey towards professionalism Dr Benner describes the concept of professional development in the nursing profession as evolving from novice to expert in five stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent proficient and expert [ 11 ].
Navigating the Transition from Student to Nurse: A ...
Becoming a professional nurse is an exciting and transformative journey. After years of hard work, dedication, and clinical experience, you're ready to transition from being a nursing student to a professional nurse. This transition can be both exhilarating and challenging as you navigate new responsibilities, settings, and expectations.
The experiences of mature nursing students: achievements against the
Dawn: 'my nursing journey from 16 to 56' ... So yes, being a mature nursing student is hard but the rewards far outweigh the downsides. You meet the most amazing people from all walks of life, giving something money can never buy. Get through the hard days and the good days give back tenfold.
Nursing Student's Experience as Patient Inspires her Journey to Become
Written by Leigh Ann Roman. | January 23, 2024. Bria Sharp, right, student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing, decided to pursue nursing after her own experience managing sickle cell disease. Her mother, Assistant Professor Jackie Sharp, DNP, APRN, PMHNP, left, said she was excited ...
The Student as Storyteller
Many nursing students experience a range of emotions during clinicals. Some of these include stress, anxiety, and depression. ... practice and developing one's thoughts on caring in preparation for a professional career are part of a student's journey. Coaching the student as a storyteller entails understanding how to facilitate the ...
Top 10 Skills Nursing Students Need to Succeed Today
A career in nursing can be incredibly rewarding, but it's not for everyone. It's a lifestyle choice and a mental shift, and just becoming a registered nurse is a journey in and of itself. There will always be a demand for qualified nurses; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for RNs through 2031 is expected to grow at a faster-than-average rate of 6% and at a 40% rate for ...
A glimpse of a nursing student's four-year journey
Why should you choose a career in nursing? What is it like to study at AKU's School of Nursing and Midwifery? Here's a glimpse of a nurse student's four-year...
7 Tips for Nursing Students First Year
Congratulations, you're embarking on your nursing student journey! While there may be a long road ahead and some bumps along the way, becoming a nurse is well worth it. If you're anxious to start or want to be well prepared for what's to come, here are 7 lucky tips for nursing students' first year of school. Tip 1: Prepare for rough days Okay, let's face it.
PDF Nursing student engagement: Researching the journey and its potential
Nursing student engagement fundamentally contributes toward quality student advancement and future quality nursing care. This research evaluates students' ... Hudson K (21) Nursing student engagement: Researching the journey and its potential impact on transitions to practice Prev ed Commun ealth , 2019 doi: 10.15761PMCH.1000121 Volume 2: 2-6
Current Students
Please visit the My Chamberlain student portal at community.chamberlain.edu and click or tap "Support" in the left navigation. Ask questions related to financial aid, the registrar, student services and clinical compliance or call us toll-free 888.556.8226. Student Portal. Academic Calendar.
[PDF] Nursing student engagement: Researching the journey and its
This research evaluates students' perception of their nursing education and their commitment toward practice, and provides a background for the development of solid nursing practices with high scores of engagement, in both class and clinicals. Nursing student engagement fundamentally contributes toward quality student advancement and future quality nursing care. This research evaluates ...
My Reflection On My Nursing Journey
This paper will reflect the journey I have taken from Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the incorporation of my learning objectives from my clinical course. Although, I've been in healthcare for over 20 years, working as a medical assistant, I believe my journey truly began with nursing school.
Navigating the Journey: A Comprehensive Guide for Nursing Students
November 16, 2023 by Charlotte Miller. Embarking on the journey to become a nurse is both challenging and rewarding. This comprehensive guide is designed to support nursing students in their educational and professional pursuits, offering valuable insights into the world of nursing. Contents. 1 Understanding the Nursing Student Experience.
Nurse Camp (Hammond Campus)
Venue. Purdue University Northwest - Hammond Campus. 2200 169th StHammond,Indiana46323 + Google Map. Phone. (219) 989-2400. View Venue Website. « Campus Closed: Memorial Day. Nurse Camp: Westville Campus ». Students entering their sophomore year of high school can start their nursing journey this summer with PNW's faculty-led nursing camp!
Nursing Student Receives SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence
STONY BROOK, NY, April 8, 2024 - Nicole Jellen, a Stony Brook University School of Nursing student, has been named a 2024 recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence ().This award is the highest honor that can bestowed upon a student by the University. A student leader, peer educator, and active volunteer, Jellen will receive this honor at a ceremony in Albany on April 11.
L A S T S K I L L S D A Y Yesterday was my final ...
21 likes, 0 comments - mims_nursingjourneyMarch 7, 2024 on : "L A S T S K I L L S D A Y 瑱喙 Yesterday was my final skills day as a student nurse. That is a terrifying statement 勞 We had ..." L A S T S K I L L S D A Y 🪡🩺 Yesterday was my final skills day as a student nurse.
2024-2025 Honors Flowcharts
2024-2025 Honors Flowcharts. 2024-2025 Honors Flowcharts. The academic maps serve as a guideline for planning courses along your journey to graduation. Students should meet with their academic advisors regularly to confirm their official degree plans to ensure applicable course selection and sequencing.