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Free nursing study guides
Short, clear guides on the topics nursing students search for most, written by Professor Foxx, RN, MSN, a Critical Care RN and clinical instructor. No account needed. Then practice them in the games.
NCLEX strategyCardiacRenalEndocrine, respiratory, and neuroPediatricsGeneticsSkin and woundsMental healthAssessmentLabs, ABGs, and med math
NCLEX strategy
How to Answer NCLEX Prioritization QuestionsA simple step-by-step method for NCLEX prioritization questions: ABCs, Maslow, acute vs. chronic, and stable vs. unstable, with a practice question.NCLEX Select All That Apply: Strategy That WorksHow to answer NCLEX select all that apply (SATA) questions: treat each option as true or false, avoid patterns, and handle partial credit on the Next Generation NCLEX.Delegation on the NCLEX: RN vs. LPN vs. UAPWho can do what on the NCLEX: what the RN keeps, what the LPN/LVN can do, what you can delegate to assistive personnel, and the five rights of delegation.
Cardiac
Digoxin Nursing ConsiderationsDigoxin for nursing students: what it treats, when to hold it, signs of toxicity, the role of potassium, lab levels, the antidote, and patient teaching.Heart Failure Nursing: Left vs. Right, Signs, and CareHeart failure for nursing students: left-sided vs. right-sided signs, BNP, daily weights, low-sodium diet, medications, and what to do for acute pulmonary edema.Heart Attack (MI) Nursing: Signs, Priorities, and MedsMyocardial infarction for nursing students: classic and atypical signs, the first actions, troponin, STEMI vs. NSTEMI, aspirin and nitroglycerin rules, and when to hold nitro.EKG Rhythms Every Nurse Should KnowBasic EKG rhythms for nursing students: normal sinus rhythm, sinus brady and tachy, AFib, flutter, SVT, V-tach, V-fib, and asystole, with what to do for each.
Renal
Acute Kidney Injury vs. Chronic Kidney DiseaseAKI vs. CKD for nursing students: causes (prerenal, intrarenal, postrenal), stages, kidney labs, signs of kidney failure, diet, and nursing care.Dialysis Nursing Care: Hemodialysis and Peritoneal DialysisDialysis for nursing students: AV fistula care (thrill and bruit), what to avoid in the access arm, before and after hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis problems.High and Low Potassium: Hyperkalemia vs. HypokalemiaHyperkalemia vs. hypokalemia for nursing students: causes, EKG changes (peaked T waves vs. U waves), symptoms, emergency treatment, and IV potassium safety rules.
Endocrine, respiratory, and neuro
DKA vs. HHS: Diabetic Emergencies ComparedDKA vs. HHS for nursing students: blood sugar, ketones, pH, signs like Kussmaul breathing, who gets each, and the treatment order of fluids, insulin, and potassium.COPD vs. Asthma: Nursing Care ComparedCOPD vs. asthma for nursing students: causes, reversibility, signs, oxygen goals of 88% to 92% in COPD, inhalers, the silent chest warning, and patient teaching.Stroke Nursing: BE FAST, tPA, and PrioritiesStroke for nursing students: BE FAST warning signs, ischemic vs. hemorrhagic, first actions, the tPA window and BP limits, swallow screens, and left vs. right brain strokes.
Pediatrics
Pediatric Vital Signs by Age: Nursing Cheat SheetNormal pediatric vital signs by age for nursing students: heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure from newborn to teen, plus fever and hypotension rules.Developmental Milestones for Nursing StudentsInfant and child developmental milestones for nursing exams: motor, language, and social skills from 2 months to 5 years, plus growth rules and types of play.Erikson and Piaget Stages for Pediatric NursingErikson's psychosocial stages and Piaget's cognitive stages explained for nursing students, with what each stage means for caring for a child in the hospital.Pediatric Dosage Calculations and Maintenance FluidsHow to do pediatric dosage calculations: weight-based doses, checking a safe dose range, the 4-2-1 rule for maintenance IV fluids, fluid boluses, and urine output.Croup vs. Epiglottitis vs. BronchiolitisCompare croup, epiglottitis, and bronchiolitis for pediatric nursing: causes, ages, key signs like barking cough and drooling, nursing care, and what never to do.Pediatric Dehydration: Signs and Nursing CareSigns of mild, moderate, and severe dehydration in children, the best ways to assess fluid status, oral rehydration, and when IV fluids are needed.
Genetics
Skin and wounds
Mental health
Therapeutic Communication: What to Say and What to AvoidTherapeutic communication for nursing students: techniques that work, nontherapeutic responses to avoid, example answers, and how to pick the right NCLEX response.Psych Meds: Side Effects Every Nurse Must KnowPsychiatric medications for nursing students: antipsychotic side effects (EPS, tardive dyskinesia, NMS), clozapine, lithium levels, SSRIs and serotonin syndrome, and MAOI diet rules.Suicide Risk: Warning Signs and Nursing CareSuicide risk for nursing students: warning signs, how to ask directly, assessing plan and means, safety precautions on the unit, and when risk is highest.Alcohol Withdrawal: Timeline, CIWA, and Delirium TremensAlcohol withdrawal for nursing students: the timeline from tremors to seizures to delirium tremens, CIWA scoring, benzodiazepines, thiamine before glucose, and safety care.Defense Mechanisms: Examples for Nursing ExamsDefense mechanisms explained with simple examples for nursing students: denial, projection, displacement, rationalization, regression, repression, sublimation, and more.
Assessment
Head-to-Toe Assessment Checklist for Nursing StudentsA printable-style head-to-toe nursing assessment checklist: general survey, neuro, HEENT, lungs, heart, abdomen, skin, and safety, with the IPPA order.Lung Sounds Explained: Crackles, Wheezes, Rhonchi, and StridorLung sounds for nursing students: normal breath sounds, crackles, wheezes, rhonchi, stridor, friction rub, and diminished sounds, with causes and what to do.
Labs, ABGs, and med math
Normal Lab Values for Nursing StudentsA nursing student cheat sheet of normal lab values: electrolytes, glucose, kidney labs, CBC, clotting labs, and ABGs, with what high and low results mean.ABG Interpretation Made Simple: The ROME MethodLearn ABG interpretation step by step with the ROME method: respiratory vs. metabolic, acidosis vs. alkalosis, compensation, causes, and practice examples.Do Not Use Abbreviations List for NursesThe Joint Commission Do Not Use abbreviations list and other error-prone abbreviations explained for nursing students, with what to write instead.Dosage Calculation Formulas Nurses NeedNursing dosage calculation formulas with worked examples: desired over have, weight-based doses, IV rates in mL per hour, drip rates in drops per minute, and mcg/kg/min drips.
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