A PhD in nursing makes great sense if you want to further your career, love learning, and want to achieve a huge sense of satisfaction for a job well done. However, there is a long and challenging road to this qualification. It is not something that you can undertake lightly and the more preparation you can do before commencing your study program, the better. Here is a guide on how to prepare for a PhD in nursing.
Be Clear About Your Goals
There are many benefits of a PhD in nursing, but they may not all apply to you. Think about what you are trying to achieve and what you want to be able to do after your studies are over. It might be that you have a specialism in mind that will require a PhD in nursing, you may want to know all you can about a particular aspect of nursing, or you may love learning.
Get your reasons for commencing your program clear in your mind and write them down. That way, when the work gets tough, or you feel overwhelmed, you can refer to your goals to keep yourself motivated.
Organize Your Finances
You will need to organize your finances early and make sure you stick to a budget so that you don’t end up having to quit your course for financial reasons. If you are planning to apply for a loan or grant to complete your studies, make sure you do this well in advance of your course so that you know you have money in place once you start.
Decide whether you will devote yourself to full-time study or if you need to work and study simultaneously. Then consider how much money you will have coming in while you are working on your PhD. Don’t forget to include any funding you will receive or income from a source such as savings or investments.
It is best to undertake a PhD program with as little existing debt as possible as this will help you to keep your finances on track while you are studying. If possible, try to pay off loans or credit cards before you start so that you are not paying the interest on the debt you accrued before your course began. This will save you money in the long term.
Plan Your Home Learning Environment
Even if you spend a lot of time in the laboratory or education center there will still be lots of work to do on your own. Plan whether you want to work from your laptop in an academic environment such as the university library or whether you want to mostly work from home.
If you are working from home, then you will need a quiet room or space to study in. You will need to set up a workstation so that you can make the most of your learning experience. Furniture such as a good desk and a chair that can support your back is particularly important if you don’t want to suffer from injuries such as RSI. Good lighting is also beneficial to make sure you aren’t straining your eyes or causing yourself headaches.
Get Fit
This may sound like a strange way to prepare for your PhD program, but it is important, nevertheless. Regular exercise helps to fight stress, improve your memory, and boost your brain cells. Running, yoga and swimming are excellent ways to keep fit and clear your mind. If you start on an exercise program before your PhD studies commence it will become part of your routine and therefore it will be easier to maintain once you get busy on your course. If you leave it until you are well into your program, it is something else you need to work into your routine, and it can become more difficult to achieve.
Look After Your Mental Health
A PhD program can be stressful, especially as you approach deadlines and exams, and taking care of your mental health is an important factor in your success. Imposter syndrome is a mental health issue that many PhD students suffer from at the beginning of their courses and anxiety and depression can creep in along the way.
Learning how to relax when you need to and cope with stress during difficult times can be imperative to you finishing your course rather than giving up part-way through for the sake of your emotional well-being.
Organize Your Time
Planning your timetable before you begin your studies will be incredibly helpful. That way you can work towards your deadlines well in advance and save yourself any last-minute panic. You should remember that planning breaks and time away from your studies is as important as studying itself. If you hit the books 24/7 you will burn out quickly and you may give up before reaching the end of your study program. Think about how many hours per week or per semester you will need to study and work and plan some time out for yourself or get-togethers with your friends to keep you focused and motivated.
Network
It is never too early to start networking. Once you have decided on a course, reach out to your tutors and fellow students so that you can ask for advice and swap ideas before you begin. These people will be your lifeline during your studies, and they can help you immensely. You will not feel alone if you have a support group of like-minded people, and it can be easier to choose your thesis subject and tutor if you know what is on offer.
One great way of networking is to attend conferences and there are many of these to choose from. Go to any that sound interesting and chat with the people around you. Keep in touch to create a network outside of your immediate studies who can nevertheless offer you advice and tips on your chosen subjects.
Even if you don’t plan to start studying for a while, there are still things that you can prepare so that you can set yourself up for success.
