Entering her final Block (4) in Paradise Valley Community College’s two-year Nursing Program, Brenda Barraza has learned all the ins-and-outs of the program, discovering sensible ways to achieve success.
First and foremost, Barraza stays organized and has created specific study methods to help her be successful. She keeps a day planner with to-do lists, exams, clinics, and assignments. She also prints out the PowerPoints instructors provide, finding this extremely helpful in learning the material and using it as a guide through classes, writing notes in the margins and highlighting emphasized points.
Barraza, who is Student Nursing President here at PVCC, said, “I am constantly reviewing the PowerPoints and once I feel confident about the material, I test my knowledge with practice quizzes I find online or in the back of the textbook.” She said testing herself helps identify her weaknesses and strengths.
Other suggestions include:
- Become part of a study group It’s a great way to compare notes, discuss topics, test one another. If you form a study group from the get-go, you will be together through all four blocks.
- Join the Student Nursing Association (SNA) The SNA is a group of nursing students ranging from block 1 to block 4 who actively participate in volunteer work, school events, and nursing conventions. The group meets once a month and aims to get more recognition for PVCC’s nursing program and help the community at large. It’s a great way to network, find internships and build your resume.
- Check out PVCC’s tutoring Take advantage of the block 3 and block 4 student tutors available with flexible schedules. Professors are also great at responding to emails and can schedule virtual office hours currently.
- Identify outside resources Check out Register Nurse RN, a youtuber who creates videos and practice questions on different topics. Other resources include Khan Academy, Simple Nursing, and Osmosis -- all of which help make certain topics easier to understand. Best of all - they are free!
Barraza will graduate in December and plans to take her NCLEX, hoping to become a labor and delivery nurse. Eventually she would like to return to school to pursue a degree in Midwifery.
For more questions about PVCC’s Nursing Program, visit https://www.paradisevalley.edu/degrees-certificates/nursing or contact Carol Frazier, Program Coordinator, at 602-787-6624, carol.frazier@paradisevalley.edu.