How to Pass Nursing School: Find Out How to Be Successful in Nursing School with These 13 Essential Tips

Everyone knows how hard nursing school is. You basically stop having a social life and start giving all of yourself to your education to really ace nursing school, and sometimes this can be very challenging. You feel tired, have a lot to do in the house, and still need to go to work. How are you going to pull this off?

It won’t be easy, so here are 13 tips on how to be successful in nursing school.

1. Plan Your Study Activities in Time

First things first, start by planning. In any nursing program, you will be at risk of being short on time.

If you’re wondering how to pass nursing school, you should grab a planner, a journal, a big chalkboard, or even a simple sheet of paper. Start writing down all the things you need to do the following week and make a weekly calendar. Schedule from the time you wake up till the time you go to sleep, and stick to it. Don’t forget to plan breaks throughout the day so you don’t get too overwhelmed. Our recommendation is to dedicate at least four hours a day to studying to really learn and understand concepts and skills.

Find out how to manage your time in nursing school.

2. Research What Nursing School Will Be Like

Before embarking on the exciting (but also potentially difficult) journey implied by nursing school, you should become well acquainted with the learning process and what it entails, especially so if you are starting with no prior experience in nursing.

The first step to knowing how to pass nursing school is learning how hard nursing school is and how to make your time easier. You should also do your research to understand what to expect from your first lab day to the last. An informed learner is a proficient one, and it is crucial that you do not learn the ins and outs of nursing school on the go.

Discover more about getting into your desired nursing program and how long it takes to get through nursing school.

3. Establish What Your Particular Needs and Priorities Are

Not all learners are the same, but this fact should not affect anyone’s chances to pass and be successful in nursing school. Still, it is good for you to establish your particular priorities, needs, and requirements. This way, you can establish how to tackle the learning experience and research ways to make your time in school easier.

Being a first-generation college learner, having to take care of a family, or expecting a child, and even having to go to work, are all factors that can make your learning experience, if not necessarily more difficult, distinct and requiring particular types of aid. In some cases, such elements in your background can even qualify you to receive financial assistance through scholarships. Nevertheless, you should make relevant information available to faculty and staff so that you can receive the appropriate assistance at all times.

Here are some key guides for tackling nursing school in various situations:

4. Prioritize Your Health and Well-Being

Good health includes physical, mental, and emotional health. All of these are essential not only to passing but to being successful in nursing school. Many nursing learners live on coffee and energy drinks, which leads to poor health and is not sustainable. Use meal-prep strategies to help save time during your busy week. Maintaining a healthy diet and staying active throughout the day will make all the difference.

Remember those four hours of studying you’re supposed to be doing? Every hour, get up from your desk and walk around the house, or run up and down the stairs a few times. This will help get the blood flowing, think clearly, and help you pass nursing school successfully. Now, let’s chat about mental and emotional well-being. It can be hard for some people. Everyone needs some time for themselves, to reconnect their mind with their body. Take some time during the week to do some meditation, yoga, or even read a book that you like.

Learn more about burnout among nurses and read our tips for stopping nursing school burnout.

5. Study in Groups and Build a Community

Some people can be more productive alone, while others do better in groups. We can always use a little help from each other, right? Having someone to review the subjects with and practice the traditional question-and-answer exercise can help some learners grasp difficult concepts and skills. However, it is important to note that not all learners work well in a study group environment, so if it’s not working, do what YOU need to do to ace nursing school.

It is important to understand your specific learning style. It may take some time to find the best style for you, a process that needs to account for your particular needs and background.

Find out how to be successful in nursing school with ADHD if you struggle with the condition.

6. Treat Your Studying as Seriously as a Job

If you are wondering how to pass nursing school, proactivity in learning is a central requirement.

You may think you know something 100%, and then take that test to realize that you should have studied more. How do you know when you’re prepared for a test in nursing school? Before, it was so easy!

You don’t have to be in nursing school long to realize that keeping your good grades might be more difficult than you found it before. So, keep studying, triple-check, and meet one more time with your study group. Re-read, write down, complete all exercises, and find outside sources to test your knowledge level. Work hard and be proud of yourself for accomplishing your study goals. Getting ahead is not easy; if you want to ace nursing school, you’re going to have to make sacrifices.

