Find out what a day in the life of a Nursing student looks like. Richard shares what he gets up to on a typical day on campus.
Being a nursing student is a mix of academic study, practical learning, and balancing everything in between. No two days are the same. It can be demanding, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling. Whether I’m in lectures, practicing skills, studying independently, or on placement, every aspect of my day contributes to my journey toward becoming a nurse. If you’re considering nursing, be ready for an exciting, fast-paced experience that will challenge and ultimately shape you into a skilled professional.
Here’s a peak into my typical day on campus.
My day usually starts early, arriving on campus by 8:30am to prepare for a full day of learning. Lectures typically begin at 9am and cover a range of essential topics like paediatric nursing care, pharmacology, or the management of acutely deteriorating patients. These sessions involve engaging discussions, real-life case studies, and interactive elements like quizzes or small group tasks.
After a morning of theory, we can have a practical session in the Barnes clinical skills lab. Some lessons can lead into clinical learning skills day, where we can practice our skills to prepare for placements, or future assessments. These sessions are crucial as they allow us to practice key nursing procedures in a safe and controlled environment with current nurses, before performing them in real clinical settings. Depending on the module, we may practice administering injections, inserting NG tubes, carrying out ECGs, or managing scenarios using high-quality mannequins that simulate real patient responses. These labs are closely supervised by lecturers and clinical educators, who provide valuable feedback and guidance.
Lunchtime varies depending on the lecture's schedule. If I have a long break, I grab a meal at one of the campus cafés or eat a packed lunch while catching up with friends. Sometimes, if an assignment or assessment deadline is looming, I’ll head straight to the library to work. The library offers dedicated silent study areas, group work rooms, and access to online journals, making it an ideal place for focused work.
Once lectures and practical's are done, I use the afternoon for independent study. This might involve reviewing my notes from the morning’s session, completing e-learning modules, or cracking on with work for my assignments. As the workload can be intense, effective time management is essential. I often break my study time into focused 45-minute blocks, so I can stay productive without feeling overwhelmed. I might also attend an academic support session where we receive guidance on structuring essays, recording presentations, and improving our critical analysis skills. These workshops have been incredibly helpful, especially for this year for refining my dissertation’s methodology and discussion sections.
When I have free time in the evenings, I make sure to strike a balance between relaxation and study. Whether it’s watching a TV series, going for a walk to clear my mind, or catching up with friends, I find ways to recharge. On other nights, I focus on revision, using posters and case-based learning to deepen my understanding of clinical conditions, ensuring I’m well-prepared for both exams and real-life scenarios on placement.
On placement days, my routine is entirely different. Shifts start early, sometimes at 7:30am, and can last up to 13 hours. Working in a hospital setting, I am directly involved in patient care under the supervision of registered nurses. My tasks can include administering medications, conducting patient observations, escalating concerns to doctors, and participating in handovers. Every shift presents new learning opportunities, whether it’s managing a deteriorating child in A&E or supporting families through difficult situations in a paediatric ward. Being on placement is where everything I learn in university can be implemented into practice. I have had the chance to assist in emergency situations, insert an NG tube independently, and even educate fellow students on using nebulisers correctly. The experience is both challenging and rewarding, reinforcing why I chose this field in the first place.
My name is Richard Braich and I am studying Child Nursing at the University of Birmingham.
