How to prepare for nursing school

Thinking about becoming a nurse? Or have you already enrolled in a nursing program and want to prepare for your studies ahead of time. Entering a nursing program can be daunting. Luckily, we’re here to help you prepare with key foundational knowledge that will become essential to life as a nurse. You may be wondering where to start and how to prepare for everything you will need to know as a nursing student, so let’s start at the beginning, Medical Terminology. 

Medical terminology will become your new language, from learning the names of certain medical conditions to how to pronounce them correctly. We suggest taking a full medical terminology course to prepare for your nursing studies.  

Is good medical terminology knowledge key to becoming a nurse? 

Having a strong medical terminology knowledge as a registered nurse is integral to the job, from understanding names of medical conditions to delegating information to CNA’s or Medical Assistants (MA’s) to understanding assigned tasks from Doctors. In the healthcare industry communication is key to avoiding errors. Having the ability to remember and deliver information to other staff members using the correct terminology is an essential part of being a nurse. Building foundational knowledge before you enter nursing school is a great way to prepare for your schooling.  

How can a question of the day prepare you for life as a student nurse 

Using the question of the day study plan is a great way to start thinking like a nurse. For many, entering nursing school will be different to any other form of study that you may have previously done. Preparing for nursing school with good foundational knowledge of how the healthcare system operates, how to pronounce and use medical terminology correctly are all great ways to get ready for what is ahead. In addition to good foundational knowledge before you enter nursing school, you may want to start a question of the day practice question to help get used to thinking like a nurse. 

What does NCLEX stand for? 

NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination sometimes referred to as NCLEX-RN for Registered nurses. The NCLEX exam is the final hurdle for nursing students to become a licensed registered nurse or RN for short. The exam itself consists of 60-145 questions and has the reputation of being a difficult test with the second attempt pass rate for the exam being 45.56%. So preparing for your NCLEX exam early is best practice if you want to pass the first time around. 

How can a medical terminology course help you pass your NCLEX first time?

Strong medical terminology knowledge is integral to life as a nurse, it gives you the ability to understand your superiors and delegate information correctly to other healthcare professionals and patients. Using a full medical terminology course such as The Dean Vaughn flashcard app will help you memorize definitions and learn correct pronunciations for 275 key medical terms that can combine to form over 11,000+ complex medical terms. Using these complex medical definitions daily will become part of your everyday nursing routine so getting a strong foundational knowledge is key to life as a nursing professional. The NCLEX nursing exam will include these medical terms so having a strong knowledge of these terms will be integral to understanding questions on the NCLEX exam. 

How to create a study plan and prepare practice questions for your state board nursing exam 

Becoming a nurse is difficult, having to memorize large amounts of information with limited time can be a daunting task. Creating a strong study plan to keep you on track is a great idea to help you balance study time and personal life. First, think of core subjects that are on the exam and create practice questions to get into the habit of answering NCLEX style questions. Practicing these situational style questions will help you understand what answers the test is looking for. A good way to prepare for the NCLEX exam is to look at past questions on previous NCLEX exams and practice answering those. You can find these exam questions from numerous sources online. Before you know it you’ll be well on your way to passing your NCLEX the first time. 

Choosing the right medical terminology course for you 

The Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology course has been around for 40+ years. During this time we have taught millions of students how to learn medical terminology quickly. In choosing our medical terminology course you will join the network of millions of students and medical professionals who credit Dean Vaughn with helping them learn medical terminology. Download the Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology App today and subscribe for as little as $11 per month. Start your nursing journey today and memorize 275 key med terms that combine to form over 11,000 complex medical terms.