1. CNSA COMMUNITY HEALTH OCTOBER 2015
There’s no way to avoid it: nursing
school is stressful. Seemingly
impossible exam questions, never
ending care plans,APA papers that
are somehow always incorrectly
formatted, and many schools
requiring an 80% or higher testing
average to remain in the program.
We’re also expected to manage a
work schedule and have time left over
for family as well. All these factors
put nursing students at greater risk
for anxiety attacks. There are some
strategies that can help you manage
these rough couple of years.
Ways to Tackle Stress:
Deep breathing exercises
If you’re beginning to feel
overwhelmed, try the following:
1. Inhale deeply through your
nose, counting to four in
your head.
2. Hold your breath while you
count to seven.
3. Exhale through your mouth
to a count of eight.
Repeat the cycle for a total of four
breathes.You will feel more relaxed
and think clearly.
Walk it off
This may seem counterintuitive
when you feel as though you have
five things due the next day, but your
mind can’t focus when you’re
panicking. Leave the room for fifteen
minutes to reorganize your thoughts.
Go for a walk, take a shower, or call a
friend. You will be able to reassess
the situation when you return.
Identify what is most important
Assignments are like NCLEX
questions: they’re all important, but
which is the MOST important
assignment? Stop stressing about the
10 point assignment if you have a 50
point project due first thing
tomorrow morning. Remember that
turning in something late for some
credit is better than no credit at all.
The same is true for exams and
quizzes. Focus first on the big
concepts, and then fill in the little
details later.
Don’t be afraid to ask for
help
Many students feel as though they have to go through nursing school
alone, but that is not the case. It’s important to ask for help before it’s
too late.
• Find a mentor who has taken the class before and ask
them for advice.
• Set up an appointment with your professor during office
hours to seek guidance on different studying strategies.
Proper time management early in
your semester is a great way to help
beat the stress before it arrives. Once
you receive your syllabus for class,
grab your calendar and make not of
when assignments are due. Hard copy
or digital, whatever works best for
you. Once all your assignments have
been added, go back through and
mark on when you plan to start
working on your major assignments.
Breaking assignments into smaller
chunks ahead of time is more
manageable than one big project due
last minute.