Anatomy & Physiology question

Deb123j · Jan 14, 2005

I use the same book and sometimes find it difficult to understand also. I generally just use it to clarify something my instructor taught on that I don't completely understand.

Try looking at your class notes ~ reading about it in the text book ~ then reading your notes again. This might help you! Good luck!!!

Also try the book's web site - it has some great info on it.

Debbie

sleepymom · Jan 14, 2005

LOL I was wondering the same thing myself earlier this week. Nope. You aren't alone.

nurseboudin · Jan 14, 2005

Been there, done that. You eventually find something to make it click. I actually found that the text we were using in class was WAAAAAAAAAAY over my head, so I got another text book that I could understand from a used book store. I also used a lot of websites:

You can find them all here: http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/ap1.html

You really should try to understand the overall concept before reading into the minor details. Anatomy and Physiology for Dummies might be helpful - it was for me. Read that before going to your text and you might find it easier.

Good luck, and I hope you do well in your studies!

Shannon

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2005

We have to take Anatomy and Physiology seperate where I go to school. Physiology is the first set of weedout classes in our program. The teacher has taught for 30+ years. When I run into nurses who graduated from my school they always ask the same thing, if that Phys teacher is still there.

There were times that I had to reread a page 5 times to understand the concept. Try not to move on to the next sentence until you understand what is going on in the sentence you are reading. There were 2 times I thought I was going to never get it. Once with muscle fibers and the other time was the whole action potential sodium gates opening chlorine gates slamming shut deal. Just keep at it and eventually it will all click and you will be able to answer any question.

Good Luck!

Roseyposey · Jan 15, 2005

I have found it helpful to read a paragraph or two and then look away from the book, close my eyes, and think about what I just read and how it relates to what I am learning. If you're learning anatomy, look at your own body and figure out where things are. If you're working on physiology, think about how the material fits into the bigger picture. You can't read those texts like a novel. If nothing's sinking in from the book, walk away for 15 minutes to regroup.

Hoozdo, ADN · Jan 15, 2005

You are definitely not alone :rotfl: What helped me immensely was to start with the "big picture". I would do that by going to the website for the book and get the instructors lecture notes or reading the outline of the chapter at the end of the chapter FIRST. It was much easier to me to understand the big picture first and then work myself down to the intricate details.

Hope this helps,

Lu Ann

FutureNurse2005 · Jan 15, 2005

I try to read the material from another text as well. Sometimes people just need things to be worded differently in order for the concept to be grasped.

hth!

Mej · Jan 15, 2005

I read the book, went to the web site, and did the CD-ROM. I also found that the workbook we had with our book was helpful as well as these other web sites I found:

http://www.getbodysmart.com/index.htm

http://www.gen.umn.edu/faculty_staff/jensen/1135/webanatomy/

http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/marieb-essentials/

Good luck!

Califlower · Jan 15, 2005

Yes, reading other texts can help so much! I like Mosby's thoroughness, but it does get a bit complicated to comprehend.

You know what? Things like Anatomy virtually never changes -- what we knew about the human body is virtually unchanged from decades ago -- so as far as anatomy goes, all books should generally be the same. Try a book with more photos -- the coloring book helps too. It's all about how you learn -- some learn by listening, some by looking, some by reading, etc. I'm a real look and touch person -- I like working with models and actually seeing the styloid in the mandible and whatnot.

Ask the instructor if there's other instructors whose classes you can sit in, just to listen to lectures. Maybe a different teaching style will help.

kahumai, RN · Jan 16, 2005

I'm a visual person and thought it helped to draw things out in picture form. This made learning about muscle fibers, the Na/K pumps, etc. sooo much easier. Or try to teach it to someone because they say that determines whether you *really* know it or not...my poor boyfriend can tell you anything you want to know about diabetes, but I aced my test!

Purple Princess · Jan 16, 2005

This was generally the make you or break you course at our school for a lot of nursing students. We have to get a c or better in everything and i mean everything. But I had a really good professor for the second half and it made a world of difference. We used Fundamentals of A &P fifth ed. What helped me was how the teacher related the material to case studies and it helped the material stick better cause i thought wow this is really important. I could help a patient someday because i know what's going on in their body. Tutoring is helpful and also getting together with classmates, we often became good teachers/ motivators for each other to study and do well. I got a B and I was never so proud of that B. I was happy that I did well.