Does anyone actually read all the reading assignments?

Nursing Students General Students

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In my prereqs I read and outlined every chapter. I just want to know if that way of studying will work or not. It is very time consuming. Does anyone have a better way? I don't mind reading but I just don't want to feel overwhelmed if the truth is no one can read that much!

I actually seem to do better when I focus on the lectures and don't read the book. I skim and read boxes and tables, but not much more than that. This summer I am reading the book based on last semester's syllabus. I love to read anyway, and at least I'll be more familiar with the material this way.

During pre-reqs I NEVER read a page of any textbook and passed with all A's by studying notes and powerpoints. My first year of the nursing program I did the same and passed with all A's and B's. The second year of the program I tried this again and realized that it was not going to work any longer. I had to start reading the textbooks to pass. This coming year will be my last year and I plan to read all of the assignments. So, what may work for you at the beginning may not work as you continue throughout the program.

I read all of it. I read a chunk and then do my notes...read another chunk, do those notes...etc. I am a ridiculously fast reader though, and I wonder how people who read at a slower pace manage the readings. But I can't read straight through, I won't retain most of it due to the sheer volume of material. So, I chunk it up :) Most times I skip around as well. Right now I am reading and taking notes from our critical care book for my fall class. I am reading and taking notes on 4 chapters at a time. That works better for me, maybe my brain is wired in a weird way LOL!

:D

Specializes in Emergency.

Never once did I read any of my textbooks...ever...passed all classes with A...My advice...all of nursing school can be honed down to "themes" and that's that...yes yes you need to understand the basic pathophysiology/A&P etc.. etc..(Technically- you should have learned that before you got into nursing school...I wholeheartedly believe pharmacology/med term etc... must be a mandatory pre-req too!!!)Ultimately-it comes down to basically the same ideas over and over when it comes to nursing care-you will not find that reading thousands of pages over and over that essentially repeat the same info! Really-as with most things-to be blunt-It aint that complex! I did an experiment early on and read an entire chapter...the pertinent info I needed was found in a total of one or two sentences...the rest was fluff and repetition...how else are they going to fill the book to sell it! Never opened a book again-money well wasted (especially since its all found online/library/multitudes of "free" sources...sad that the schools are still so archaic-don't let them dupe you into thinking you MUST have this book-hogwash...just investigate for yourself-nursing info-the basics-aint changed that much! (I am waiting for the evidence based argument to ensue...)...find what works for you but always remember "Occams Razor" And...start doing NCLEX questions from day 1...that is also how I studied...got me a bunch of question books/online sights and did them constantly...you will soon see that there is only "so much" info out there worth repeating...good luck!

Specializes in ER.

90% of the time but I learn better by reading and I read fast. However, during lecture I need to be doing a mindless task in order to concentrate better like play Plants vs Zombies or snake. It sounds weird but my instructors didn't seem to mind because I actually asked and answered questions.

Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

Yes, I did.

Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

I always focused on the powerpoints and read the chapter summaries first. Then I would skim the chapter for any extra info I needed. But did I read everything? Nope. Did I wing tests? Yep. Am I nurse today? Yep. :)

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