What am I doing wrong when studying??

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · May 16, 2012

You're probably studying too much. I know this is hard to hear, but it's true. I am about to start third semester, and I just finished a grueling second semester. Second semester was divided up into two 8 week sessions. One 8 week session crammed 16 weeks of information into a condensed version of torment. For the first 8 weeks, I studied all the time. I read, I made notes, I made note cards, and I did anything else I thought would help. I ended up with grades in the 82-88 range. I was dissatisfied with this, and I asked my instructor what I could do. She told me to stop studying so much.

During the second 8 weeks, I only read and studied for two to three days before the test. My grades improved, and jumped to the 90-96 range. I ended this 8 weeks one point from an A. I've stopped making note cards, I only study for around three days, and I give my mind time to rest and process the information I learn in class. When I study, I focus on ATI, NCLEX questions, and our online My Nursing Kit questions. I only read my Pearson books for the pathophysiology.

Maybe you should try not studying as much. I'm not saying stop studying, I'm just saying take a break and give yourself time to absorb the information.

3boys_n_a_dog · May 16, 2012

I have learned to study based on the nursing process.

A- what am I assessing. what is normal and what is not

D- We have to know the diagnosis pertaing to the clients problem or symptoms from said DX

P- what is a goal I expect for such and such dx to obtain

I- what are the likely interventions for info in the question

E- what should happen after I intervene or when is something totally wrong.

Since studying like this I have done fine. I don't read the numerous powerpoints. I listen intently in lecture and focus on normal and abnormal findings, pertinent labs, What should I as the nurse do without a physician first, what can I rule out, what are meds for any condition studied, side effects. And priority questions are what to do first it almost always assess something, If not go with ABC's what will kill patient first, then move to Maslow's.

Hope this helps

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · May 17, 2012

Nursing education is about being faced with a wealth of information and figuring out how to pull out the most important details. Questions that ask you to chose the "most right" answer out of 4 or 5 right answers are telling you this. Instead of trying to absorb every detail of lecture, listen keenly for the details that are stressed - THAT's the information they want you to know. Take a blank notebook to lectures and only write down those things. If you look at those notes later and don't understand why those things are so important, refer to your slides and other materials to help you understand why. Don't expect to become an encyclopedia of nursing knowledge. It ain't gonna happen.

calljs15, ADN · May 19, 2012

I tutor nursing students at my school and I can tell you what I tell them..

Nursing material is not something you simply read, and then take a test on... Yes you need to "know" that information, but how?

Active vs Passive studying techniques..

Simply reading and highlighting and going to lecture are not going to help you memorize the material.

First tip: Read the material before class

As you read, you can highlight/type/write down notes.. but don't highlight everything. Highlight the most important pieces.. "What's the patho for this disease" "What are my give-away symptoms, or most critical symptoms" .. Is there anything that is going to differentiate this disease from other diseases either in the symptoms or lab work? Those are the things you want to pay attention to - don't worry about the broad, generic things like "side effects for this drug will give you n/v/d" every drug can give you n/v or whatever.. look for symptoms like.. "side effects are tinnitus, sudden severe headache, green eye balls, whatever etc"

When you go to lecture - write down your own notes if you are a hands-on learner. Or if you are a visual learner, high light power points. If you are an audio learner, record the lecture - listen to it while you work out or drive or clean the house.

Take all of that information that you've collected and picked out as important, and put it into your own notes - don't just passively read the class material over and over. If you want to KNOW your stuff, make your own master copy of notes - a collection of information from the book, lecture and power points.

Use this master copy and look at it every day... How often? EVERY DAY. Is it easier to memorize something you've seen 3 times, or 30 times? A couple of days before the test, you should know your master copy so well that you can recite it without looking.

Try interactive learning like comparing notes with a study buddy, or group. Take turns teaching each other about the topics.

You will have proven you know your material when you are able to teach someone else.

Those are some of my tips, good luck!