A&PI - Need Advice!!

stpauligirl · Jan 26, 2006

Tonight was my first A&PI class and I'm sooo scared!! The class is very overwhelming!! :uhoh21: My instructor says to study 10 hours a week and if you don't have an A or B in the middle of the semester, then drop the class!! For the school, you need a C or better in A&P for the nursing program, but it is VERY competitive!! Anyone else feel overwhelmed by this class??
Also, my instuctor said if you're going into nursing, then you should get a job in a hospital - I've tried to, but how are you supposed to if you don't have any experience?? I have a BS, but that doesn't help...
Any advice/thoughts would be great!!! :)

For now forget about the job and concentrate on your A&P class. I finished the class last semester and it is a very demanding class and YES I felt totally overwhelmed. But if you study everyday, look over your notes daily, and do all the reading ahead of lectures and all practice exercises you should be ok. You need to dedicate yourself to the material because it will require alot of memorization. Make the class a priority and if you think you have too many other classes, drop them now. C's are not competitive, don't matter how many people might want to tell you otherwise. I'd go with your teacher's advice on that one. If I don't have at least a B in any of these science classes by the time the withdraw date comes around I am OUT and withdraw before I have a permanent undesirable grade tarnishing my transcript !!!!! (so far so good and I didn't have to resort to it yet) Relax and focus on the material here and now and work hard on not getting behind. If you have trouble with something get a tutor at your school, don't wait t'ill its too late. The A&P support thread here at this site was vey helpful to me, so if you run into any problems please ask for help. Good luck and study, study, study and you will be alright :)

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jan 26, 2006

I have a BS, but that doesn't help...Any advice/thoughts would be great!!!

Jame: First of all, you mention you have a BS....so I think you're going to be fine...unless you've got a teacher who is totally off-the-wall and tough as nails....second of all, I'm a 50-year old woman who only got her BS in '99 (not in nursing) and I spent ALL of my school years AVOIDING the sciences like the plague....my high school GPA was like a 2.0 (obviously many years ago)....so, when I decided to now go the RN path, I was petrified!! I was not familiar with metrics and it had been almost the 5-year limit since I had taken the biology required for my associate's.

You know what? All my prereqs are done -- and then some -- and the lowest grade I got in anything was a "B" -- in A & P II and Chemistry (good heavens, someone should've told me to know metrics before I took that class!!)....but honestly, if *I* could do it, anyone who wants to give it their all can do it!!

I seriously think you'll be fine....but I think the previous poster makes a lot of sense....if you're that worried, forget the job until you see how this goes.....and if you're sinking near withdrawal time, then better to do drop than lower your GPA -- particularly if programs in your area are competitive....here at the community college you go on a waiting list whether you're a "C" average or an "A" average -- first come, first served....but most programs apparently are not.

Good Luck!! I bet you'll be fine!! :redpinkhe

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2006

i wouldn't get too hung up on the number of hours you study per week. you want to be able to understand what it is you are learning. some people can do that in a couple of hours and others need more time. don't aggravate your anxiety by putting yourself in a race with other students. it's you against the test the instructor gives--end of story. if you still have your copy of the class schedule, there should be a page in it that gives the semester calendar. it should list out all the important dates you need to know for the school term you are in. that includes that last date you can drop a class and get your tuition fully reimbursed, the last date to drop a class without a "w" on your transcripts and the last date to drop a class with a "w" on your transcripts. this is the date most students pay attention to. it's your "out" in case you are getting a poor grade. otherwise, you will be stuck with a poor grade. anything below a "c" is considered failing. i don't know why they even give "d"s because they might as well be "f"s.

anatomy usually requires a lot of memorizing. here are a few of what i think are the better web sites i've found for help with a&p. some of them are quite extensive, so you may have to do some surfing around on them to find things you like. the more varied and frequent your forays into studying the material you are supposed to learn, the more you will retain and understand. if you don't have to work, don't even attempt it. this class has very important information that you need to master. you'll have plenty of time later on to do patient care.

