We have all heard the statement, “What advice would you give someone who is entering high school/college for the first time?” We have also heard of the statement, “What I wished someone had told me when I started high school/college...” Those are both great statements for those who have already gone through the process, but what about the newbies, the ones that are entering in for the first time? What questions can we ask now so that we won’t have regrets of not asking beforehand?

Being that I am starting the nursing program next week, I have quite a few questions, but I narrowed my questions down to my top five.

1. I know that the workload for nursing is much more than I am used to, so what are some tips for studying for tests and quizzes?

I have heard that in nursing school, the tests and quizzes are sort of different than what we normally expect. You should expect a test that is multiple choice (a, b, c, or d); however, instead of there being one right answer and three wrong answers, all four answers are right, but you have to decipher which one is the best answer out of the four possible answers. What are some suggestions on how to know the right answer, and what are some study tips that will help me be more equipped with answering questions like that?

2. Each professor is different, so what do they expect of us inside the classroom and also while in clinicals?

Every person is different, and they all expect something different from their students. I would like to know some of the expectations the professors have for us in the classroom and during our clinicals. Do they want us speak out in class if we have a question, or do they prefer that questions be asked after lecture? There seems to be a million more questions regarding this topic, but there is only time for just a few.

3. What do I expect for my first day at clinicals?

Every situation is different and every patient is unique in their own way, but what should I expect when I first walk into the clinical setting? I have heard stories (good and bad) of what happens during clinicals. Maybe having something unexpected to happen such as complications with putting in a catheter, or maybe you have to deal with a cranky patient. What are some tips for when I am in those situations?

4. Do I need to focus on studying the reading material and the lecture notes equally, or is one more important than the other?

Many students could attest to this: you walk into the quiz having studied and memorized all of the lecture notes. When you get the quiz, you realize that the quiz is over the assigned reading instead of the lecture notes. You freak out, and — instead of focusing on the quiz — you stress over not studying the right material; therefore, you make a lower grade because you were stressing during the quiz. So my question is, will it be obvious what we need to study, or do we need to cover the reading and lecture notes for every test and quiz?

5. And lastly, is there anything else I should know before kicking off my two years in nursing school?

This question is broad and covers a large arena. Simply, is there anything else I should know?

With all of that said, there is no way of knowing what to expect. Truly, every student is different, and no one will ever have the same complication through and through. All we can do is take advice and run with it. Spread your wings and fly. That’s the beauty of it.

This I know for a fact: the Lord will be there for me, and He will carry me through. Even if it gets difficult, I know that anything is possible with God. Nursing students, remember that the professors are there to help you. Even if you may think they are tough on you because they make you do something over again or make you find the answers if you don’t know, remember that you are a future nurse. You are going to have patients’ lives in your hands, and your professors want to equip you to be the best nurse that you can be.

Strive for success, and strive to be successful for the Lord. He is our help and our fortress.

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2