Top 5 Books Every Nursing Aspirant Must Have in 2025
Books vs Coaching Notes
A common dilemma is whether to read standard textbooks or rely on coaching notes. The truth is, standard books (like Brunner) build your base, while coaching notes (like NPrep) are for revision and exam-oriented facts. You need a mix of both.
The Holy Trinity of Nursing Books
If you can only buy three books, make them: 1. Target High (For MCQs), 2. PR Yadav (For Volume 1 & 2), and 3. Saunders NCLEX RN (For Clinical Concepts). These three cover 90% of what you need.
Subject-Wise Recommendations
MSN: Brunner & Suddarth is the gold standard, but for quick reading, use Lewis. Pediatrics: O.P. Ghai is excellent but vast; Parul Datta is more student-friendly. CHN: K. Park is essential for CHO exams.
MCQ Books
Theory is useless without practice. Target High is great for image-based questions. PR Yadav is excellent for factual questions (good for RRB). For AIIMS NORCET, Saunders Q&A is a must for scenario-based practice.
The Role of Coaching Notes
Standard books are hard to revise in the last month. This is where NPrep Gold Batch Notes shine. They condense 1000 pages into 100 pages of high-yield tables and flowcharts.
Non-Nursing Books (For RRB)
For the non-tech section of RRB, buy Lucent's General Knowledge and R.S. Aggarwal's Quantitative Aptitude. Don't go too deep; stick to the basics.
Digital vs Physical
Physical books allow you to highlight and bookmark. However, they are heavy and expensive. Digital versions (PDFs) are portable. We suggest buying physical copies of MCQ books and using digital versions for theory reference.
How to Read a Textbook
Don't read cover to cover like a novel. Use the syllabus as a map. Read the topic in the book, then immediately solve MCQs related to it. If you can't solve MCQs, your reading was passive.
Mistakes to Avoid
Buying too many books is a trap. "Resource Hoarding" leads to anxiety. Stick to one theory book and one MCQ book per subject. Master them completely before buying new ones.
Conclusion
Books are your tools. Choose them wisely. A good book is an investment that pays off with a lifetime of government salary.
Start Building Your Library
Buy one book at a time.
Use Highlighters
Color code your notes.
Solve Daily
Do 50 pages of MCQs daily.
Join NPrep
Get the best digital notes.
Share
Help your juniors choose right.
Final Tip
Read the rationale, not just the answer.
Must-Have Books Checklist
| Book Name | Best For | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Saunders NCLEX RN (9th Ed) | Concept Building & Scenarios | High (NORCET) |
| Target High (6th Ed) | Image Based Qs & Previous Papers | High (All Exams) |
| PR Yadav Vol 1 & 2 | Factual MCQs & Theory | High (RRB/State) |
| K. Park (CHN) | Community Health Details | High (CHO) |
| DC Dutta (OBG) | Maternal Nursing | Medium |
Book Budgeting (Approx)
| Book | Price |
|---|---|
| Saunders | ₹2,500 |
| Target High | ₹1,200 |
| PR Yadav Set | ₹1,000 |
| Total Investment | ₹4,700 |
Reading Strategy
| Phase | Resource |
|---|---|
| Concept Phase | Standard Textbooks / Video Lectures |
| Practice Phase | MCQ Books (Target High) |
| Revision Phase | Coaching Notes / Short Notes |
Quick Summary
Common Mistakes
How to Effective Use Nursing Books
- 1
Read the chapter summary first to get an overview.
- 2
Read the main text and highlight keywords.
- 3
Make your own short notes in the margins.
- 4
Solve the questions at the end of the chapter.
- 5
If you get a question wrong, go back and re-read that paragraph.