These inspirational quotes for nursing students are perfect for anyone needing motivation through nursing school. The journey through nursing school may be hard, but you are capable of succeeding greatly.

“The character of a nurse is as important as the knowledge she possesses”

– Carolyn Javis

The main reason behind nursing school is to instill knowledge in students. This enables you to gain foundational understanding of how to be a great nurse in the future. Sometimes, you may forget the real reason behind your schooling because you get so stressed. When this happens, don’t forget to be remain personable. Always take advantage of the time you will spend with patients during clinical rounds, by showing them your beautiful heart.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose”

– Dr. Seuss

Let’s take a minute to understand what Dr. Seuss is telling you. You have all you need to become a good nurse. Although nursing school is difficult, you are in total control of what direction your ship gets steered. Confidence in yourself is an attribute that cannot be taught and nursing school will test your resilience quite a number of times. That being said, you are compassionate, kind, willing and able. So you have to keep your head up and break through any obstacles, because YOU CAN!!

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful”

– Joshua J Marine

Once again, your’e getting the reminder that nothing is ever completely smooth sailing in life. In the same way, your relationship with nursing school is going to experience some turbulence, but I am confident that you can both emerge as friends in the end. For this to occur, pushing yourself must take place; you do not have to give up at the first sign of difficulty. Rather, embrace it and surprise yourself by conquering any nursing school difficulties you may face.

“They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel”

– Maya Angelou

This is one quote that greatly depends on your character/ behavior during your interactions with patients. Your ability to be a successful nursing student and a great nurse, highly lies in your ability to show genuine concern for your patient. This can be achieved by simply continuing to be your kind and understanding self. Always show your intentions through your actions. Even without remembering your name, a person will never be unable to describe the feeling they experienced, when you did something memorable for them.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a kind word or a small act of caring: All of which have the potential to turn a life around”

– Leo Buscaglia

As a nursing student, it could be something as simple as listening to your patient, sitting with them or simply treating them with respect. Although considered little gestures, they can make a person view their whole day differently, turning a negative perception into a positive one. This quote doesn’t just apply to your patients. It also applies to your interactions with your fellow classmates, instructors or individuals you meet on a daily basis.

“To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through; that is to be a nurse”

– Rawsi Williams

Soon enough, you will come to realize how reputable the profession you are studying for, really is. Even during the pandemic, nurses have continued to go to work. In the same way, nursing students continue to study to become nurses; that’s commitment. Always remember that you are special, because the things you will do and the lives you will touch are limitless. Own all the ups and downs of nursing school because they build up character, and you get to own all the memories that come along with it.

“The key to change… is to let go of fear”

– Rosanne Cash

This applies greatly to your clinical rounds during your nursing education, where you are worried that you do not know enough. Remember that by giving into the fear that you may experience, you will hold yourself back from embracing the opportunities to be better. This is why you must open your eyes and ears and have a mind of receptiveness. Have an attitude that is ever ready to soak up all that you will learn during your clinical rounds. By doing this, you will change and grow positively and see yourself blossom into the person you want to be.

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing”

– John Powell

The biggest fear I have heard friends of mine in nursing school verbalize is the fear of making a mistake. I am not here to tell you that you will not, but I will tell you that the way you allow that mistake to frame or break you, is what counts. A mistake on the insertion of an IV can quickly turn you into a pro, if you decide to practice and avoid making that mistake again. Do you see what you did there?????, you turned a mistake which was negative, and caused yourself to gain something positive. This type of mindset will be instrumental to your ability to grow and thrive throughout nursing school.

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do”

– Goethe

Have you ever heard anyone talk about how experience is the best teacher, because I hear it all the time and I believe in it. You will master most of your nursing skills, by performing them multiple times. Although the knowledge from your textbook is extremely useful, do not rely on it totally, but use it as a reference for building your foundation. Through experience, you will lay down building blocks on your foundation. The combination of both, will help you develop as a nurse. This is why you must take advantage of your time at clinical, to learn and do as much as you are allowed to.

“It doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.”

– Fred Lebow

At the end of the day, the journey is yours to take and you have to make the best of it. Don’t go through nursing school solely comparing yourself to others, but remember to continually seek personal growth. When you are finished with nursing school, all nursing students will face the same national exam and that is the only thing that would stand between you as a student, and you as a nurse.

These are the best inspirational quotes for nursing students I could find. Have you found any others that I should check out? Let me know in the comments below.

Hope these provide you with the inspiration you need, as you go through nursing school. Visit my other post on Nursing school must haves and my post on the best jobs to have while in nursing school. Also, reach out to me if you have any questions.