A day in the life of a nurse is never boring. There are patients to care for, families to connect with and providers to collaborate with — while you are moving almost constantly throughout the day. Nursing is a challenging yet rewarding profession, and continuing your education can allow you to explore specialty areas and nurse leadership positions.
As you continue to practice as a nurse, you may find yourself wondering if now is the right time to enroll in a graduate degree program. Curious what a day in the life of a nursing student or advanced practice nursing student is like? Read on for further insight.
The Morning Hustle: Setting the Stage for Success
The type of morning that you have as a nursing student can set the tone for the day ahead, making a consistent morning routine critical to your success both as a nurse and as a graduate student.
Waking Up and Prioritizing
The average morning routine of a nursing student may vary, but you should ideally create a routine that includes three key components:
- Waking up at a consistent time each day
- Eating a healthy, balanced breakfast
- Creating a to-do list that allows you to prioritize your tasks
As a nursing student, you may be balancing personal commitments, professional responsibilities and your education, and a consistent morning routine can help you feel ready for another fulfilling day.
Reviewing the Day’s Schedule
While working to create your to-do list, review the day’s schedule and prioritize accordingly. Many online nursing students start the day by checking their learning management system (LMS), where they will find announcements, assignments and discussion posts from their classmates.
Preparing for Work and Study
Nurses are experts at multitasking, but nursing students know better than most about the importance of self-care. Commit time during your morning routine to care for yourself — perhaps with a quick yoga session or a cup of your favorite herbal tea — before transitioning to classroom or clinical work.
Diving Into Online Coursework
Online nursing students are able to leverage the flexibility of online learning, often fitting in their coursework during breaks from their shifts or other times that are convenient for them. Online coursework for nurses may entail:
- Reviewing lectures (live or recorded)
- Completing online modules
- Reading
- Participating in asynchronous discussion forums
- Working on individual or group assignments
Integrating Virtual or In-Person Clinical Experiences
Most online nursing degree programs integrate in-person clinical experiences with online learning. From clinical rotations to simulation-based training, a quality online nursing graduate degree program prioritizes hands-on skill development.
The Afternoon Stretch: Maintaining Momentum and Focus
As you head into the afternoon, you will need to keep up with the pace and stay focused in order to accomplish the rest of your to-do list. Online nursing students may find that they can power through the afternoon stretch by:
Time Blocking and Focused Study Sessions
Time blocking is a reliable time management technique that can help you study effectively in a home learning environment. You can create more focused study sessions for yourself by identifying your tasks, determining which time of the afternoon you are most productive and then blocking out that time on your calendar.
A technique associated with time blocking, called the pomodoro technique, breaks work into focused 25-minute intervals, called “pomodoros,”which are separated by short 5-minute breaks
Seeking Support and Clarification
Nursing students enrolled in graduate degree programs online are often able to seek support and clarification from their instructors, classmates or through student services. Asking for help when you need it will help you overcome hurdles and remain productive.
Evening Wrap-Up and Self-Care
The end of a day in the life of a nurse or advanced practice nursing student can feel exhausting, both physically and emotionally. If you have been balancing the needs of your patients alongside your online coursework all day, it is time to spend your evening recuperating.
Completing Tasks and Preparing for the Next Day
If you made a to-do list in the morning, enjoy the satisfaction that comes with checking off each task at the end of the day. Review your list, make sure that you have completed all your important tasks and get organized for the next day. Preparing in advance will allow you to enjoy your evening, sleep better overnight and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
Prioritizing Self-Care and Well-Being
Burnout rates in the nursing profession are alarmingly high — and the prioritization of self-care and your own well-being is one of the best burnout prevention methods. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the best self-care strategies for nurses and nursing students include:
- Taking time to eat a meal at a table rather than eating on the go.
- Enjoying light exercise each day, such as walking through the neighborhood or participating in a yoga session in your living room.
- Making time each evening for your personal hobby, like reading, music, writing in a journal or gardening.
Transitioning to Personal Time
Online learning can blur the lines between home and the classroom, so it is essential to establish boundaries that allow you to disconnect from your schoolwork and decompress. You can create firm and healthy boundaries by:
- Blocking your time in the evening.
- Avoiding screen time after a certain time each night.
- Reserving a dedicated space in your home for your online coursework.
Balancing Act: Integrating Clinical/Professional Responsibilities
Many nursing students in online graduate degree programs are currently working in nursing positions. Balancing clinical duties with academic coursework can be challenging, but the long-term rewards are worthwhile.
The Working Nurse Graduate Student
Online graduate degree programs offer the flexibility modern nurses need to juggle their professional responsibilities and their academic goals. Many find themselves working on their coursework during their breaks from shifts or on their days off, enabling them to prioritize their patients while working toward their graduate degree.
Leveraging Workplace Flexibility and Support
If you are enrolling in a graduate degree program, have an honest conversation with your employer about your educational goals. Many healthcare facilities want nurses to advance their education and skill sets, so they may be able to offer additional workplace support (such as an adjusted schedule or tuition assistance).
Connecting Theory and Practice
Working on your graduate degree while continuing your nursing practice does have its benefits. As you explore advanced theoretical concepts in your nursing courses, consider how those concepts may apply in your daily practice. You can use your own clinical scenarios as case studies for assignments and discussions. In addition, you can implement the evidence-based practices that you have learned in your courses in the clinical settings where you work.
Experience A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student at Keiser University Graduate School
A day in a life of a nurse or advanced practice nursing student might be described in numerous ways — from meaningful and exciting to challenging and even heart-wrenching at times. At Keiser University, we proudly offer a wide range of graduate degree programs that allow nurses to build upon their existing foundation and develop the advanced skills required to pursue specialized nursing positions. A few of our graduate degree programs for nurses include a:
Contact our graduate admissions counselors to learn more about our robust learning environment and rigorous nursing graduate degree programs.
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