How to not fail nursing school

Asklepios · May 9, 2007

A lot of good advice here. I have been taking pre-reqs over the last year - Chemistry in Fall and AP I in Spring. I haven't really tried very hard but got an A in Chem and have a solid B in AP I. I know that NS is going to be much more difficult and that I will have to apply myself much more, but I'm fortunate that i don't have as many distractions as some people. I don't have kids or a wife.

Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · May 9, 2007

Wow Dixie, great post! So true on your tips. The biggest thing that I have seen (and I haven't even started NS yet!!) is that people come into class totally unprepared, not to mention late, and by the time they get their things organized enough to start listening, the class is half over and they have missed out on very important information. All along causing those of us that were there on time to be distracted by all the noise and movement from the back of the class where these type of people tend to sit. I have had people call me teacher's pet because I try to sit in the front, but it is not because I want to become anyone's pet, it is because I want to learn and not miss a thing. I do get easily distracted by noise from others who come in late, chatter in the back and disrupt the class, and it isn't fair to us who are trying to learn. The main thing is to get to class early, get your things ready and be ready to learn when the instructor is ready to teach. Same thing applies to clinicals.

Great post. I also get distracted when people talk or come in late, even though I sit up front. :nono:

lizzyberry · May 9, 2007

Take nursing school seriously. If you have a class scheduled, be there and be there on time. Most programs have participation points built into their grading system. It's an easy way to get points & when often the difference between passing or failing is just a portion of a percent, evey point is important. We had 6 students join our group after our first term. They had failed their 2nd term & were repeating it. Every one of them come in late, often missed class, & passed notes & chattered in the back of the room during lecture. Two of them still didn't pass the second time around because they didn't change their habits and several more from my original group, didn't make it through to third term either.
Sit toward the front of the room. I never sit behind someone. I miss out on some of the "fun" but I don't miss what the teacher says & I can see & read the board. I am not distracted by people whispering or losing my concentration when something happens in front of me. Not only that, the teacher knows I am there, am interested & is much more willing to help me if I need her assistance. By the way, my class has 3 students who made the "high honors" list. We all sit in the front row.
I've read many times here that some students feel you don't need to read the textbook, that the guides or powerpoints tell what the teacher feels is important & that's what they concentrate on. That may work in some programs but certainly not all. I usually read my text with my study guide beside me. I add additional comments to it that I feel is important. Then in class, I add additional notes from the lecture. Finally, after the lecture, I pull out my laptop & bring up that study guide & put all my notes into it, a very good way of reviewing what I just learned and when I need it to study for the quiz or later for finals, I can actually read what I added & don't have to try to decipher some scribbles.
Realize that even as hard as you study, you may not know or have studied some of the stuff the teacher puts on the test. You're going to miss some questions. So, when you are given assignments, make sure you do it all exactly as the teacher wants. You have control over those points & if done correctly can get 100%. If you have a paper that requires APA format, make sure it is all correctly formatted, make sure your sources are right, make sure you have enough resources & the right kind, and give credit to those sources. Most teachers provide a rubric that states exactly what you need to do to get a good score & how deviations from that will change your score. Last term I had 3 huge projects. I did what I am advising you & only lost 1 point total. The teacher told us that it was the first time she gave a 100% on one of the projects & made everyone look at it to see what she was looking for. She kept all three projects to use for examples for future classes and my poster is on display in some pediatrician's office in the area. The points I got from those projects made the difference between an A & an A-. Heck, in pharm, it saved me from a B. The grade in my case isn't important, but for some of my classmates, it could have been the difference between passing & failing the class.
Finally, if you have a clinical scheduled, be there! In our program they tell us that you can miss one clinical & still pass but there is no way to miss more & pass. What they didn't mention was that your daily scores better be really high if you plan to still pass it with one absence. If your work isn't up to par one day, that may make the difference between failing & passing & in my program, if you fail clinical, you repeat clinical, lab, & class.
Good luck. I suspect that if you take even just a portion of the suggestions you get, you'll do fine.
Dixie

I dont understand how there are students who dont care while they are in the program. It is so hard to get in the program and so many students that get denied. I would think students would want to learn and not goof off in nursing school because it is so hard to get in.

