If you’re getting ready to start a Practical Nursing (PN) program, congratulations! Soon you’ll be caring for people in a hospital, clinic, urgent care center, or other medical settings, and you’ll be putting your clinical skills and administrative knowledge to the test. But to get to this point, you first have to excel in the classroom.
With locations in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Prism Career Institute knows what it takes to go from the classroom to a successful career. Here, we offer PN program preparation tips to keep in mind over the course of your studies.
Set Realistic Goals and Strive to Meet Them
In nursing school, your knowledge will be expanded far beyond what you learned in your pre-nursing schooling. Whereas previous science classes might’ve asked you questions that had clear answers, nursing school will introduce you to the gray areas in between. This way, you’ll be better prepared for patients’ equally complex ailments.
Because of this, nursing school will be challenging. To help you face these academic challenges with confidence, we recommend you set realistic goals and do your best to meet them. For example, you may want to set a target grade for each class or create study objectives to aim for. But remember to be realistic and always strive to keep a healthy balance.
Get Organized Ahead of Time
Once nursing school begins, you’ll quickly realize how important keeping organized will be for your success. You’ll have countless due dates to keep track of, with just as many case studies, exams, care plans, and papers to complete. Plus, in between studying and homework, you’ll have social events, finances, and much more to keep track of.
Though it might sound daunting now, staying organized is completely possible with help from one key organizational tool – a planner. As soon as due dates arise, mark them down so you’ll be reminded each time you crack it open. We also recommend you carry it with you at all times. Trust us, you’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.
Create a Dedicated Workspace at Home
There’s nothing quite as stressful as cluttering up your bed with schoolwork or trying to complete an assignment at the dinner table while your family watches TV. To alleviate this stress, you might find it helpful to designate a study space in your home. Try to find a quiet space that’s conducive to your focus, and consider getting a desk or table with a supportive chair to sit at.
However, if you can’t find a spot like this in your home, we recommend that you foster an open dialogue with your housemates. During this discussion, compare each of your schedules together. Is there a block of time when you could use the dining room or coffee table as your space? Is there a time each week when they’re out of the house and you’re at home? By working together and respecting each other’s needs, you can set yourself up with a stress-free work environment that serves everyone well.
Visit Prism Career Institute
When all is said and done, few things can prepare you as well for your forthcoming PN program as visiting one of our campuses. To tour Prism Career Institute and get a closeup look at our on-campus resources in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, contact us today.