Nursing Student Resources: Preparing for Your Nursing Job

When thinking of professionals with big hearts, nurses come to mind. The nature of their career means that most nurses care for patients every day — from tending to small bruises and scraped knees to administering intensive recuperative treatments after major surgeries. Registered nurses may help with patient care and education or provide emotional support or advice to not only patients but also their family members and friends. Many nurses have a natural desire to help others and want to actively improve the lives of those with whom they come into contact.

Rising numbers of nursing career opportunities indicate that nursing is an excellent career choice at the moment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the job outlook for registered nurses to see a 15 percent increase from 2016 to 2026, which is a much faster growth rate compared with other professions. That increase equates to a predicted 438,100 new nursing jobs, according to the BLS.

Whether students choose to pursue nursing because of their big hearts or the field’s career opportunities, navigating the student nursing experience is the first step. The following nursing student resources can help prepare students for their future professional endeavors and arm them with the tools needed for success in nursing.

Part 1: Nursing Student Tips on Getting Involved

Part 2: Student Nursing Resources

Part 3: Preparation Tips for Landing a Nursing Job

Nursing Student Tips on Getting Involved

The BLS notes that registered nurses usually take one of three education routes: a diploma from an approved nursing program, an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Many nursing students choose which route to take based on elements such as time to complete the program and monetary or class location concerns.

There are myriad nursing student tips and resources out there for students on their journeys to becoming a nurse. Meeting other nurses and putting down roots in the local community is a great way to help others and also help yourself. Getting involved in local programs can help students meet others more familiar with their local areas and the specific needs of those communities, making nursing students more cognizant of the struggles faced by community members. Meeting others in the local nursing sphere is also a great way to both find and give support, as well as stay up to date on nursing opportunities and events.

Below are just a few ways to get involved in local programs, network with other nurses, volunteer at local hospitals and join a student nursing association.

Get Involved in Local Programs

Seeking out local involvement is an excellent method for reducing stress while building connections with others in the same situation. School organizations such as clubs or sororities, both national and international, bring nursing students together to share nursing student tips, experiences and resources, and to open up future opportunities.

Chi Eta Phi Sorority: This national sorority represents both male and female nursing students and has over 8,000 members, 39 undergraduate chapters and 83 graduate chapters, all spread over 29 states and territories.

Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI): Also known as the Honor Society of Nursing, this 486-chapter society in over 85 countries was created to support practicing nurses, educators, researchers and health care lawmakers.

2019 Student Nurse Internship Program: OSF Healthcare offers a 10-week program to provide groups of nursing students with hands-on experiences under a registered nurse’s supervision.

Join Student Nursing Associations

Another way of seeking out interaction is by joining a student nursing association (SNA). Nursing club membership entails many benefits, including access to member-only events and opportunities, as well as exclusive development resources. Student nursing associations can range from statewide to nationwide and can be specific to a gender, race or specialty.

Student Nurses Association of Illinois: The SNA of Illinois provides resources and support to student nurses throughout the state, including leadership conferences and keynote learning events.

National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA): The NSNA was created to foster the professional development of nursing students and currently has over 60,000 members nationwide.

American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN): The AAMN provides advocacy, support and encouragement for men who enter nursing, which has historically been a female-dominated field.

Network with Other Nurses

Of course, nursing students can network with professionals beyond the local community. The rise of technology has erased any geographic boundaries that may have limited networking before. Today, there is a vast array of online nurse networks full of information, resources and ways to build personal connections with other nursing professionals.

All Nurses: This site was built for open discussion among nursing professionals, and the nursing student section is full of school reviews, scholarships information and up-to-date nursing program details, as well as Q&A sections.

The National Nursing Network Organization: By nurses for nurses, the site provides information on current law changes, government positions, endorsements, news and ways to take action alongside other nursing professionals.

Nursing Network: This is a professional network aiming to connect nurses with groups they belong to and resources they need, such as industry events, job openings and updates.

