Nursing Fundamentals

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Hi everybody,

today we had our orientation for the upcoming term. Obviously the first course will be Nursing Fundamentals and I got seriously intimidated by the faculty members and graduate students. They were telling us how tough the program is and that many, many hours of studying are required to pass the course. They said approx. 40-50hours per week!! So, on top of that it doesn't include the lecture, lab, or clinical time that we have to invest into it. Also, I have to take my A&P II at the same time to get that out of the way. I heard it is much easier if you have that kind of background for all the nursing classes. So, I was wondering if anyone has tips on how to study for nursing fundamentals and how you organized your time for that? Any advice wis appreciated :)

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

My tip is to not put much stock into what other people say regarding the rigor of any class or program. Through several degree programs I've found many purportedly brutal classes to be rather easy while I have labored at ones which others have said were quite simple.

Consistent and diligent study should be all that's necessary to get you through nursing school and any given class therein.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.
Also remember that nursing school isn't like any other education you ever had. You can't take a course, pass the final, sell the book to someone in the next class, and forget it. All the classes you take will have a direct and immediate use in all the courses to follow. You will constantly refer back to the books you used in prior semesters. You have to really understand the whys of everything they teach you, so you can apply them to the novel situations you will encounter in a later semester.Your faculty-- and the NCLEX-- will expect that you will be able to do that, and if you can't/won't, you will fail.

Therefore the minute something doesn't make complete and total sense to you and you can't think why it would ever be useful, find out immediately. (I used to ask my students all the time, "Why do we care about this?") Those moments tend to pile up if not cleared away, and before you know it, you're in too deep. Always know why, and you'll have the tools you need for problem-solving (what they call "critical thinking") later.

This is very true. So don't sell your books! I'm even regretting selling my OB and peds textbooks because once in a great while they will float me to mother-baby and we also have peds on my unit (mixed adult-peds floor).

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thank you all for your helpful advices. I am planning on reading as soon as I get my books. Only problem is I cannot concentrate for long periods. I always get distracted, so hopefully I will do better once I start the fundamentals. At my school the Nursing Fundamentals is a 7 credit course and the faculty members told us because of the study time required it is seen as a 10credit course. I think I would feel much better if I had my A&P completed. I was wondering if there is a lot of A&P background necessary for this class?

@Happyloser, the NCLEX passing rate was 100% at my school but only 8 students made it through the program. This might be a reason the rate is so high!

How many students apply to this program that only graduates 8 students???? I actually find that number.....unusual.......it only graduated 8 students???

If you are easily distracted......you will probably have to really focus in a school that is in the Florida Keys......the ocean. island living... is probably very distracting.

I wish you the very best!!!!!!

How many students apply to this program that only graduates 8 students???? I actually find that number.....unusual.......it only graduated 8 students???

If you are easily distracted......you will probably have to really focus in a school that is in the Florida Keys......the ocean. island living... is probably very distracting.

I wish you the very best!!!!!!

Well I know it has seats for 60 students. However, this semester only 22 (including me) got accepted. I know hundreds of people apply, hence I figured I wouldn't get accepted. So, I really can't tell you how many got accepted back then but it does seem pretty scary! My school actually has a library with ocean view haha. But the library isn't my place to study because I always read out loud LOL

Get a good calendar and write out all your assignments, tests and readings, breaking the readings up into equal number of pages you have to read each day to keep up to date.

Get a Rx for adderall. They don't call it the study drug for nothing. It will help you concentrate.

The fundamentals material wasn't difficult at all, it's just a lot of reading. The tests are really the hard part, you CANNOT read into the questions at all. It's a mix of law, nursing history, differences in culture, etc. I found it more difficult to really absorb all that than learning about TB.

Read ahead, and what I find that works really well, GO BACK OVER THE MATERIAL AFTER CLASS. Go back over it, you'll be amazed at how much sinks back in a couple hours after class has ended.

First, take a deep breath! Feel better? :)

I am in Fundamentals right now. We have our 5th exam tomorrow morning and our final in 2 weeks! The best advice I can think of to give to you is to read what everyone else is saying here (we're all trying to help!) but keep in mind that everyone's learning style is different. After everything I've heard and read about how hard nursing school is, I almost didn't come back after orientation!! I'm not a person who can sit down and read a textbook. When I've tried that, the information goes right through without sticking. I think studying starts in class. LISTEN to the instructor (I see lots of people playing on cell phones and not paying attention). I take notes in class of what I think is important and then use my textbook as a reference when I don't understand something or just need further explanation. I have never studied anywhere CLOSE to 40-50 hours for a test (let alone in a week!) and I have a 92%. Not the highest grade I could have, but I haven't heard of anyone in my class with a higher one!

I'm also taking A&P I and math, which can be challenging when those classes have tests in the same week, but it's REALLY not unmanageable!

I've never been an A student, but I have A's in all three of my classes, and I'm not killing myself studying. There is hope!! :) Best of luck!!!

I have to second the comments about taking what people say about the "difficulty" of any particular class with 60 mg of NaCl.

I'm currently taking A&P I, PSY 235 and Math for clinical calculations. Of course, A&P is the one that requires the most attention but a few months ago, I heard people saying that the math class was REALLY tough. Frankly, my second grader is learning most of what I'm "learning" in this math class.

It all depends on the person. We are all wired for different kinds of subjects. Just apply yourself, study in reasonable chunks of time (no more than 2 hours at a stretch for me) and don't get too far down in the weeds, trying to memorize a bunch of stuff you don't need to know.

Thank you all for your nice inputs! I feel much better already! Many good suggestions, I really appreciate your help!!

Specializes in Public Health Nurse.

All we can tell you is the what worked for us. You will read different suggestions, some will make sense to you, some may not. You take what will work for you. Nursing education is not a piece of cake, but that is my take on it. It was the hardest thing for me and the most rewarding. I still watch our commencement video to re-live what I have accomplished.

I felt as if I never had enough time to study, but I attribute this to working full time in an environment that was somewhat toxic from management. To leave work in such a state to go to night school and try to keep focus with all that was not easy for me, but I also have an over study attitude.

The book I know helped our overall class to pass Fundamentals was the book Fundamental for Success. The book is about $40 new, and you can probably get it cheaper used. It was a great addition to the textbook. I highly recommend it.

I too, find it hard that you made it without A&P II, but each college/university is different. I always recommend any future nurse student to finish their pre-requisites so that they can focus only in the nursing program.

It is also true what one poster stated, each semester will lead to the next, so try to understand as you go along, and when something does not make sense then STOP and ask.

Best wishes for your success.

PS...I would love to study in your library with the view you described, something about seeing the water is relaxing.

I too am just starting Nursing school, Jan 7th is my first day. I'm excited to start this new chapter in my life, but also scared out of my mind! Thank you to all that have commented with helpful hints, this has helped to clam my nerves a little.

Specializes in L&D.

I agree with previous posts...do your readings! While it does make life a lot easier if you have your A&P I and II background to draw from, this isn't as important for fundamentals as it is for Med Surg or Pathophysiology. You'll be fine. I thought fundamentals was easier than med-surg. Good luck!

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