Study Tips for Nursing Licensure Exam (NLE): A Step-by-Step Guide to Studying Smart

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Preparing for the Nursing Board Exam can feel like memorizing endless diseases and care plans but don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many future nurses feel the same stress.

This comprehensive study guide for the NLE is designed to provide practical and effective strategies to help you prepare efficiently and confidently

This guide is designed to help you stay organized, reduce anxiety, and walk into exam day with confidence.

Why is it Important to study smarter?

Studying smarter not harder can make a big difference in your board exam journey.

Below are 5 essential reasons why smart study strategies are more effective, efficient, and help you get better results without burning out.

1. Maximizes Limited Time

You don’t need to study all day to succeed studying smarter helps you cover more in less time. With the right strategies (like focus sessions, topic prioritization, and active recall), you make every minute count.

2. Improves Retention and Understanding

Smart study techniques like solving problems, using visuals, and teaching concepts to others help you remember better and understand deeper which is crucial in a problem-solving exam like Civil Engineering.

3. Reduces Burnout and Stress

Instead of overwhelming yourself with nonstop reading, studying smarter means creating a balanced routine with breaks and self-care. This keeps your mind fresh and your energy steady all throughout the review period.

4. Boosts Confidence on Exam Day

When you study with a clear system and targeted focus, you’re more likely to feel prepared and confident, knowing you practiced the right way not just studied a lot, but studied right.

5. Focuses on High-Yield Topics

Not everything is equally important. Smart studying helps you prioritize high-impact subjects and frequently asked questions, giving you a better shot at scoring well where it matters most.

Step-by-Step Study Tips and Guide for the NLE

Below is a complete step-by-step guide filled with study tips for aspiring nurses.

1. Build a Focused Study Environment

Your space impacts how well you retain information. Create a nursing-friendly study corner:

• Clean desk with proper lighting and no distractions
• A corkboard for patho/med notes and dosage formulas
• Turn off social media or use focus apps (like Forest, Notion, or Focus To-Do)
• Background music: instrumental or white noise if total silence is too dull

Goal: Create a calm, clinical-like space to think clearly and review efficiently.

2. Know the Coverage and Prioritize Key Areas

Not all topics are equally hard or equally asked prioritize wisely:

• Focus on high-yield areas like Maternal & Child Nursing, Fundamentals, and Pharmacology
• Group topics into systems (e.g., cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic)
• Study case-based scenarios since NLE often tests application, not just memorization

You can also view the subjects covered in the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) in this article: Full List of Subjects Covered in All Board Exams: Topics You Need to Study to Pass

Tips: Analyze past board exams to identify commonly repeated topics.

3. Make a Realistic and Balanced Study Plan

Avoid cramming. Nursing exams require consistent and spaced-out learning.

Try this:

• Weekly schedule: Assign 1–2 subjects per day; include rest and catch-up time
• Use the Pomodoro method: 25 minutes focused study, 5 minutes rest
• Review complex topics in the morning when your brain is fresh
• Do light review or NCLEX-style quizzes at night

Tips: It’s not about the number of hours it’s about consistency and retention.

4. Use Reliable, Nurse-Approved Review Material

Stick to resources trusted by passers and review centers.

Recommended Materials:

• Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN
• Gapuz Review Books (for local context)
• Online resources e.g: NLE topnotcher blogs, Nurse Labs, and YouTube channels

Tips: Organize by subject and topic using labeled folders (physical or digital).

5. Study Actively, Not Just Passively

Reading is not enough. Nursing is all about critical thinking and application.

Active Study Techniques:

• Answer board-type multiple choice and situational questions daily
• Create nursing care maps, drug cards, and summary sheets
• Teach a topic to a friend or record yourself explaining a concept
• Make visual diagrams (e.g., electrolyte imbalances, ABG interpretation)
• Keep a mistake journal to track errors and revisit them weekly

Reminder: Nursing is about safe decision-making, not just memorization.

The pictures below showing a helpful study tips for nursing licensure exam takers, Check our link above why studying is essential.

6.Take Care of Your Mind and Body

Your physical and mental health will affect your memory, stamina, and confidence.

Self-Care Tips:

• Sleep at least 7–8 hours daily
• Eat brain-boosting foods (fish, eggs, bananas, oats, veggies)
• Drink plenty of water your brain needs it to function
• Exercise or stretch daily for 10–15 mins
• Use journaling, prayer, or meditation to ease stress and build focus.
• Listen to a studying music for concentration and memory while studying.

Nurse’s Rule: You can’t care for others if you’re not well yourself.

7. Simulate Exam Condition

Start doing mock exams early to build endurance and familiarity with the test setup.

How to simulate:

• Take full-length mock tests weekly with a timer
• Use official answer sheets or download PRC answer grids
• Practice eliminating wrong answers, especially for situational questions
• Train yourself to sit still and think critically under pressure for 2–3 hours
• Avoid studying new topics in the last 1–2 weeks focus on review

Bonus: Memory Tricks for Nursing Concepts

Struggling to retain terms and medications?

Try these:

• Mnemonics (e.g., MONA for MI: Morphine, Oxygen, Nitrates, Aspirin)
• Mind maps for systems (e.g., Respiratory → Asthma, COPD, Pneumonia)
• Color-coded flashcards (pink for OB, blue for Med-Surg, etc.)
• Repetition technique: Review after 1 day, 3 days, then 7 days
• Post-it notes on your mirror or study wall for formulas or lab values
• Record and listen to your notes like a podcast during idle time

Final Thoughts

Passing the Nursing Licensure Exam takes more than just hard work it requires smart study tips, a consistent review routine, and proper self-care. You don’t need to memorize everything.

Focus on what matters most, follow your study plan, and practice solving questions every day. Take breaks when you need to, keep your body and mind healthy, and don’t let stress take over.

This exam is just one more step before you finally earn that “RN” title. Keep going. Believe in your preparation, stay focused, and trust yourself. You’ve got this.

Reference

1. The Best of Mozart. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb0UmrCXxVA&list=RDQMDkHYyloJzI4&index=3
2.  Importance of Sleep on Health and Well-being – Wellness for Greatness. Wellness for Greatness. https://wellnessforgreatness.org/blog/importance-of-sleep/
3. Instagram User. (n.d.). [Caption of the photo/video up to the first 20 words] [Instagram photo]. Instagram. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.instagram.com/p/DETkGjtT-z5/