This site may contain affiliate sites, items, and marketing, allowing me to receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Congratulations! You’re in nursing school, and now the real adventure begins. Not only is it hard to get into a nursing program, but staying in the program can be even more challenging. We have compiled a simple but comprehensive list of ALL THE THINGS you need to MAKE IT in nursing school and a few of the things it is NICE to have in nursing school.
We have included the supplies for classroom, studying, clinical, and mental health.
Nursing School Must-Haves for Every Day
ACADEMIC PLANNER
Number one on my list is an academic planner that allows you to zoom in and out of your semester. That means your planner needs to have a view of the overall months, weeks, and daily plans. You will use this to help you stay organized and sane. I cannot stress the importance of planners that allow you to ZOOM IN and ZOOM OUT of your semester – for that reason you need to see your daily, weekly, and monthly demands on your time. I literally used the same planner (Blue Sky) every year of school (see below), but they stopped making it. I have had to switch to Student-Centered, which has pleasantly surprised me. What I love about this planner is that it has a rigid cover built to last, and the daily layout makes it easy to keep up with a busy schedule. You can purchase this planner on Amazon for yourself HERE.
MAGIC PENS AND HIGHLIGHTERS
Studying and writing are definitely more fun when your pens and highlighters are ‘magical’. You need to use pens that bring you joy. I personally like a fine-point pen, and I like to color code things, so I need to have a variety of colors. Fun fact, nurses are only supposed to document in blank ink, but there are no color rules when it comes to writing your notes 🙂
BEST pens for writing notes in class:
Pilot G2 Gel-Ink (extra fine point 0.5mm) – I am a lefty, and these are the only pens that don’t smudge all over my hand as I write.
Paper Mate Ink Joy Gel Pens (fine point 0.5mm) – the vibrant color makes your notes look super cute!
Zebra Pen Mildliner Double-Ended Highlighters are special because the colors are sweet, and the ends feature a fine and bold point. These are also very thin, so your supply bag will not get too bulky.
Sharpie Accent Liquid Pen Style Highlighters – the color payoff is incredible. I especially like the feature that allows you to see when the ink is running low.
BACKPACK AND SUPPLY POUCH
Backpacks can be tricky in nursing school. It needs to be big and sturdy. My first backpack was extremely expensive, and the strap tore from carrying too many items – even though my textbooks were ebooks, we still needed to carry many things.
For that reason, I highly recommend you purchase a rolling backpack. You will lug this thing around campus, coffee shops, and libraries daily.
High Sierra Freewheeled Wheeled Laptop Backpack – this saved my back and did not tear. You are investing in your back when you purchase a rolling backpack. Check out the color selection HERE.
Standing Pencil Case – I look like a nerd with this thing, but I cannot live without this nifty pouch. The design makes locating the color or tool you need super easy.
Basic Supply Pouch – you will need a place to hold your nursing school items, i.e., stethoscope, clipboard, pen light, etc. I try to add joy to my life while in nursing school. I would get something with nursing inspiration like these! You can find all of these and more by visiting my ETSY shop HERE.
Paper Supplies
I have always preferred to write and draw my notes on grid paper. This helps me keep them neat and orderly. Notes any other way make me cringe. I used these grid paper notebooks from my anatomy classes throughout nursing school. All my OCD people will thank me.
Emraw Graph Paper Spiral Notebooks – you will love the heavy-duty pages – it makes writing a joy – not to mention that your pens and markers will never bleed through.
Paperage Lined Notebook – I liked carrying a small notebook around during clinical to write down things I learned or needed to report/remember. Of course, we don’t write down patient information, but we can write down vital signs or labs. I love all the colors, and they are very affordable. Check out all the colors HERE.
Clinical-Site Must-Haves
Every week in nursing school, you will be expected to spend anywhere from 8 to 10 hours at a clinical site applying the things you learned in skills and theory. You are expected to look professional and be prepared.
My program required us to bring and use our stethoscope, penlight, scissors, and sphygmomanometer.
Stethoscope – any kind will do; there is no need to break the bank here. This tool is viewed as a symbol of nursing school, so many people think they need to go out and splurge, but I would save the big spending for once you graduate.
I used the MDF Acoustica Lightweight. You will get a high-quality stethoscope that fits in your scrubs, is lightweight but sturdy, and it came with a nameplate in case it gets lost.
Check out all the awesome color combinations HERE.
White (non-canvas) shoes – this was hard on us as students. We wanted to wear cute shoes but were stuck wearing white leather or plastic shoes for infection-prevention reasons. I finally found a pair that was both comfortable and compliant. I used these Brooks Addiction Walker 2 shoes, and they lasted me throughout the entire program.
You can find these shoes on Amazon HERE.
Scissors: I lost a lot of scissors both in school and as an ER nurse. I can tell you that you do not want to buy expensive shears as they tend to walk away. I have repurchased these Madison Supply Medical Scissors at least 4 times. You can purchase these on Amazon HERE.
