Taking notes in classes is a skill that some nursing students struggle with. Retaining all the information shared through a course is challenging, particularly in nursing. There is a large amount of facts and concepts to learn. Teachers use many types of learning activities. While some instructors provide lectures, there are also group activities, case studies, assigned readings of textbooks or instructor-provided reviews, skills practice, simulations, and various other assignments. All allow the learner to understand and use the information to provide safe nursing care.
Studies have shown that frequent review of the information from new learning is best, mainly when presented in a format that has meaning for the learner. While instructors may offer materials via printed documents or presentations such as PowerPoint or Prezi, these formats are only sometimes helpful for learners. Taking notes on educational activities on your own puts this information in a form that works for you. Do you like data in a table or spreadsheet? Would you recall information more easily if it is in color, a picture, or a diagram? By organizing information in a format that works for you, the retention of the material happens quicker with movement into long-term memory. Even if taking online courses, note-taking is vital.
What is the best way to take notes?
The challenge for you is determining how you learn best and how to take meaningful notes. While typing information is very common today, some studies have demonstrated that writing notes by hand increases learning success (Mueller and Oppenheimer, 2014; Bohay et al., 2011; Morehead et al., 2019). Of course, some students type notes and are pretty successful. While typing notes might be faster than writing, it can be frustrating if formatting notes and typos plague your typing. Note-taking is sabotaged if you concentrate on how you type the notes and catch every word versus what is said. Consider handwriting notes if you don’t have the results you want with your current note-taking practice (or if you don’t take notes).
When taking notes for courses, some ask, “Where do I start?” Indeed, one can’t write down everything that is said or read. The key is to jot down the main ideas and to put the ideas in your words. Mind maps tying the main concepts together is helpful for some. Take notes in different colors, as that might spur your memory of the notes. Draw small icons or pictures as you take notes to help your retention (arrows, hearts, smiley faces, etc.). Taking artistic notes even has a name: sketchnoting. You can review the notes later and fill in more thoughts or information. Guess what? Reviewing your notes after the class increases your understanding and retention!
Are you reading online or textbook materials for your courses? Note-taking is essential here, too. One can’t retain everything from readings. But you must recall key ideas. Highlighting works for some if you own the book. But don’t highlight everything. Instead, jot down notes as you read to review later. Reviewing notes is quicker than rereading all the information when it is time to test the material.
In summary, the old-fashioned notebook may not be a thing of the past. For many students, handwriting notes from their courses may quickly move the information to their long-term memory. In the fast-paced healthcare environment, this will assist the nurse in providing the correct actions needed to provide safe and quality nursing care.
Resources
Check at your school for note-taking help if you aren’t confident in your skills. For more on note-taking, check out these online resources:
Effective Note-Taking in Class – Learning Center (unc.edu)
The Learning Toolbox – Cornell Notes (jmu.edu)
7 Tips for Successful Nursing School Notes (chamberlain.edu)
Taking Notes: Crash Course Study Skills #1 – YouTube
Getting Started with Sketchnoting – YouTube
References
Bohay, M., Blakeley, D., Tamplin, A., & Radvansky, G. (2011). Note taking, review, memory, and comprehension. American Journal of Psychology, 124(1), 63-73. bohay_blakely_tamplin_radvansky_2011_american_journal_of_psychology_.pdf (nd.edu)
Morehead, K., Dunlosky, J., & Rawson, K.A. (2019). How much mightier is the pen than the keyboard for note-taking: A replication and extension of Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014). Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09468-2
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen Is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581