Volunteer at Local Hospitals

After picking up some nursing student tips and joining various networks and associations, it may be time to earn some hands-on experience. Truly, there is no better place for students to improve upon what they have learned in the classroom than in a hospital or health care setting. Volunteering at these locations can be a great way to build skill sets, learn from experience and gain a better understanding of what it takes to foster positive patient-nurse interactions.

OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois: The hospital accepts volunteers for its Pediatric School Program, with most volunteers working three to six hours at least one day a week.

UnityPoint Health: Volunteers are needed at both Proctor and Methodist locations in Peoria, Illinois, for such services as the hospice program, nursing unit support and the emergency department.

The Circle: Sigma Theta Tau International’s volunteer networking site has information on open volunteer opportunities and can even send notifications for upcoming events.

Student Nursing Resources

Not only is nursing school hands-on and experience-based, but the entire learning journey is grounded in solid knowledge of scientific foundations. According to the BLS, all nursing education programs include courses in anatomy, microbiology, nutrition, physiology, chemistry and psychology, as well as other behavioral sciences and assorted arts.

Below are just a few nursing student resources — available scholarships in both Illinois and across the nation, educational organizations, societies, blogs, sites and apps — to help the education process progress both more smoothly and for less money.

Scholarships Available to Student Nurses

Before making plans on how to pay back money, why not avoid owing it in the first place? There are myriad scholarships available to nursing students at the local, state and national levels. With scholarships ranging anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, doing the research and applying is definitively worth it.

Nursing Education Scholarship Program: Offered by the Illinois Department of Public Health, this scholarship program provides financial assistance to those pursuing various kinds of nursing degrees.

Illinois Nursing Workforce Center (INWC): The INWC has an extensive page specifically covering opportunities for nursing financial aid, scholarships and grants, both at the state and national levels.

Scholarships.com: This site, which compiles available scholarships in many areas, has a nursing scholarships section, which is kept up to date with application information and deadlines.

Student Nursing Blogs

Word of mouth is still a powerful tool. Only now, because of technology, people can hear what others are saying no matter where they are. Connect, share and learn from others who are going though, or have gone through, the same steps.

Blogs by Student Nurses for Student Nurses: NursingTimes provides a compilation of blog posts created by student nurses for student nurses, with topics ranging from work to self-care.

Nursing Student Diaries: MedPage Today lists blogs and columns written by student nurses, providing insight into the daily lives of other student nurses as they study, search for jobs and work.

The Nursing Site Blog: This site, though not made by a student, is full of excellent nursing information. Kathy Quan, RN, BSN, PHN, shares insights from her 30-plus years of experience in home health care and nursing.

Organizations and Societies

An excellent source of nursing resources exists within each nursing organization and society. Whether students join and participate for the experience, the connections and networking, or for the resources and events, organized communities are safe spaces where a nursing student can watch, learn and grow.

American Academy of Nursing (AAN): Founded in 1973, the academy is an independent affiliate that aids nursing professionals and the public by running initiatives, hosting panels and working directly with communities.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): The AANP is the largest membership organization for nursing professionals in the world, offering educational, research, conference, legislation and regulation resources.

American Nurses Association (ANA): Not specifically for students but for all nursing professionals, the ANA has been around since 1896, advancing and protecting professionals in the nursing sector.

Agencies and Educational Resources

As aforementioned, why pay for free resources? The trick here is knowing where to look. A nursing student may just be surprised at how many associations and libraries offer free access to medical e-books and e-journals, as well as other resources.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): The AACN is a national organization that specializes in nursing programs at both the bachelor’s and graduate levels.

Nursing and Allied Health Resources: A collaborative project by members of the Medical Library Association, this site offers a plethora of nursing resources, including databases, e-books, e-journals and professional development opportunities, just to name a few.

National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Services (NAPNES): The NAPNES is the oldest nursing-dedicated association in the U.S. and has provided services to nursing educators and students for over seven decades.

