Advice needed

smartin13 · Sep 2, 2009

This is what I do, however it may not work for you. I go to class pay attention and take good notes. I then outline the reading each night or when I have a chance (sometimes I can get to school early and do some catching up before class) I then type up the notes I took out of the book. This way I am hearing it once, writing/typing 3 times, and reading it twice (while i'm outlining and typing) if I don't get to typing it thats fine as well. Then at the end of the quarter I just print out my notes and use those to study from for my final.

lllchillylll · Sep 2, 2009

I pretty much do the same thing as smartin. Studying nursing is incredibly difficult. Your life becomes centered around nursing. Your nursing classmates become your closest friends because you end up spending the majority of your time with them studying and whatnot. Together you eat, sleep, and breath it.

How I study: Listen to lectures. I find that I learn best when I hear the information rather than just reading it on my own. Whenever i get the time (usually at night) I go through the text and highlight important information. Reading the chapters gives you a good understanding of the material. After that I view the power points for those chapters. From that I base my review off that power point because all those really are, are bullets of what it is exactly that you need to know. I eventually type out notes from my review and use that to study off of. Its quick and to the point by the time you use it to study off of because then you've condensed all the material from 45 pages a chapter to practically 15 pages in nice little notes.

cm21 · Sep 2, 2009

I give kudos to any and all students who can read all their assigned reading. I, for whatever, reason can not get through it. Usually it was hundreds of textbook pages of reading for each class each week...and i couldnt do it. So I would read the summary points and do review questions. I would purchase the workbook and/or review book for each textbook (even when they weren't required by the class) and i would do all the review problems and use the CD for more problems to help master the material instead that way. If I was confused about anything that we went over in class, then i would look it up in the book. Hope that helps. Good luck!! :)

MisterSimba, BSN · Sep 2, 2009

Do the reading when you can, but if you don't have time to do all of the reading for every class, just focus on chapter summaries and/or use the books as a reference for things that were unclear during the lecture. Focus on your professors' lectures and refer to the textbooks as much as possible. I finished my first semester of nursing school a few weeks ago. I'm in an accelerated program (15 months) and I did as much of the reading as I could, but mostly skimmed the chapters and used the books as a reference. It worked for me: I got three A's and two A-

Best of luck to you, and I hope you feel better soon!

Rylee2008, ASN, RN · Sep 2, 2009

After the first few tests you will determine what instructors go off the power points and which on depend on the book. I only do the reading for 2 classes and the other one I don't because the instructor actually told us not to do the reading unless we have time because she will cover in class what we need to know. I always studied the bold words in the reading, tables and any nursing interventions, sign and symptoms. Nursing classes aren't memorizing but how to apply what you learn. Good luck.

paynck · Sep 2, 2009

I hope you feel better soon!!!

Remember to take breaks - everyone's minds wander away from the reading if they're staring at tiny print for 2 hours straight. (And if yours doesn't, can I has your brain? ) If you don't have time to read everything, definitely at least try to scan the chapters, look at bold words, look at chapter summaries, quiz yourself at the end of chapter questions. Every nursing instructor that I've had so far has given us a list of "Objectives" that they make up. What I find helpful is to go over them in class while they are lecturing because that is most likely what they will choose to put on tests.

smartin13 · Sep 2, 2009

I do not read every word on every page, I pay attention to the little boxes on the pages and the main ideas and anything that was emphasized in class. I could never actually read everything.

boat · Sep 2, 2009

I hope you feel better. The first week is overwhelming enough without feeling 100% so you should cut yourself just a tiny bit of slack. Take care of yourself, get some rest, and re-focus.

I like to read the chapters before the lecture. If there are so many chapters assigned that I cannot possibly read them in their entirety, I familiarize myself with the chapters by skimming through, looking at the words in bold, reading the boxes, etc...Then when I'm in lecture, everything is reinforced and I can ask questions. The lecture makes a lot more sense and I can ask better questions if I've done the reading.

Break it into chunks and make sure to take breaks. I go about 45 minutes at a time. Then a short break, sometimes even a brisk walk! It's doable. Give yourself the weekend to make a better schedule for yourself.

Hoping you feel better asap!