Welcome to Your Digital Planner

Congratulations! You are one step closer to managing your busy nursing school schedule with ease. I am confident that if you use your planner regularly, you will feel more confidence and less stress as you work hard to become an awesome nurse!
If you haven't yet downloaded your planner, please check your email for a download link. These emails often go to spam or promotions folders, so be sure to check there as well. If you cannot locate your email, please reach out to us at support@straightanursingstudent.com.
Click these links to navigate the must-know information about your planner:

Important planner information

The digital planner is designed to be used with GoodNotes on the iPad Pro utilizing the Apple pencil. It can be used with other tablets and apps that support annotated PDFs and imbedded hyperlinks. However, it is optimized for GoodNotes on iPad Pro (Notability works great, too!)

GoodNotes (or any other app) is NOT included in this purchase. You can purchase and download GoodNotes from The App Store. In addition to using it with your planner, it’s a great way to take and organize notes in nursing school.

This file is not designed for printing. If you wish to print a planner, you will need to purchase the planner labeled “PRINTABLE.”

Please be aware that app functionality and pricing is outside the scope of my responsibility. I do not own or operate GoodNotes, Apple or any other software company. I cannot provide tutorials or support for apps or other software. These apps are fully supported with many onlne tutorials available from the experts who created them. Basic instructions for importing your files are below.

Variations in devices may result in the colors showing on your screen differing slightly from the colors seen in the marketing photos.

Importing GoodNotes Zip Files to Your iPad

Download the file from the link sent to your email.

If downloading on your iPad, the files will open on the browser. Next, just click on the “share button” on the top right corner and select “Copy to GoodNotes.” This wording could be slightly different depending on your current software version.

If downloading on your computer, share to a cloud service, and then access from your iPad. To do this, open GoodNotes, then click on the “plus sign” to add a new document. Choose “import” from the drop-down menu. From here, select the file from your cloud storage. It will import directly into GoodNotes.

How to Use Your Planner in GoodNotes

To use the hyperlinks, you will need to have the “read only” button selected in GoodNotes.
In GoodNotes4, this looks like a small pencil inside a circle with a slash through it (meaning “NO” writing when this tool is selected). In GoodNotes5, it is the pencil with a slash through it (no circle). With this tool selected, your Apple Pencil will not write and will, instead, activate hyperlinks. Each of the monthly tabs is a hyperlink so you can easily navigate throughout your planner.

To write in your planner using the Apple Pencil, simply select the pencil tool, choose the color and thickness of the stroke, and start writing! Highlight significant information using the highlighter tool. Easy!

Other annotation apps (such as Notability) work similarly and are heavily supported with online tutorials.

Using the Awesome Features of Your Planner

The Monthly Pages: Put your big-picture events here such as birthdays, appointments, project due dates and exams. This is also where you'll set a healthy habit for the month and list out your goals and to-do items that don't have a specific date attached to them.

The Weekly Pages - Left: If you love lists, you'll love this feature! Each week, make a list of all the assignments you have due. This includes quizzes, online modules, discussion board posts and anything you must turn in at a specific date/time. You'll also notice there are two "to-do" lists...one for home and one for school. This is a great place to jot down things like  "bring BP cuff to class" or "sign up for simulation lab." While they're not really assignments, they are things you need to do this week. And, of course, the home to-do list is great for all those things that keep your life running smoothly.

My Plan for the Week: This is your overview of the week. Each row can be assigned to a category such as kids' schedules, fitness, meal planning, spouse's schedule or your school schedule. This is a great way to see at a glance your plan and major commitments for the week.

Goal Circles: These colored circles are to track when you meet your goals for hydration (blue), fruits and veggies (green), fitness (orange) and joy (purple).

The Weekly Pages - Right: This section is the workhorse of your planner. This is where you'll use time-blocking to plan out exactly WHEN you are going to finish all the things on your to-do list.

  • Start with your non-negotiables. These are the things you are not willilng to give up for nursing school. This could be family time, exercise, spiritual needs or simply your sleep!
  • Add in fixed deadlines and appointments.
  • Next you'll add in all your set class times, exams and any appointments.
  • Next, assign blocks of time to everything remaining in your to-do list. This might be tricky at first, but the more you do it, the easier it gets

The Tracker Pages: These tracking pages in the back are where you'll organize group projects, stay on top of your finances, plan for the future and never forget a birthday.