Websites and Apps

There is probably an app for whatever a nursing student is looking for — whether that be studying, cutting-edge health news, medical glossaries or patient language translators. Even better, most of these nursing resource websites and apps are free.

Learning Nurse: This resource network covers areas of informal nurse learning, education and professional development for free, so both aspiring nurses and registered nurses can study and learn without spending anything.

RxList: This website compiles current health and drugs news, so readers can stay up to date on drug releases, side effects, recalls, etc.

“19 Must-Have Mobile Apps for Every Nurse”: This article by Nurse Journal covers 19 useful mobile applications, such as a pill identifier, a pocket anatomy guide and drug dosage calculators.

Preparation for Landing a Nursing Job

Demand for health care services will only increase with time because of the United States’ aging population, notes the BLS. Nurses are needed not only in hospitals but also in outpatient centers and home health care, where patients may have chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, obesity and dementia, according to the BLS. There is an additional need for nurses in long-term rehabilitation centers that treat head injury and stroke patients, as well as in care facilities treating those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Below are just a few of the many resources for landing a job post-graduation, including tips on how to build a nursing student resume and cover letter, as well as ways to find nursing student internships and jobs.

Effectively Demonstrate Your Background and Skills

Creating a cover letter or resume from scratch can be difficult. Luckily, there are websites that take the guesswork out of it. Nursing graduates can select their preferred resume formats from a selection of samples and view cover letter examples and resume builders, so there is no need to fear the paperwork.

ResumeCompanion: This site has everything needed to create a professional nursing student resume, including nursing student resume examples and a resume generator.

ResumeGenius: This site has nursing student resume examples and nursing student cover letter resources, including samples, advice and a state-of-the-art resume builder, which can process personal information and compile a nursing student resume at the click of a button.

Nursing Resumes — The Ultimate Guide: This guide takes a step-by-step approach to building a nursing student resume, including research, layout, formatting, design and template advice.

Apply for Internships

While it may seem like nursing internships are final-year opportunities, that is not the case. Students can apply for nursing internships after the first year of nursing school, depending on the internship. After the initial year of schooling, consider gaining hands-on experience via local internship opportunities.

2019 Clinical Trial Operations Internship: This internship position, posted on Indeed, involves working with clinical program development and operations at AbbVie in Lake County, Illinois.

Student Nurse Intern: This internship opportunity, posted on Indeed, involves providing medical treatment and care services under a registered nurse’s supervision at Mercyhealth in Rockford, Illinois.

Summer Student Nurse Intern: This internship role, posted on WayUp, provides nursing students the chance to advance their knowledge and skills in patient care while partnered with a registered nurse at UnityPoint Health in Peoria, Illinois.

Nursing License Requirements

The final hurdle after curriculum completion is the fulfillment of nursing license requirements. In all states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories, this means passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Depending on the state, there may be additional requirements before seeking out nursing student jobs.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): The NCSBN is home to nursing education information and exam information, notably the NCLEX-RN exam, which aspiring nurses must pass to get licensure.

BrilliantNurse: This site’s singular aim is to assist student nurses with passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) by providing free study resources and strategies.

Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification Course: National Health Care provides this free course, which can be completed entirely online for certification and may assist in the pursuit of nursing student jobs.

Money Saving Tips

School is expensive. However, there are ways to make it less expensive and reduce expenses in other areas of a student nurse’s lifestyle. Consider the following resources when budgeting and trying to save money.

“Pay for Nursing School With These 7 Valuable Scholarships”: The best way to save money is not to spend it in the first place — these seven scholarships from Student Loan Hero’s article can help.

Budgeting for Nursing School: This massive resource by Nursing.org has valuable information about budgeting, including links to many pertinent nursing and budgeting resources.

“5 Ways to Save Money in Nursing School”: This Cheap Nurse Degrees article breaks down five tips to save money while studying for a nursing degree and the NCLEX.