So, you've read the book and now you're on the hunt for all the resources it mentions. Well, this is your lucky day...they're right here! And, if you're looking for the checklist, check it out right here!

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Decluttering

I cannot tell you all how vitally important it is to declutter your space before school starts. Not only does this make your study space more efficient, it seems to clears the clutter from your mind as well. I highly recommend this book if you'd like to get serious about making your space (whether it's just your study area or your entire home) a tranquil haven that fills you with joy. #ad

Wake Up Calls

Yes, I know it sounds so "old-school" but the peace of mind that I obtained from setting five alarms really helped me get a good night's sleep. After all, how many times has your smart phone updated in the middle of the night and erased your alarms? Hmmm???? When I knew I absolutely positively had to get up extra early, I used this one!

Get the Gear You Need to Study

  • Mini stapler: I can't count how many times I whipped this little guy out to quickly bind some papers together in class (and plenty of my classmates were happy to borrow it as well!) #ad
  • Mini hole-punch (you'll be surprised how much you use this!) #ad
  • Mechanical pencil with extra lead and erasers #ad
  • Calculator Though you can use the one on your phone, I found it was easier to use a separate calculator (and save my phone battery) #ad
  • Planner (I just so happen to have one right here!)
  • Highlighters in various colors #ad
  • Page tabs and flags #ad
  • One MEGA BINDER (4-5 inches). You'll need one for each semester most likely #ad
  • Two 2-inch binders (make sure you get different colors, one is for classwork and one is for clinical) #ad
  • Page dividers with pockets. Get double the number of classes you have, plus a packet for your clinical binder. #ad
  • Colored paper (one pack is MORE than enough...share with a friend!)
  • A bookstand might seem antiquated, but it saved my neck! This one is really high quality and is great to use after you graduate as a cookbook holder. Seriously! #ad
  • A rolling backpack. You will be lugging around a lot of stuff...save your back and get a nice rolling backpack that can double as an overnight bag once you graduate and start taking little weekend getaways. #ad
  • Delicious pens. I love love love these. Yes, they are a little spendy....so another great option are these guys. #ad

Get the Gear You Need for Clinical

  • Scissors. I like distinctive ones like these, so they're less likely to get picked up by someone else. Or,  you could go with something timeless and classic...just be sure to put your name on them. #ad
  • Hemostats with teeth. These are great for wrenching IV tubing apart! If you need to actually clamp tubing, be sure to put some gauze between the tubing and the teeth or you'll make a giant mess. #ad
  • Comfy shoes. I love Danskos, Alegria and Klogs. For my nursing school white shoes, I wore New Balance sneakers, which were pretty comfy (but hideous!). #ad
  • A clinical bag, something not too large but big enough to carry your clinical binder and a snack or two. Maybe something simple like this. #ad
  • A decent stethoscope. I still use my tried-and-true Littmann today! #ad
  • Compression socks. Here's some for the ladies, and some for the fellas here, too. #ad
  • A small notebook to keep track of all the useful little pearls of wisdom you learn along the way. My practice notebook is a Moleskine these days, but I started out with something different when I was new...same concept, so if you want to see a sample, check it out here! #ad

Start Your Nursing Library

Pharmacology reference: I used both a book (paid link) and an online version (Skyscape). I found that the online version was really useful when I didn't happen to have my pharm reference book with me; but I liked the information available in the book so that's what I used at home. Both are great options, choose one or choose them both!

Lab reference: You can go digital or analog with this one, too. I preferred to use this book (paid link), but would sometimes look things up on the fly using an app on my iPhone.

Lippencott's Manual of Nursing Practice: To this day, still one of my favorites! #ad

A medical dictionary: I loved this one (and still do!) #ad

A solid care plan book: I would have married this one, if it had been socially acceptable...I loved it so much! #ad

A book on fluids and electrolytes: You will reference this regularly! There are lots of options out there, but I really liked this one...and still use it even though I've been out of school for awhile. It's a keeper! #ad

Handbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing: Another book I found to be invaluable (plus, it's compact size makes it easy to toss in your clinical bag) #ad

Test-Taking Resources

  • NCLEX books. It is NEVER too early to start studying for your licensing exam. Plus, it's helpful to get used to NCLEX-style questions, because this is essentially how all your nursing school exams are going to be structured. It's an excellent way to study and evaluate your readiness fore each upcoming test. I recommend getting an NCLEX book that separates out the topics (rather than just a mixture of ALL topics...so that when you're ready to study the respiratory system, you can just focus on that). Also, you want a book that has rationales for why the correct answer is correct and why the wrong answers are wrong. Reading the rationales is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do when using NCLEX books to study. I really liked this one by Saunders and this one by Mosby. Both are fantastic! #ad
  • Test-taking strategies are also really useful to learn. If you're scared of NCLEX-style questions or just do not understand their unique diabolical structure, then this book can be hugely helpful. #ad
  • This book on nursing fundamentals is also fabulous...you'd be surprised how many test questions you can answer based on simple, basic, fundamental knowledge. #ad