Beginning my junior year of nursing school was a transition, to say the least. I, along with my peers, experienced an uptick in course workload, responsibilities, and expectations from professors. Sweatpants and hoodies in Biddeford became business casual attire and scrubs in Portland. Identifying structures on models in anatomy lab turned into identifying these landmarks on real patients during clinicals. Instead of being surrounded by undergraduate art or marine biology majors, our peers became graduate medical students–most of them much older than us. With all of these factors combined, I knew that setting myself up for success this semester would require not only more studying, but also more time to review material and prepare for exams. Additionally, the support of my nursing peers would be essential, given that our profession is one of constant collaboration and teamwork.
The wellness goals I subsequently developed for the semester were reflective of these realizations. First, I strove to give myself adequate time each day for studying, completing assignments, and reviewing course material. This would require me to advocate for myself and avoid overbooking my schedule. I have always worked multiple jobs and volunteered while in school, regularly finding myself with multiple commitments that compete for my time. This semester, I sought to establish academics as one of my top priorities and avoid becoming overwhelmed with other demands. My second wellness goal was to form a support system of peers who understood the demands of nursing school, and who I could turn to for guidance. I knew that as the requirements of school increased and the need to turn to others for support both in and out of work became more important, these relationships would become increasingly beneficial.
Reflecting on the semester thus far, I can say with confidence that both of these goals have been at least partially met. In terms of managing my schedule, I made a commitment to work fewer hours, reduce demands outside of school, and not be afraid to say “no.” In previous semesters, I have picked up shifts every time I had a free afternoon or day without classes, thus reducing my time to study to meals, just before bed, or, admittedly, during class. This fall, I put together a daily planner, purposefully blocking out chunks of time for schoolwork. Many times, this would be an entire day–and I found that, with the increased workload, I actually needed every minute! Using this planner was extremely helpful for not only scheduling study blocks, but also analyzing how I spent my time. For example, at the beginning of the semester, I noticed that I was picking up a number of weekend shifts, leaving me with inadequate time both to study and spend time with family and friends, not to mention take care of myself. This realization allowed me to subsequently reduce my work hours, even though it was difficult to say no when my boss would text me about how short-staffed they were. However, more time to study led to less stress, fewer distractions, and a greater ability to prioritize family, friends, and self-care. This certainly didn’t mean I didn’t get stressed–I would get nervous before exams even if I studied 24 hours a day! Yet committing to a schedule that allowed me adequate time for schoolwork was certainly beneficial for reducing overall levels of stress and anxiety surrounding exams.
My second goal, developing a support system of peers in my class, was somewhat more difficult, at least for me. As an introvert and someone who learns best through independent study, I knew it would take an effort to make these connections. However, the small-group environment of clinicals and labs helped a lot. Through shared experiences in our clinicals, my group of 5 other students bonded over delayed shuttles to New England Rehabilitation Hospital, nervousness over performing assessments on patients, and the hours of time we spent on clinical paperwork each week. I have also found that collaboration is more integrated into our classes. We regularly complete case studies in small groups, or other exercises (such as the ‘who should be saved on the boat?’ activity in this class!) that have allowed me to develop small but lasting connections. I am confident that these friendships will continue throughout school, and hopefully last beyond graduation and into the workforce.
A large component of implementing change is one’s readiness to actually commit to the change, as explained by the six stages outlined in Prochaska’s Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). With this framework in mind, I could reflect on my willingness to work towards my goals and the changes that came with them. Before the semester began, I would categorize myself as being in the contemplation or preparation stage. I was thinking about change and making small adjustments to meet my goals (such as meeting with friends to study or saying no to an extra shift), but not fully committed. However, as the semester progressed, I noticed myself transitioning into the action stage, making tangible decisions that positively impacted my wellness and allowed me to reach my goals. Now, with the semester at its midpoint, I am successfully maintaining a manageable schedule, as well as friendships and supportive peer relationships, and will continue to prioritize these actions as final exams approach.
Going forward, I hope to continue pursuing these goals and similar objectives that will allow me to prioritize my wellness. As the demands of nursing school only continue to increase, it will be essential to be intentional about scheduling, allowing adequate time for studying as well as self-care, and leaning on my peers for support. Though nursing school is challenging, it is difficult to feel alone. After all, with dozens of other students around me, all of us navigating similar obstacles, as well as the collaborative nature of our chosen profession, it is possible to take care of myself through the daunting years of exams, clinical rotations, and boards. I hope to continue doing so as I progress through my junior year and beyond.
References
Prochaska, J. O., & Velicer, W. F. (1997). The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 12(1), 38–48. https://doi.org/10.4278/0890-1171-12.1.38