Annabelle57 · May 9, 2007

My humble two cents:

--Be there at every class, every clinical. Even though most all of our classes don't directly penalize for missing classes, the results are always reflected in the exam grades. I myself do better on exams when I have not missed a class.

--Get a voice recorder and - with permission, of course - record your lectures. Listen to them again. I am always amazed at the test questions I "hear" when I listen to the lecture for the second time (first hearing was in the actual class).

--Sit at the front of the class. It helps if you are dealing with chatty classmates, soft-spoken professors, or are just generally easily distractable (like me!).

--Do your own work. Using someone else's study guide/notes might help, but doing the study guide (or retyping the notes) yourself really drives the material home, and it's worth the extra time to do it.

--Get a good study group! This has been the best help of all for me - pick serious students who are doing well in the class.

--Don't be afraid to ask for help early on. The study group can help with this, but even if you start out a class on a low grade and don't feel you are "getting" the material, seek out the help of your professor and/or classmates. There's no shame in it, and it can only benefit you.

--Good family and friend support is vital here, especially if you have children. Let other people know what you need, whether it's some quiet time to study or someone else to do the dishes/laundry/errands or whatever.

Honestly, the way I've seen most people fail our program are those who are just not serious about their studies - skipping classes, poor study habits, etc. - and not because family issues get in the way. We have some amazing parents in our program, juggling school with raising kids and doing very well all around, so it can certainly be done! Good luck!

Scrubz · May 9, 2007

Good study habits, and manage your time. Just google it and you should find some good info.

Good study habits especially. Study a little every day rather than cramming for a test.

kukukajoo, LPN · May 9, 2007

Another one- If you have permission- tape the lectures as above. You can even add your own things at the end. Then play this when you are cooking dinner and sleeping. I know- it sounds corny, but you will hardly notice it but will be absorbing the information!! I swear it helps and has been proven to help!

lizzyberry · May 10, 2007

Another one- If you have permission- tape the lectures as above. You can even add your own things at the end. Then play this when you are cooking dinner and sleeping. I know- it sounds corny, but you will hardly notice it but will be absorbing the information!! I swear it helps and has been proven to help!

It doesnt sound corny that is a really good idea. You can get stuff done while studying thats great advice.

jemommyRN · May 12, 2007

You have received some excellent tips. I would follow each of them because they all help with success in nursing school.

kukukajoo, LPN · May 12, 2007

It doesnt sound corny that is a really good idea. You can get stuff done while studying thats great advice.

If anyone doubts that it works- try to count the number of songs you don't even like but know almost by heart because you have heard them so much!!

crazirn, RN · May 12, 2007

I agree with everybody else, you need to stay focused. House work is the last on the list. I was an LPN and went back to school after 18 years, I was still raising 5 children and a husband (very supportive). I used to lock myself in my bedroom, snuck a little nap in and studied. I used to use the NCLEX books to study for test. I also prayed and cried alot. But I did and you can too, hang in there.

I also think back to somebody asking me what I was doing and told them that I was going to school, but at that time had no idea of when I was graduating. Their statement to me was "At least you are doing something". For some reason that always stuck with me. Good Luck

romerog · May 15, 2007

Real hardwork like familiarization with the weeks topic within that same week with the use of the above tips and seal the goal with a prayer. Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you.

This is a lesson I have learned this past semester. After studying so hard for the finals, I prayed and posted big signs on all sides of my bedroom which said"God is watching and guiding. You can do it. Make it this test".

I got my miracle despite seeming impossibility.

RNStudent123 · May 16, 2007

Get a group of people to study with and discuss the concepts instead of memorizing facts. I have a study group that has a different range of strengths, so we all bring something different to the table. We all do well on exams because we spend alot of time together helping each other out. The best part is that we all have great chemistry and spend half the time laughing our butts off which reduces stress. I can't remember how many times I got an aswer right because the question on an exam had to do with a topic we laughed about during study group. (We found a way to laugh about everything!)