We all have different ways of understanding things. In nursing school and beyond, knowing your learning style can help you do well. Graduation doesn’t mark the end of your education. As a nurse, you’ll learn new methods and techniques throughout your career.
This guide will be a life-changing resource that you’ll refer to for the rest of your nursing days! Reading this will provide you with study methods that are specifically suited to your learning style.
It is essential to understand your preferred learning style to be successful in nursing school. Use these time-saving study strategies depending on your learning style.
The Best Study Tips for Different Learning Styles
Here are some general study tips to help you remember more information:
Take Regular Breaks by Getting Up and Moving Around
Even if you believe that reading nonstop for many hours is the best method to learn what you need to know about nursing will be a mistake. Taking regular and invigorating breaks helps maintain your mind, keep your body healthy while also helping you remain awake.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Get some fresh air by going for a 15-minute stroll every two hours.
- Stand to study on a standing desk instead of sitting.
- Use the bathroom that’s the farthest away from your bedroom or living area, and drinking water often will help you do this.
- Run or hop for 20 minutes on the spot. Set the timer to help you remember!
- Every hour, do a 2-minute plank.
By using a mix of these methods, you’ll learn more quickly and be less bored while you’re studying.
Eat Healthy Foods
The healthy fuel for your brain is a well-balanced diet. As a result, you must prepare ahead of time to guarantee that you will be well-fed and energized. Preparing meals in advance is a great way to do this.
If you’re a nurse or nursing student who loves to nibble while studying, make sure you have plenty of nutritious options on hand, and you won’t go for unhealthy food. For a healthier alternative, try air-fried tortilla chips. If you add some guacamole and fresh salsa to it, you’ll have enough brain food to last for many hours.
Use Additional Study Resources
The best resources aren’t usually textbooks and notes. You may discover that trying to read nursing textbooks may cause you to fall asleep. Fortunately, technology has progressed tremendously, and you now have access to an almost limitless number of study resources at your disposal.
Drink Plenty of Water
There are a slew of problems that may arise from dehydration. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll lack concentration and have less energy to do things. Constipation and digestive problems may occur as a result of dehydration. Gut and brain health connect in ways that we are just beginning to comprehend. However, the obvious thing is that if your gut is unhealthy, you won’t be healthy either.
Learning Styles
RN courses are popular among students. Many things may distract you from your studies if you’re in your final year of nursing school. If you want to keep on top of all you need to accomplish to graduate from nursing school, choose an effective learning style to help you achieve it.
A popular nursing school study resource is the Lecturio nursing courses. It covers each subject in great depth with many resources, including downloadable PDFs, videos, audio files, and more. They skip the fluff and focus on the essential information you need. When you have their resources at your disposal, you won’t even be using your textbook.
What Are the Different Learning Styles?
There are four types of learning styles. Understanding yourself better can help you succeed in nursing school and acquire new ideas and skills.
Remember that many individuals have more than one preferred learning style as you read these tips. Combining several study methods and developing their study routines will be effective for some students.
Auditory Learners
Those who learn better through listening than reading are auditory learners. As a result, they will retain more information if they repeatedly repeat definitions and details aloud. When you accompany knowledge with sound, you will be more likely to remember it.
Tips for Effective Study
Auditory learners should make use of sounds to help them retain information. Get together with other auditory learners in a study group and take turns quizzing each other. Talk about what you’ve learned so far and what you still need. You’ll retain more information if you listen to what you and your friends have to say.
Also, record your lectures using a voice recorder. Listen to the lectures again later.
Reading and Writing Learners
Students who are good at reading and writing prefer to learn through this style. There are some similarities between this learning method and that of the visual learner. Reading and writing learners understand new concepts better through written words rather than orally. Some visual learners learn by looking at charts and photos rather than just reading.
Tips for Effective Study
If you’re still having trouble understanding any of the definitions, look them up elsewhere, such as on the internet or in a book. Changing textbooks you’re reading may sometimes help it sink in!
Another technique is to repeat the definitions as many times as you can in writing. Students who learn using reading and writing style retain information more if they jot it down many times.
Tactile Learning Uses Touch
Many names exist for this method of learning. Also known as kinesthetic learners, tactile learners are those who learn by doing. These individuals gain knowledge and understanding through hands-on activities and personal experiences. They remember things better when they act them out. Physical activities, such as sports or dancing, come naturally to these learners since they cannot sit still while attending lectures.
Tips for Effective Study
These methods will help you if you’re a tactile learner and you’re busy with bookwork.
Take a lot of rest periods. Getting up and moving about can help you feel better. While reading material to memorize, engage in some physical activity. Using a writing board and writing down the information you need to remember can also be beneficial.
Moving and putting your thoughts into physical activity can help you to integrate them all into your brain.
Visual Learners
These are those who learn best visually. The spatial learning style is another name for the visual learning approach. When the learners receive information visually, it is easier for those who learn by sight to understand it. Things like images, charts, and written instructions all count.
Is it easier for you to recall ideas if you draw or color-code your notes? If that’s the case, you’re probably a visual learner.
Tips for Effective Study
Graphs and charts are essential for those who learn best visually. Visualize the topics you’re learning using diagrams and images. Color-coding your notes will make the material you need for the exam stand out much more clearly.
Find Out Your Best Learning Style
Finding out what kind of learner you are will be the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself throughout your nursing school years. Bear in mind that you may have more than one learning style, and that is perfectly normal! Use a combination of the tips above and the learning styles that work best for you.