How to study for fundamentals and get an A?

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Hi everyone. I took my first fundamentals exam and got an 84%. 75-82% is a C so I barely made a B. The test was on 14 chapters and 98 questions. My teacher sent out the assigned readings in the summer before the program started. I began reading 2 weeks before starting nursing school and had another2 weeks into the program to study. So I studied for this exam for a month and an 84% was not what I was expecting :/. I was wondering what advice do you have on studying for fundamentals?

What I did was read every page word for word and took notes. I had an entire notebook of notes. I also did the practice questions at the end of every chapter.

When it's a lot of information to retain I can't rely good on my notebook notes. It helps me to take my notebook and simplify the notes into flashcards. Also I'm not sure if your questions are nclex style? Scenario questions? Could it be you know the material but have trouble with how it's asked?

Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Unfortunately, that's how a lot of the class will end up. 14 chapters for 1 exam is quite a lot though. The most I had was I think something like 10 chapters, and that was for peds (oh gawd). Only advice I can give you really is just to repeat the material and focus on any guides they give you or major points they mentioned in class over and over. Fundamentals is the basics and since there is so much content that it's tough to memorize all. I think getting a B is totally fine. My fundamentals exams always covered like 6ish chapters and I averaged a B and I read a LOT. I read each chapter once and typed up an outline of each chapter and used that to study.

Also, try to break down your old exam. Find out what type of questions your instructor has been asking you in that previous exam and maybe shift your studying to that.

Reading the book word for word is inefficient. Does the instructor have an outline or course objectives?

Specializes in PACU.

I just got a 101 on my first fundamentals test. What I did was not focus on memorizing every detail in the chapters and instead focusing on doing AT LEAST 5 NCLEX-style (sometimes more if I was on a roll) questions a day, every day, and study using concept maps. I would basically map out from general to specific information on each concept (vitas, physical assessment, nursing process, etc) from memory. Constantly. I didn't study more than an hour or two a day to avoid burnout and took constant breaks. I also did not study at all the day before the test. I just relaxed. I think it helped me a lot the day of the test.

You say you're taking notes, but are you taking effective notes? Do you remember what you wrote 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, etc. later? I don't take notes while reading. I read each chapter 2 times. One just to read, the second time to pick out the important info that I will map out on my concept map later. It's helped immensely.

You say you're taking notes, but are you taking effective notes? Do you remember what you wrote 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, etc. later? I don't take notes while reading. I read each chapter 2 times. One just to read, the second time to pick out the important info that I will map out on my concept map later. It's helped immensely.

Hi there! I start nursing school in January but I would love to see if your concept map technique would work for me. Would you provide a sample for me to take a look at? Thank you! 😊

Specializes in Med/Surg, Oncology.

I got a 95% on my last Fundamentals test and I found the Fundamentals Success book to be very helpful to use before an exam. Lots of great practice questions and all our exams are in NCLEX style.

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