http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy/ - these are links into fun interactive anatomy quizzes designed for freshman anatomy and physiology students presented by the university of minnesota. they are organized by body system and subjects. you can take the quizzes as a single player on your own, against a timed clock, or on line against other students (still under construction). at the left side are links into a group of matching questions and lots of diagrams of anatomical structures to labeling organized by body system. http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy_archive/default.htm - the original web anatomy site presented by the university of minnesota. it is the mother lode of anatomy pictures to label from the university of minnesota web anatomy site. the links on the left side of the page will take you to more links of all kinds of anatomy pictures for you people who want practice labeling anatomical diagrams! it is organized by body systems, but includes sections on cells and medical terminology. knock yourself out!

http://www.sirinet.net/~jgjohnso/index.html - home page of the biology teacher at frederick high school in frederick, oklahoma. this instructor teaches a high school class of a&p. although you want to link into the biology ii homepage, i notice that there is information in the biology i homepage to link into that also pertains to some a&p. there are plenty of quizzes and practice exercises scattered throughout this extensive site, but i could not find any answers. presented in a little easier than college level, i thought this was an awesome introduction to a&p!

http://www.indiana.edu/~anat215/index.html - web site for indiana university a&p class - there is a link to their publishers textbook student pages. lecture notes are links into the instructor's outline of what was covered in lecture

http://www.kensbiorefs.com/humphy.html - here is a page of links to more specific links to get information on the various body systems - check the links on the left side of the page for links to information on cells chemistry, structure and function - there is extensive information to access from this site

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/aplab/index.html - this is a very large site developed by the a&p department of the university of wisconsin to help students to study laboratory materials for practical exams - lots of labeled pictures! click on "table of contents" at the left to link into the massive information on this site. there is also a section of exam questions at the link "ap test home".

missninaRN · Jan 26, 2006

I agree with the idea that your study should be varied and frequent. Don't study for long blocks of time. Do small sessions instead. You will remember more that way. Always re-read your notes or flashcards right before you lay down to sleep. You'll be amazed by how much you recall the next morning. Repetition of small amounts at a time is key and far more effective than long sessions spent cramming lots of info into your head all at once.

Re-write your notes. Make flash cards. Make up stories or jingles to learn long lists. Make up visual images in your head. Draw pictures and label all of the parts. Look at Anatomy sites online. Use a coloring book: I bought these from Amazon.com and color the sections that correspond with the material that we have covered in class:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805350861/ref=pd_bxgy_img_b/002-4715828-6452845?%5Fencoding=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321036638/ref=pd_bxgy_img_b/002-4715828-6452845?%5Fencoding=UTF8

My first day of A & P was overwhelming too. But keep in mind that the instructors tend to tell you everything upfront about what will be covered and what we will be responsible for over the entire semester. That doesn't mean we will have to learn it all at once.

NaomieRN · Jan 26, 2006

I did not think A&P 1 was overwhelming. I think if you study everyday, go to tutoring and tape the lecture you should be fine. I also arranged a study group, which was ok. But I would not recommended study group unless the members are disciplined. I got an A-. You can do it!

Determination is key to success!

MikeyJ, RN · Jan 27, 2006

A&P I wasn't extremely overwhelming, but it is a lot of material. Devise some sort of system, and figure out how you learn best. I personally do not learn well by just going to class. I do go to class anyways and listen, but I learn best by spending an entire day reading the material and making my own notes and diagrams. So figure out how you learn the material best because there will be a ton of it!

Also, bring a camera when you go to your lab. Lab will seem more overwhelming because it is all memorization rather than understanding proccesses. Make sure you split your time between lab and lecture and decide what works for you.

You will do fine if you commit yourself to studying on a regular basis. I have never personally studied on a daily basis for a class, but I would say at least every other day or every 3 days sit down and review notes and try to read ahead (although it can be difficult to fit in to your schedule).

Overall, don't freak out about it and just focus on doing well, and you will!

Good Luck! :)

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jan 28, 2006

Yes, I feel the same way beyond frustrated. I have been studying like crazy but cannot neglect my nursing classes (I'm in the program).........if I fail this, I am out.....(insert painful face here). Luckily, I transferred to an instructor who is passionate about the subject and conducts a well-organized class. I went into her class (had never attended a single lecture or lab) and got a very good grade on her 6 chapter exam.

My advice..........read the book. Take your own notes, type them up and make flashcards. I literally walk around with a stack of cards but my efforts reflect my grade. I made a 100 on today's lab quiz! (yay, finally I see light at the end of the tunnel)

Good luck