Every person studies a little differently, and that matters when you’re getting ready for something as involved as the PMHNP exam. Some people do best with colorful notes and charts. Others would rather close their eyes and listen. When the material is the same, how you take it in can completely change how well you remember it.

That’s why finding the right study material isn’t just helpful—it shapes the way you absorb the information. The trick is matching your personal study style with the tools that actually help it stick. Before you spend hours reviewing something that doesn’t quite land, it helps to step back and ask yourself: What kind of learner am I? And am I using the right materials to support that style?

Understanding Different Study Styles

There’s no single right way to study for the PMHNP exam. What works for one person might feel frustrating or confusing to someone else. That usually comes down to learning style. Knowing how your brain likes to take in and work with information can make studying feel smoother and less forced.

Here are four common study styles and what they look like in action:

• Visual learners learn best when they can see something. They like charts, colors, diagrams, and anything they can look at to help connect the dots.
• Auditory learners prefer hearing information. They might talk through problems, listen to podcasts, or repeat facts out loud.
• Reading/writing learners like to take notes, read books, and write things down. They love organizing material in lists or outlines.
• Kinesthetic learners learn through doing. They want movement, physical teaching tools, and practical activities like simulations or role-play.

Plenty of people aren’t just one style. You might lean toward two or even blend all four, depending on the subject. What matters most is paying attention to what feels natural and what leaves you forgetting things right after you review them.

To give a quick example: If watching a nursing concept on a video makes it click for you faster than reading a textbook explanation, you’re probably leaning visual. The idea is to lean into that strength instead of fighting it.

Once you have a good handle on how you process information, it becomes much easier to pick the study materials that support how your brain works best.

Choosing Study Materials for Visual Learners

If you learn best by seeing things, you’ve got more options than ever when it comes to study tools that match how you process information. Visual learners often remember content clearly when it’s presented in a way that’s easy to see, such as colors, layouts, videos, or diagrams. If that sounds like you, then overly text-heavy materials may feel like a slog or worse, just won’t stick.

Here’s what tends to work well:

• Diagrams that break down complex processes
• Color-coded notes that make key points stand out
• Infographics that show big-picture info in a compact space
• Videos or animations that explain topics step-by-step
• Flashcards with bold visuals or icons

Mind mapping is another go-to for many visual learners. It’s where you place a main idea in the middle of the page, then build branches outward with related thoughts, facts, or connections. This kind of structured design helps make patterns and relationships between ideas much clearer.

Even little changes in how your notes look can make a big difference. Try using markers or highlighters to highlight symptoms in one color and treatments in another. That way, your brain starts storing those cues visually and creates faster recall when you’re under test conditions.

Visual learners also benefit from using physical space. Laying out index cards on a table, seeing a whiteboard full of terms, or even drawing out concepts with stick figures and arrows are all simple ways to build stronger mental images and help the info stick.

Effective Materials for Auditory Learners

Auditory learners tend to hold onto information better when it’s spoken out loud. If you find yourself reading something over and over with no luck but it clicks as soon as you hear someone say it, you might be an auditory learner.

Instead of packing all your time into reading, look for tools that let you listen, speak, or hear information in different ways. Some helpful material types include:

• Podcasts that cover PMHNP topics in short, focused episodes
• Recorded lectures or voice notes from your own studying
• Audio flashcards with terms and answers read aloud
• Study groups where you can talk through questions
• Repeating facts out loud or explaining them to someone else

Reading your notes out loud is a surprisingly simple way to support auditory memory. You can also record yourself summarizing a topic, then play it back during a walk or while cooking dinner. This makes review less boring and gives your brain a second chance to absorb the details.

Discussion-based review also works well. That might look like forming a small study group even just one partner and taking turns asking each other questions out loud. Saying content in your own words, then hearing it echoed back, helps build stronger recall.

For auditory learners, background noise can also have an effect. Some prefer silence, while others work better with calm instrumentals or soft ambient noise. If you’re reviewing audio materials, pair them with quiet time when possible so your brain can lock in the information without overload.

