Enrolling to become a nurse starts with knowing theory and practical knowledge. The best and the brightest take their first step with learning how to take notes in nursing school.
Getting excellent grades and passing credits to become a registered nurse is a dream for many. It shows that you are determined to achieve the profession you want to practice in the future.
However, unlike high school that fed the class lessons to students, higher education is different. Your success relies on you, especially in nursing school.
Therefore, you must develop a study system that will help you in your university life and master practical note-taking skills to ace exams and keep you on track.
A Nursing Student Needs to Take Good Notes
Nursing students may look carefree because of their naturally bright disposition. But their grueling lectures, arduous tests, and piled-up schedules are definitely a lot to take in all at once.
Since they have a lot on their plates, an efficient note-taking method will help them manage their time wisely.
Note-taking does not have to be complicated. Rather, it should make lessons easy to comprehend and retain in their memory quickly.
Different Ways to Take Your Notes
Note-taking is genuinely a unique skill. It would be best to remember that what you are doing involves an active listening process. And you must be wise in selecting what you write down and type on your laptop.
To organize your notes, here are some of the methods and tips that you can use:
Outline Method
This is the most commonly used writing method during a class lecture in which you take the critical idea of the topics discussed by your instructor.
In this method, you can use bullet points to outline key ideas and highlight essential concepts. Tips to utilize this method more efficiently: use short but concise phrases when you take notes.
Cornell Method
This method allows you to organize your notes and provides you an accessible study guide afterward. The Cornell Method has a simple layout that you need to follow. Your paper will be divided into three sections: the cue column, the actual notes column, and the summarizing column.
Charting Method
If you are very particular with using classifications to locate information quickly, this method is suitable for you. Charting uses tables where columns are labeled according to how you classify the topics presented in your class.
Tips on using the charting method while taking notes: classify according to questions, themes, possible exam questions, or other labels that will aid you to find the information in your notes.
Mind Mapping Method
This method of taking notes works well with visual learners in nursing school.
So, if you are taking up a nursing course and learn quickly when you see diagrams and arrows, this process may greatly help you. Mind mapping allows you to draw connections and concepts to see the lesson's overall form and details.
On-Slides-Notes
Some of your instructors will opt to use PowerPoint presentations and will only use the board for emphasis. They may give you the slides before the class lecture so you can read them ahead of time. With this, you can take notes directly on the PowerPoint.
The Five R’s of Taking Notes
After determining the method that suits you best, employing the five R’s of note-taking when you are listening to your professor in nursing class will further enhance your ability to take notes effectively.
Just do not be too hard on yourself when you miss a word or sentence from your professor because it is okay. Remember: well-written notes are created out of a smart selection of ideas.
Here are the five R’s that you need to know when writing good notes:
First Step: Record
The atmosphere during lectures may come in different forms but often tedious, especially in nursing. You will be bombarded by reading materials and talks from your professors. But this must not stop you from achieving that registered nurse title. Fill the paper with as many notes as you can.
Second Step: Reduce
After the discussion, condense the data that you have written. This means you will cluster similar ideas or break them down into more straightforward phrases or sentences and fill the cue column of your note-taking material.
Third Step: Recite
In this phase, you will try how well you understood and retained the information you just summarized. You can try covering the actual notes of the page, then say out loud the ideas and facts of the lecture using your own words.
Fourth Step: Reflect
This is the time to draw your own opinions and connections. Reflecting helps you to integrate your former knowledge into the newly acquired data. The best way to reflect is by providing by example in a real-life context.
Fifth Step: Review
Allow yourself to have an ample amount of time to go back to your notes. You can give 10 to 15 minutes every day as a study system to have a quick review for longer retention.
Tips on How to Take Effective Notes in Nursing School
Be Prepared
Go to your classes as if you are going to a battle. Take a quick scan of today’s lesson, so you already have a topic background. If you are fortunate enough to have digital copies with you, print them so you only write additional inputs.
Choose Wisely and Listen Attentively
Your instructor may talk a lot but do not write everything. Only pick out the key ideas presented to write down.
Create Your Craft
Use highlighters or pens of different colors to point out important items and treat note-taking as a hobby instead of school work.
Make a Blog
Share what you have learned because you are more likely to remember things you have taught others.
Write
Ideally, you will retain most of your notes and study them efficiently when you indeed write them.
The Best Method for Nursing Students
From the several methods to talk about, we present the Cornell Method as the one that works most excellently in nursing school. It gives you ample working space on your paper without compromising the vitality of organized information.
In addition, what makes the Cornell Method a good choice of note-taking is its usability in retaining information. The cues you have written in the designated column will help you focus on what concepts you must study and consider more. You can write the explanation or specific answers that your instructors said because these might be a big help during the test.
Lastly, the summarizing column helps you in reviewing your notes after class.
Taking notes helps you get good marks on your exam and test to pass your class. Hence, it is important that you must study well. The Cornell Method may or may not be new to you, or that you think a different method is more suitable to your style. and that's not a problem.
Learning how to take notes in nursing school is just one of the keys to achieving your goal of becoming a registered nurse.