Penlight – Your penlight will also get lost, so you should not overspend on these. I recall buying a 6 pack of these, and all of the batteries died because of the design; they would randomly turn on in my backpack. I finally found a penlight with the best on/off design and tightly clips onto your uniform.
This MDF Illuminator Penlight is a steal on AMAZON.
Student badge – I advise buying a cute badge holder so you never forget your badge at clinical. I purchased most of my badge holders on ETSY.
Analog Watch with Second Hand – I used the Speidel Original Scrub Watch for Nurses throughout the program. It has a large face that features military time, is water resistant, and it’s easy to keep clean because of the silicone band.
It comes in various colors, making it easy to match your aesthetic.
Must-Have Books and Reference Materials
Lord knows there is no shortage of nursing books, but I know the books that I kept with me and referenced consistently, and they are:
Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination
Yes, this book will help you prepare for your NCLEX exam, but it will help you understand complex concepts. Your textbooks are long; this book lets you feast on the best information and removes all the extra stuff. I especially love that questions and rationales are sprinkled throughout the sections. The pyramid points help the learner focus on finer points that may get lost in lectures and will be featured on the NCLEX. You purchase this book for under $60 on Amazon HERE.
Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems
I learned in nursing school that all medical-surgical books contain the same information – it’s only the way the information is presented that differs. Unfortunately, we were told to purchase a different textbook for our medical-surgical classes, and using that book was painful. I was overjoyed when I found this textbook. It is much easier to read, and the tables are effective. I did not miss any critical information using a different textbook and still performed well on my exams.
You can purchase this textbook for under $40 on Amazon HERE.
Mosby’s Pocket Guide to Nursing Skills & Procedures (Nursing Pocket Guides)
My skills classes were kinda terrible. Our instructors would give us pages of steps to memorize for checkoff. Our instructors would breeze through the skills and not allow us to record their lessons or demonstrations. As students, we didn’t know what questions we needed to ask in the moment. Skills class and checkoff were a source of anxiety for me until I purchased a pocketbook that had an abbreviated step-by-step version of nursing skills with rationales. This book changed my approach to nursing skills during check-off and clinical. The book is small enough to carry in your scrub pocket, and I still keep it in my locker at work.
You can purchase this book on Amazon HERE.
Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses
Nurses spend much of their day administering medications and must know what they give to their patients. Medications can kill if given under the wrong circumstances or the wrong route. I used this book daily in nursing school – even more than Google. You need a good reference for your meds at your fingertips. I never encountered a medication not listed in this small but comprehensive book.
You can purchase this book on Amazon HERE.
Clinical Site Splurge
I decided to include a small section for those things that helped me in nursing school, but they weren’t exactly required or necessary. Nurses tend to be a little extra, and I am no exception.
Clinical Reference Clipboard
You can keep your clinical documents, notes, and data all in one place; as a bonus, this clipboard has helpful reference materials.
Whitecoat Clipboard Nursing Edition – there are many dupes for this, but nothing compares to the original. I still use this clipboard in my everyday practice, so it was worth the price.
You can purchase this clinical tool on Amazon HERE.
Must-Haves for Focus And Mental Wellness
Nursing school is the hardest thing I have ever done. It completely took over my life. I would dream about the things I studied, which disturbed the few hours of sleep I was getting. My brain would get tired, and my anxiety made it hard to focus.
These are the things I incorporated into my day-to-day to help me with anxiety, brain function and focus, and improved sleep.
Study Buddy Essential Oil for Focus and Memory
Trust me when I say this oil blend not only smells amazing – it will also keep you focused and relaxed at the same time. It’s pure sorcery and 100% legit. This oil uses Peppermint, lemon, and rosemary to work its magic on your mind. The best thing about this oil is the packaging. You can purchase this handmade oil from the small shop Frankie & Myrrh on Amazon HERE.
Nootropics
Nootropics are dietary supplements that help enhance cognitive function, i.e., improve your brain power. I was so stressed in school my husband took it upon himself to research brain supplements, and he found Neuro Health Brain and Focus Formula.
Taking these supplements put me into hyperdrive. You will notice a difference the first time you use these pills; you will also notice when you forget to take them – hopefully, it is not on an exam day.
You can purchase these supplements on Amazon HERE.
Svasthya Natural Melatonin Liquid Supplement
Nursing school will bring a different level of tiredness to your life, but guess what – anxiety will keep you up. I discovered the power of liquid melatonin out of necessity. Fun fact: This miracle liquid is quickly absorbed by your body and will help you fall asleep faster and sleep better. Best of all, you will wake up feeling clear-headed.
You can have this delivered to your house on Amazon – click HERE to read all about this amazing supplement.
My sincere hope is that you are able to find something that makes your nursing school adventure easier. Godspeed!