The BEST Nursing School Schedule

Hey friends, welcome back to Nursing School Week by Week! If you're feeling totally overwhelmed trying to get ready for nursing school—or if you're already in nursing school and struggling to balance school, work, and life—you are not alone. I remember exactly what that felt like. When I was in nursing school, I was juggling lectures, clinicals, and exams while being a wife and a mom to five kids.

I knew I had to figure out a study schedule that actually worked—one that let me stay on top of my classes, prepare for tests efficiently, and still have a life outside of school. And guess what? I did. So in today’s episode, I’m going to give you a step-by-step nursing school study schedule—the exact formula I used to get straight A’s and pass the NCLEX.

You're going to learn how to structure your study time, avoid the biggest mistakes that waste hours, and use time management strategies that help you stay ahead without feeling burnt out. Sound good? All right, let’s get into it.

[The Nursing School Study Schedule]
Girl, I am about to break down the secret formula for how to study in nursing school. Not just little tips and tricks, but a full study schedule that includes:
✅ A morning routine
✅ Lunch breaks
✅ A night routine
✅ Exercising three times a week
✅ Getting enough study time to not just pass but make straight A’s

This is the study schedule I wish I had going into nursing school. And if I could redo nursing school, this is exactly how I would do it—step by step. This is pretty close to what I did, but even better!

And I know what I’m talking about—I went through nursing school, I got straight A’s, and I did it while being a wife, a mom to five kids, AND working part-time after my first couple of semesters. So if I can do it, you can too!

I’m handing this schedule to you on a silver platter for free. You’re welcome. And it will save you so much time. I know you’re excited to start nursing school and you’re absorbing all the resources you can—listening to podcasts like this one, watching YouTube videos, and trying to put together a plan. And that’s great! But take this advice from someone who’s been through it before so that you don’t waste valuable time on the wrong study strategies.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the schedule, let’s talk about why it’s crucial to get your priorities straight first. Nursing school is tough for a reason. It’s not just about going to lectures and studying—you have a life outside of school that you can’t ignore for the next two years. That’s why creating a well-balanced schedule is going to make or break your experience.

Now, let’s get into the schedule!

[How to Structure Your Study Time]
🗓 Monday through Friday: Jam-packed with structured study time, lectures, clinicals, and lab.
🌟 Saturday & Sunday: Lighter study days—just one hour each for reviewing flashcards and planning for the next week.

💡 You’ve probably heard that you need to study two to three hours per credit hour. So if you’re taking 12-15 credit hours, that means about 30-40 hours of study time per week. This schedule is designed to give you 33 hours of high-quality, active studying—not passive studying like re-reading notes or highlighting (which, by the way, is a giant waste of time).

✅ This schedule includes:

• 3 lectures per week (3 hours each)
• 1 clinical day per week (8-12 hours)
• 1 lab day per week
• Sleep! (8 hours per night—non-negotiable)
• 3 exercise sessions per week
• 1-hour morning routine
• 1-hour night routine
• 2 hours of free time per day (so you don’t burn out)

You’re going to meet new information before the lecture using Picmonic, Nursing.com, and podcasts. After the lecture, you’ll refine your notes and make flashcards in the Anki app using the most testable information. You’ll review flashcards every single day and use spaced repetition to actually retain the material. And when it’s time to prep for an exam, you won’t be cramming—you’ll already know the information!

[The Final Days Before an Exam]
The last two days before an exam will look a little different:
🔹 Go through your Anki flashcards tagged for that exam
🔹 Retake Nursing.com quizzes for test topics (and read the rationales!)
🔹 Do Picmonic quizzes daily to reinforce information

Because you’ve been actively recalling the information every day, you won’t need to stay up until midnight cramming. You’ll go into the test confident, prepared, and stress-free.

[Conclusion]
This is your nursing school study schedule—the key to straight A’s and NCLEX success without sacrificing your health and sanity. The more you follow it, the easier it will become. And when NCLEX time comes, you won’t need to cram because you’ll have built a deep understanding of the material.

If you want even more details on exactly how to implement this study schedule, go listen to Season 4, Episode 9: My Insanely Effective Study System. In that episode, I break down my exact resources and study methods that helped me master the material and pass my nursing exams.

And if this episode helped you, I’d love it if you left a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Your reviews help Nursing School Week by Week reach more students just like you and keep the podcast going.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll talk to you next week!