2nd semester all over again

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · May 26, 2006

First, please drop the what ifs!

Imagine how many students have been killing themselves to get into the program and YOU DID IT!!

Congratulations.

Second, think about changing your learning pattern. Take a thorough inventory of your study habits and break them all. Find a new study buddy, change the time of day you spend reading. Look for a new place in the library or a new library.

Take that fantastic drive and pull into the offices of your instructors. They want to see you excel and I bet they are interested in giving you ideas of how to improve in your specific program.

Feel free to IM me for continued assist/support.

Sheri257 · May 26, 2006

The biggest reason I see people fail in nursing school is not because they couldn't do it, but because they didn't knuckle down and study hard for every single test during the semester. You gotta grab as many points as you can throughout the semester, and you can't wait until the end to do that.

You gotta build a cushion of points so if you do bomb a test or the final, it's not going to hurt that much. The biggest problem is that people wait until the last few weeks, and don't study throughout the semester where they can get more points when you finally catch a break and get the occassional easier tests. You've got to stay on top of it all of the time. If you do that, you'll make it.

The other thing I would recommend is study every NCLEX guide you can get your hands on, not just the assigned material. Ask your teachers which NCLEX guides they like because, a lot of times, their questions are similar to those guides. It also really helps you figure out the tests and those tricky critical thinking questions.

:typing

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 26, 2006

Hi, purplehaze! Welcome to allnurses. Since you already know what you are going to be studying and have had the tests, the summer is a good time for you to take another look at the material again. If you haven't already done it, you need to review your tests and find out why you answered questions incorrectly. Was it because you really didn't know the material? Or, did you just not understand the application type questions that nursing instructors like to give? As you started to study some of the major diseases and how nursing care impacts on them you need to focus on "why" you are doing the nursing interventions. This means you need to understand the pathophysiology of the diseases, what tests and medications are normally ordered for them and what the normal healing pathway would be. All this information impacts the nursing decisions you will make. Fluids and electrolytes are usually introduced in the second semester and some focus is placed on them. Do you feel you know this subject? Many students find it a difficult one.

I encourage you to check out the posts on the General Nursing Student Discussion Forum and the Nursing Student Assistance Forum here at allnurses. You will find many other student nurses posting there who will have some great advice for you. Plus, there are a number of threads with information and web links in them to help student nurses with their studies.

mandaleigh · May 28, 2006

I feel for ya!! The advice that Lizz gave was excellent!! Good luck !!

purplehaze · May 28, 2006

Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it! :=)

mandana · May 28, 2006

You've gotten really great advice already.

I also just wanted to tell you that some of my classmates who I think will be the BEST nurses are not necessarily the best academically. Some people have a quality that is hard to define and will really make them stars clinically even though they struggle a bit academically.

You can do it!

Amanda

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · May 28, 2006

Purple, I've gone into Barnes and Noble and found two books that are helpful to nursing students that give great advice. One is "How to Like and Maybe Even Love Nursing School" and the other is in the Incredibly Easy series called "Nursing Student Success Made Incredibly Easy" They list tips for studying and other things. I haven't bought theses books yet; I just sit there and read them and there was a lot I learned just about how to study! Try it for yourself! Maybe it can help. :) Good luck to you and be sure to post back!

purplehaze · May 30, 2006

I will definetly read the book you recommended! Thanks for your advice! I greatly appreciate it :-)

NurseyTonyaLPN · May 30, 2006

Good luck to you! School is not easy for most anybody, and if you have the will and drive and determination, you will make it. Just don't let anything get in your way, and try, try again if that's what it takes. I know a lot of people who failed or dropped out and went back and stuck to it. You can do it! And it will be easier after you've been through it one time already, you already have some basics and can concentrate on the stuff you had trouble with. Tonya

Jack39 · May 30, 2006

First, please drop the what ifs!
Imagine how many students have been killing themselves to get into the program and YOU DID IT!!
Congratulations.
Second, think about changing your learning pattern. Take a thorough inventory of your study habits and break them all. Find a new study buddy, change the time of day you spend reading. Look for a new place in the library or a new library.
Take that fantastic drive and pull into the offices of your instructors. They want to see you excel and I bet they are interested in giving you ideas of how to improve in your specific program.
Feel free to IM me for continued assist/support.

Excellent advice, and I hope you are a preceptor at some point. Thank you for your positive post!

anne74 · May 30, 2006

Getting a good study buddy is very helpful. Also, get a good medical dictionary, like "Taber's". That helped me enormously! It gives you the quick to-the-point definition of things. Also - try to find material that is written for patients. I think many nursing professors have been in the medical community for so long, they aren't able to put it into terms for people learning it for the first time. Check out www.kidshealth.com or www.webmd.com. Those helped me understand the fundamental concepts of things, and then you can expand on them.

Lastly - and most importantly - nursing school is nothing like real-world nursing. So if you're having trouble in nursing school, it doesn't mean you'll have trouble as a nurse. Good luck!