Getting Through Nursing, one Stress at a Time

A degree program considered as stressful as the work itself is nursing. Getting through four years of nursing in college is fraught with stress from trying to maintain your grades, and stress from passing licensure exams while maintaining a positive disposition.

It is practically impossible to totally take away stress from your life, but there are ways to manage it. Channeling stress to be more productive is one of the main advice professors in Utah-based Roseman.edu College of Nursing tell students. More specific tips include:

1. Take care of your body.

Signs of stress can easily become apparent on a body not properly maintained. Stress manifests in weight changes, dry hair and skin, eye bags and dark circles around the eyes. Managing stress begins with taking care of your body. This means maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting enough rest.

2. Have S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S.M.A.R.T. goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals. Most of the stress that you would experience would come from trying to set goals that may just be a bit too high for you. Get to know your own strengths and weaknesses. Use this to determine your goals, and the roadmap you need to take to get there.

3. There is power in groups.

Surrounding yourself with people who can relate to what you are going through enables you to handle your situation better, due to multiple perspectives. They can help push you to put more effort on your studies while allowing you to rant about just how bad your day is going.

4. Learn how to prioritize.

A lot of things to do for the day? Professors advise breaking them down into what’s urgent and what’s important. Work on those that are important and urgent before moving on to other activities. Mark off anything that you have finished for the day so that you would have some feeling of accomplishment.

As a student, your primary focus is to maintain your average. Keep in mind, however, that this does not mean you have to bury yourself in books. Once in a while, try to do something for yourself. Learn to unwind so that you do not get burned out.