We know that studying can be exhausting, taxing on your morale, and damaging to your self-esteem. However, this should not be the case; all learners should receive all the support they need. At Nightingale, we aim to improve the learning experience by providing all students with the services and resources they need.

If your morale is low, you should learn some essential tips for staying motivated throughout nursing school and ways to keep your productivity up.

7. Don’t Let Anxiety Overwhelm You

Stress and anxiety can accumulate without you even feeling it, striking at the worst times. You don’t want to risk your academic performance due to unaddressed issues that pile up throughout the educational process. While we know that anxiety can overwhelm you, making you underperform or even flunk a critical assessment, we know just as well that there are ways to mitigate such problems.

Of course, the burden of reducing stress and anxiety should not fall solely on your shoulders, and faculty and staff should provide you with all the support you need. However, it is also essential for you to know how to deal with moments of heightened anxiety and overcome these hurdles, and be proactive in this area.

If you need help starting, here are some essential ways to overcome exam anxiety.

8. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

If you’re struggling, reach out to a counselor at the school. Talk to your professors. Talk to your work and be transparent about your capacity levels. This will help reduce stress and help you learn how to get through nursing school.

9. Take Practice NCLEX Tests and Coaching

When it comes to learning how to pass nursing school and become a confident nurse, one of the best ways to reinforce what you’ve learned is by practicing NCLEX-style questions. These questions don’t just test what you know; they train your brain to think like a nurse. You’ll get used to the structure and logic of exam-style thinking, which makes the actual NCLEX feel less intimidating and more familiar.

Start doing practice questions early, not just a few weeks before graduation. Make it part of your weekly study routine. You’ll identify weak spots, boost your confidence, and learn to manage test-taking anxiety. Plus, nothing feels better than recognizing you’re getting more and more answers right.

At Nightingale College, a central part of the learning experience is represented by the NCLEX Success Coaching we provide free of charge for all learners enrolled in our academic programs.

10. Don’t Be Afraid to Hire a Nursing Tutor

As we’ve mentioned before, there’s absolutely no shame in getting extra help. Getting through nursing school is one of the most challenging academic experiences out there, and if you’re struggling with certain subjects or just want someone to walk you through tricky topics like pharmacology or care plans, a nursing tutor can make all the difference.

Tutors can help simplify complicated material, offer test strategies, and give you personalized support you won’t always get in a busy classroom setting. So don’t hesitate to reach out! Investing in a tutor is really an investment in your future as a successful nurse.

11. Don’t Forget About Taking Breaks When Needed

Yes, it’s true that there’s always something else to read, memorize, or prepare for in nursing school, but pushing yourself nonstop doesn’t always lead to better results. Quite the opposite! Not taking breaks can lead to burnout, poor memory, and low performance.

So, give your brain time to breathe: schedule short breaks into your study routine every hour or so, and take longer breaks during the day to walk, stretch, or do something you enjoy, such as spending time with family or attending to your hobbies.

Even ten minutes away from your screen and notebooks can refresh your mind and help you absorb information more effectively.

12. Getting to Know Your Nursing Instructors Is Critical

One of the most overlooked ways to succeed in nursing school is to build relationships with your instructors. They’re not just there to grade your work; they’re there to guide, support, and help you grow.

By showing up to office hours, asking questions, and engaging in class, you’ll not only improve your understanding of the material but also gain mentors who can write recommendations, connect you with opportunities, and help you navigate the nursing world beyond school. Remember, instructors notice effort and want you to succeed just as much as you do.

There are moments when building a community comes to the forefront of nursing education, one example being National Nurses Week, an annual celebration of all nurses, working or aspiring. What you should keep in mind is that building connections and joining the community is a yearlong or even lifelong process.

13. Act With Confidence, Competence, and Compassion

Nursing is all about love. John Ruskin said, “When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” Dealing with patients, understanding their needs and taking care of people should all come from the heart. Our three guiding principles here at Nightingale are Confidence, Competence, and Compassion. When we act in love, we serve a hundred times better, and believe us, the difference is easy to notice.

Everyone has a different style of learning and studying, so find yours, adapt these nursing school study tips to your daily life, keep good health, and be successful in nursing school. Remember that you can do it! Keep positive thoughts on top, and don’t give up. Nurses change the world and can make a huge impact in people’s lives, and we want to help you ace nursing school in any way we can.

Reach out to Learner Services if you need more help!