What Are the Top Study Apps for Nursing Students?

Nursing school is tough and studying can be very time-consuming. It can feel like there’s so little time to read through everything, much less review the material more than once. For the past two years as nursing student, I’ve worked tirelessly to find the best methods for learning quickly and studying efficiently on the go.

I’ve found that mobile apps are a great way to review and retain all of the information from your textbooks, courses, clinicals and nursing exams. Many of these apps are also helpful resources for preparing for the NCLEX exam.

Here are my top five apps for nursing school survival:

1. NRSNG Scrubcheats

This resource has you covered with a cheat-sheet for every nursing topic and obstacle. It’s perfect for clinical or on-the-job use! Throw away your hard copies and lighten up your scrub pocket load because now all you need is this app to get through your shifts. The app offers informational guides on topics such as cardiac, pediatric care, pharmacology, neurology, labs, respiratory, gastrointestinal and endocrine. Trust me, this mobile app is one you will want to keep on you at all times.

The price for this app is $9.99, but I’ve found it to be totally worth it. I have this app on my phone and I also own a hardcopy version. Extra perk: There is NO fluff in this app! All of the information is straight to the point and designed to help you find the answers you need easily and quickly.

2. NCLEX RN Mastery

This app is a great studying resource for the NCLEX and your nursing exams. I used to have the ATI RN Mentor app, and not only were the questions suspiciously too easy, they did not prepare me for any ATI exams I’ve taken so far in nursing school.

The best part about this app is that you can always check the rationale for the correct answer, so you continue to learn more even if you guessed correctly! While this app is a little pricey at $49, it is a reliable resource for your NCLEX exam preparation and it also helps you build your critical thinking skills.

3. Picmonic

This app is all the rage on social media—and rightfully so! If you enjoy using mnemonic devices as a study tool, this might be just the resource you’re looking for. This app also explains everything in chronological steps and reads the content aloud to you. Each topic has a quiz at the end of the section. I paid the full price of $80 for this app, but I have a coupon code to save you 20 percent and you also get access to 4 free weeks to the NCLEX Workbook!

4. UWorld

Every new nursing graduate I know who studied with UWorld passed his or her NCLEX exam. I have heard from nursing friends that UWorld is difficult, but so is the NCLEX. UWorld is so similar to NCLEX that if you really want to prepare yourself for the exam, this is an app to invest in. UWorld does include a rationale for each answer and will also inform you of how likely you are to pass the NCLEX exam based on your scores. UWorld subscriptions can range from $139 to $249, depending on which option you choose. Later this year, I do plan to purchase this app as I prepare to take the NCLEX.

5. Epocrates

This free app is like a mini survival guide for nurses and nursing students alike. With Epocrates, you can learn about different diseases, their key treatment points, medications, diagnostic approaches and tests, work out dosage calculations and so much more. This is a mobile app I am sure you will continue to use even when you graduate and begin your professional nursing career.