I tell everyone that asks me this question the same thing….. Expect to work hard! Nothing worthwhile comes easy. We must work for it. Nursing is a rewarding and worthwhile career. 

Also, there is no way to learn it all while in school.  Therefore; you commit to lifelong learning. Learn as much as you can, but just as important as book knowledge you must learn now how to self-care. 

Those that know me, know that self-care is my mantra. I ask my students in the beginning of the semester to tell me what they do for fun.  And I remind them to remember theses things and make sure they are doing them while in school. Nursing burnout is real. And without a self-care plan it is easy to burn out- even while in nursing school!!! So, plan to have a plan of self-care! It’s a must. 

Don’t expect to be spoon fed. Nursing is a profession and once you enter into nursing school your professional career has begun! Act like a professional. You may sometimes have to teach yourself some of the material that you need to know.  Expect that. You will be given resources but you may have to teach skills or materials to yourself. That’s okay, it does t mean you have a horrible teacher. It’s just part of the learning process. 

Do your best, but remember B is for Balance.  Just remember though, that it’s okay to have balance, fun, and Bs while in school. The competition to get into nursing school is over – you’re in! That’s not excuse to make Cs or Ds, but relax a bit!! 

Figure out what kind of learner you are. This is most important for your success in studying and retaining material. If you don’t know what kind of learner you are there are many resources online to help you. I will post some later.  

Now you can start buying books and devising a study plan! Now you are ready to embark upon your journey!!