A brand new nursing instructor asked a group of nurses to give her some insight on how to become a better teacher. Her goal was to set her students up for success. Not only in the class room setting, but in their future careers.

Below are 7 suggestions any nursing instructor and their students could benefit from.

1. Set them up for success.

Help them succeed by providing a study guide that reflects the exam.

A test is only a small fraction of what a nurse needs to know in the real world. It can become information overload and easily be counterproductive, leading to negative test scores.

The amount of information nurses need to know is astronomical compared to the amount of time they have to learn it.

Provide them with solid education of the nursing basics so that they are competent and confident. Thus, creating a foundation of knowledge they can build on. They have an entire career to learn and grow as a nurse.

2. Have a great attitude.

Staying positive and creating an inviting class room setting can allow students to relax. A student in a calm environment will have better time focusing on learning instead of negative surroundings. In return, becoming successful.

Personal story: I was in a nursing program and could hardly pull a C in the class. I was not retaining any information and was slowly feeling like a failure. The teacher was bitter and grumpy. She came in everyday with a horrible attitude creating a hostile environment. She was struggling as a new teacher and it reflected on the class as a whole. More students were failing than passing. Most students couldn’t even pull a D on the practice NCLEX exam. After switching schools, what happened next will prove that attitude can change everything. My new teacher was compassionate and truly cared about his students. He was enthusiastic and created a positive learning environment. I quickly became a straight A student and was actually retaining knowledge. I passed my practice NCLEX exams in the 97th percentile. When I took my boards I was well prepared and passed on the first attempt. I attribute this to the positive environment that allowed me to learn and grow. Proving my point that attitude is everything!

3. Encourage your students.

A teacher can majorly influence nursing students mentally, spiritually, and academically.

Don’t let the power of holding their career in your hands go to your head. Instead of berating your students, provide them with words of encouragement. A little kindness can go a long way.

4. Get to know your students.

If you are noticing a learning block, address it. Provide resources and/or make accommodations to help the students succeed.

Some students do better learning with hands on experience and others with power points and flash cards. Teach a variety of ways to reach all of the students learning needs.

5. Be consistent.

Say what you mean and mean what you say. In other words, lead by example. Do not preach one technique then do the exact opposite and dock them for mirroring it.

The goal should be to set them up for success. Consistency is key in the learning process.

6.Be available.

Communicate with your students! Encourage open communication in and outside of the classroom. Answer questions over emails and discussion boards.

7.Teach testing strategies.

If a student can not understand simple test taking strategies they can quickly be at risk for failure. Being successful in nursing school is not always about knowing the material in its entirety but being able to project it on a text.

Teaching them how to navigate the standardized nursing test and implementing the strategies in the course could mean the difference between failure or success.

Not only will it help them in becoming successful in the course, it will help them pass the dreaded NCLEX!