If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only sane person in the crazy house of nursing school, or like your nursing instructor is operating under a different set of rules…you’re not alone. I recently interviewed Justine Bailey, RN, a nurse educator and entrepreneur who is just as passionate as I am about improving the way nursing education is done so that nursing students can succeed. She’s also the founder of Its Jus Like That, where she empowers students and nurses of color to lead meaningful lives and careers. Based on that interview, I’m sharing her top, insider tips to help you understand wha ..read more

I know you hate dosage calculations, so you don’t have to lie to me. But don’t worry! It IS possible to make it easier, and even <gasp> more fun! Trust me, this is what one of my Group Tutoring Membership students posted in our tutoring forums: And you know what? She was just like you. Which means that YOU can learn to be “giddy” about dosage calcs, too. This article alone won’t make you giddy, but it’s the first 2 things you need to get on the path to dosage calc success. But first…here’s a bonus tip… First Things First: Ditch the Formula Method If formula method is working well for yo ..read more

Welcome to the world of nursing pharmacology! It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it? Like, no matter how much time or energy (or money!) you spend making flashcards, study guides or med cards, you’re still struggling. Luckily, there’s a much easier way to study medications for nursing school. The BEST Way to Study Medications: The Prototype Method Pharmacology can be tough because there are so many medications to learn about. But what if I told you that you don’t need to memorize every single one? That’s where the Prototype Method comes in. It’s a smarter way to study that can save you time and ma ..read more

Anatomy & Physiology is, without a doubt, the most important pre-requisite class you’ll ever take for Nursing School. Unfortunately, most pre-nursing students never get told that while they’re taking the class…oops. As a result, there’s a lot of current nursing students who don’t remember A&P as well as they wish they did. And a lot of pre-nursing students who are tempted to “brain dump” after each A&P exam. That’s why I’m going to share my 5 BEST study tips to help you with Anatomy & Physiology (plus 1 BONUS tip just for current nursing students!). These tips will help you stu ..read more

Ever wonder how that one classmate who barely studies still manages to ace their exams? And then when you ask them how they do it, they say things like: “I just read the textbook”, or… “I never read the textbook, I just listen to lecture”, or… “I watch YouTube videos”, or… “I only do practice questions” And yet…when you try the same study tactics, you’re still struggling to pass. What’s the difference? The Passive Learning Trap Most nursing students rely on Passive Learning Strategies, which are the worst way to study in Nursing School. And let me be clear about one thing…just because you’re ..read more

I’ll be straight with you: finances are tough for most nursing students, and it can feel like a stretch to pay for additional tutoring on top of your everyday bills PLUS nursing school tuition. Which is why I know that the opinion I’m sharing today is going to make some people really mad. It’s not a good idea for me to offer free tutoring. I get how frustrating this can be when money is tight. But I’ve been tutoring for a long time, in a lot of different scenarios. I’ve done tutoring where I’ve been paid by someone else, and the student receives it for free. I’ve done it where it’s absolutely ..read more

Endocrine is one of the top Nursing School Med-Surg topics I see nursing students struggle with the most. The disorders all feel overwhelming, confusing, and the symptoms seem to blur together come test time. But what if I told you that your Endocrine unit could be easily studied with one simple secret? That if you study this ONE thing, then Endocrine will suddenly become one of the easiest Med-Surg units you cover in Nursing school… Endocrine “Anatomy & Physiology” It’s no secret how important Anatomy & Physiology is to success in nursing school, and endocrine is no different. The big ..read more

It’s no secret that the nursing profession has wrestled with self-care, and the aftermath of COVID-19 has only made things worse. Many nurses have retired early, citing burnout. Others have chosen to leave the bedside and seek out less traditional nursing roles where they can feel valued. Either way, our current nursing crisis proves the importance of self-care for nurses! I don’t think it’s a surprise to anybody that nurses are notoriously bad at practicing self-care. And in my 15-years experience as a professional nursing tutor, I can tel you for certain that these bad habits start in nursin ..read more

Lot so nursing students rely on flashcards as a way to memorize the ludicrous amount of information you’re expected to cover before each exam. And in our modern digital age, you’ve got both paper or digital options…so which is best? (Spoiler…some people are going to get really mad at my answer!) Back when I was in nursing school, all I had available were the 3×5 paper notecards: a pink line crossed the top, with light blue lining the rest of the card.If I wanted to get fancy, I might even purchase colored flashcards to color-code the information! Or if I was attempting to make my own drug card ..read more

I’m going to tell you a secret…over the years, I’ve had students as young as 23 and as old as 71 ask me the same exact question: “Am I too old to be starting Nursing School? I feel like I’m behind.” I’ve been a professional nursing tutor for over 15 years. So as someone who has helped adult learner nursing students of all ages successfully navigate and graduate from nursing school to become amazingly wonderful nurses, I’m going to tell you how I always answer that question: if you have the desire and the means to go to nursing school, then it’s not too late. You are not too old. There is no ‘d ..read more