Reading/Writing Study Strategies That Stick

If you’re someone who likes to write things down or learn through reading, there’s a good chance this study style feels comfortable. Reading/writing learners usually enjoy highlighting, outlining, summarizing, and rewriting information. Words are the focus here, and that means materials like textbooks, handouts, and research articles are all fair game.

To make your review sessions more effective, try these tools and approaches:

• Organize your notes using bullet lists, tables, or comparison charts
• Write summaries of chapters or lecture content after each study session
• Use traditional flashcards, but write out detailed definitions on the back
• Answer practice questions in writing and explain why you chose each answer
• Keep a review notebook or digital doc where all of your takeaways live

Some reading/writing learners also benefit from rewriting notes by hand multiple times. It’s not just copying. You’re reshuffling the info in your own words, which helps reinforce your memory. Instead of reading a chapter and moving on, slow down and rework the main points onto index cards or into a new outline.

Quizzes work well too, even if they’re self-made. Using a notebook or app, you can create question banks from each topic area and review them weekly. You might be surprised how well this helps identify gaps and keep older topics fresh in your mind.

Adding in visual cues like boxes or color coding can give written material more structure. It breaks up long walls of text, allowing you to spot main ideas and relationships between topics faster. If reading and writing really work for you, these tweaks to your usual note-taking routine may give you an extra edge.

Best PMHNP Study Tools for Kinesthetic Learners

Kinesthetic learners do best when they’re physically involved in the process. Movement, action, and hands-on tools are important for locking in material. If you find it tough to stay still while studying or lose focus with long reading blocks, you might benefit from more active styles of review.

This kind of learning doesn’t mean you need a fancy simulation lab. There are simple ways to bring physical activity into your daily prep:

• Use physical flashcards and move around while reviewing them
• Act out scenarios, like client interactions or care plans
• Walk or pace around during audio reviews or while saying facts aloud
• Build practice quizzes that require real-time decisions
• Try study gadgets like dry-erase boards, magnetic study charts, or even sticky notes you can physically arrange

Role-play is especially helpful for PMHNP prep. Try going through how you would handle a high-risk assessment. Speaking it out while mimicking the steps with your hands or gestures helps commit it to memory more deeply.

Even something small like changing study locations throughout the day can help. If you sit on the couch for one section, then move to the kitchen table for another, it gives your body and brain a sense of movement and shift in focus. This prevents that restless feeling that often comes with too much sitting still.

Also, keep sessions short and varied. Long study blocks can start to feel sluggish, but if you break things up with quiz apps, physical notes, or teaching the content out loud to yourself, you keep energy levels high. That constant movement helps information stick.

Finding Your Personal Prep Formula

Most people aren’t just one type of learner. You might learn best with diagrams sometimes, and other times need to talk something out to understand it. Mixing and matching is a great way to keep your brain engaged and avoid burnout.

A blended study approach could look like this:

• Start with a video (visual), then summarize what you saw (reading/writing)
• Walk through your notes while talking them out loud (kinesthetic and auditory)
• Build a case scenario on paper, then role-play the solution (kinesthetic and reading/writing)
• Use color coding (visual), then read your notes aloud (auditory) for review

What matters is being flexible and honest with yourself when something isn’t working. If worksheets are dragging you down but talking it through brings it to life, make the shift. It’s okay to switch it up between topics too. Some areas of content may need more visual focus, while others benefit from hands-on practice.

Mixing styles also keeps study time from getting boring or repetitive. Studying isn’t just about logging hours. It’s about making the time count, and sometimes that means loosening the structure and letting your natural learning rhythm lead the way.

Learning how you study best takes patience, but once you figure it out, you can turn your study time into something that feels less like a grind and more like progress.

Ready to find the right balance in your PMHNP exam prep? Explore how our detailed PMHNP exam prep resources cater to various study styles to help you succeed. NP Exam Coach is here to help you get set on a personalized path to exam success.