To Succeed in Nursing School, Use A Zebra Pen and Paper
This post has been sponsored by Zebra Pen. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There is an astronomical amount of information to remember as a first-time nursing student or as a career nurse who returns to college or university for an advanced degree education. With all the meaty textbooks, scientific lectures, and in-patient clinical training, it can make even the most diligent learners feel overwhelmed.
Which leaves many nurses asking, what is the most effective way to retain all of this information?
As it turns out, research shows that putting your pen to paper (instead of typing notes on a computer) can help you take your education to the next level.
That is one reason why, as a nurse and healthcare freelance writer, using a Zebra STEEL G-402® Gel Retractable Pen has been my voice for notetaking. It is a pen made for savvy and confident professionals and it allows me to whittle down my most important thoughts on paper instantly.
In fact, all of my daily, weekly, and monthly goal-setting is freehand written with my STEEL G-402 and paper. My goals are what keep me focused and successful, both at work and in my personal life. Check out more information here to see how you can Choose Different.
Here Are 3 Ways Using a Zebra Pen and Paper Will Help You Succeed in Nursing School:
1. Notetaking with a pen boosts memory and helps you retain more information
Taking notes with a laptop has become the norm for our tech-savvy generation of students who want to refer back to every detail that a professor says in class. However, this may not be the best way to learn when it comes to notetaking. In fact, from a learning and memorization standpoint, typing may cause you to remember less compared to taking handwritten notes in class.
A recent study has shown that students using laptops were able to take an overflowing amount of word-for-word notes, but they performed worse when tested on the ideas compared to students who handwrote notes. Writing handwritten notes helps with cognition, especially for students learning complex medical information.
2. Freehand writing with a pen and paper sharpens critical thinking
My professors in college reminded us that the nurses who succeed are the ones who learn how to “think critically” in school. In other words, take the facts and form a judgment. It makes sense to me now—every ATI test in nursing school, as well as the nursing boards, are almost ALL critical thinking/multiple-choice questions.
In the real world, nurses must take the medical facts and form a judgment on how to treat the patient in the correct order. Lives often depend on it. Handwriting allows you to “critically think” about data more effectively than typing. You can form more transparent connections between thoughts, instead of just typing out lecture information verbatim. Another way using pens can help you learn more critically is by using colored pens to organize your thoughts on paper.
3.Freehand writing can help you manage the stress that comes with nursing school
The benefits of putting pen to paper do more than improve brain health and enhance learning in the classroom. Your mental health can benefit from journaling sessions. Expressive writing can help decrease stress, lower blood pressure, improve organ function, and improve your mood. All good things for stressed-out nursing students!
Freehand journaling is a tool that you can use throughout your nursing program and into your nursing career to help keep your mind in a positive state. In fact, writing with a pen increases neural activity in certain areas of the brain in a similar way to meditation.
To thrive in the nursing profession, you must take care of yourself first. Being a nurse in charge of someone’s life can be extremely stressful, especially when dealing with very sick patients. Consider starting a daily journal to help you manage the anxiety that can arise from the responsibility of caring for patient’s lives.
Why I use a Zebra Pen STEEL G-402 gel pen as a nurse and freelance healthcare writer:
I keep a STEEL G-402 and a notebook in my bag, at my desk, and on the side table next to my bed. That way, I can write a quick note to myself at any time. If my mind throws out an idea that I want to remember, I jot it down quickly with my STEEL G-402 so I can remember it later when I sit down to write.
In addition to supplementing my writing and research, the STEEL G-402 is a(n):
- Affordable writing accessory for nurses
- Heavier weighted pen, which makes it more comfortable to write with for more extended periods
- Durable pen with a steel metal barrel so that it doesn’t fall apart like other cheap pens in the hospital
In the nursing profession, where I wear the same scrub uniform as everyone else, there are very few ways that I can distinguish myself as an individual. So, I show it with my zany compression socks, my nifty coffee mug, and my stylish Zebra Pens! Check out more information here to see how you can Choose Different.
The Zebra Pen: A lifelong learning tool for nurses
Working nurses will tell you that nursing school will be the hardest thing you ever do. But by preparing yourself with the right tools to succeed and studying as efficiently as possible, you will tackle your knowledge base with the esteem of a seasoned nurse.
Just remember to keep your laptop close, but your pen closer.
