Any advice on how to approach all of the assigned reading?

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Hi there!

I will begin Collin County's ADN program this month. I'm trying to get organized and figure out how to tackle all of this assigned reading. I've already began reading, but it will definitely take me over a week to read all the assigned pages just for the first day of class. How do you stay on top of it? Do you read every single page assigned, or do you outline your course objectives, use accompanying study guides and CD roms? I just don't see how I will be able to keep up with all of the reading, especially once Clinicals begin.

I'm not trying to find an easy way out, I'm just hoping some experienced students can lend me some good advice! I'm so excited to begin this journey, but I'm scared I will be a bit overwhelmed at first!

Any help is greatly appreciated =)

Thanks!

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Specializes in student; help!.

Just based on the classes I took for my BA and my NS prereqs, you don't *read* everything, you skim it. Go back after class and go over the things emphasized in the lecture. I listen(ed) to a lot of podcasts on whatever the subject happened to be, and reread and rewrote my notes.

Unless you have NOTHING else going on in your life, you simply cannot read that much. Or wait, I guess you can if you're a crazy fast reader. Me, not so much.

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Hi there!

I will begin Collin County's ADN program this month. I'm trying to get organized and figure out how to tackle all of this assigned reading. I've already began reading, but it will definitely take me over a week to read all the assigned pages just for the first day of class. How do you stay on top of it? Do you read every single page assigned, or do you outline your course objectives, use accompanying study guides and CD roms? I just don't see how I will be able to keep up with all of the reading, especially once Clinicals begin.

I'm not trying to find an easy way out, I'm just hoping some experienced students can lend me some good advice! I'm so excited to begin this journey, but I'm scared I will be a bit overwhelmed at first!

Any help is greatly appreciated =)

Thanks!

there is no "easy way out" when it comes top studying. you have to find your own rhythm and consider what your teacher state you NEED TO KNOW.

before class, i would skim through the chapters, read what i feel is important. if the whole chapter seems important than read ALL of it. dont be overwhelmed, the teachers would like you to be familiar with content before class...its not like you will be given an exam on the first day!!!

read a little of all your assigned readings, so on the first day the teacher does not appear like they are talking in swahili...

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Advice? Yeah, stay off allnurses.com! :lol2: j/k

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I'll start off by saying it's easier to manage assigned readings after the first test. After the first test, you will know how much of the test material comes from the lecture and how much comes from the book and wasn't lectured on.

So, I approach it this way. I do all of the assigned readings (read, not skim) for the first test and review powerpoints/lecture notes. After the first test, I alter my studying if the test material reveals that I can.

Regardless of reading, I organize my notes in this fashion:

a) Etiology/pathophys/major lab values gone wonky, if there are any

^^^this can be abbreviated only if you have a good grasp of normal A&P; you only need to note what went wrong because you already know the way it works correctly

b) manifestations, signs/symptoms

^^^try to differentiate between other disease processes within the same body system for easier recall

c) major screening and diagnostic tools

^^^not all of them, only the definitive ones

d) med management

^^^drug of choice and why it should work; supportive or corrective?; long-term management, if any

e) nursing interventions

^^^there are usually anywhere from 2 to 5 major nursing interventions for any disease process; know when to use them and why they may work

The amount of assigned readings is indeed overwhelming! My method is just a suggestion; do what works for you! Good luck!

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Specializes in Pediatric Hem/Onc.

Preface: my methods aren't exactly standard, and on paper they really shouldn't work.....but it does for me, and my grades prove it. I was the A student in high school that made teachers clutch their heads because they couldn't figure out how my system worked, but there really IS a method to my madness!

That being said :D I don't do any reading until after lecture. All of my instructor use Pps for class. I print those, skim over them the night before, and take notes during. After studying that, I read the specific topics that I don't have a great grasp on. The other 90 pages? I flip through and skim it super fast. If at all. Pps and NCLEX review book - that's my magic combo for nursing school goodness.

For prereq classes (A&P and the like) if there weren't Pps I still didn't read - just took thorough notes during lectures and read up on specific topics afterwards.

I told you, on paper I look like a bad student. But at least I'm efficient ;)

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Thanks you guys! All of your suggestions are great :)

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The short answer is you do nothing other than read and get ready for class, especially at first. For us it was all about charts, graphs and tables in the chapters. They give a good overview of what is in the chapter. I'd then thoroughly read the sections of topics that I didn't quite get from only the tables. You want to have a grasp of the A&P and the disease process but more than that you need to know what the nurse is going to do about it. Do not skimp on studying/reading, no short cuts, until you are VERY comfortable with your program and instructor's styles.

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Specializes in student; help!.

I'd add that reading the chapter overviews is a GREAT way to see what the main points and important topics are in any section of the book. I always pay attention to graphs, illustrations, photos, etc., because those are highlighting things from the chapter and making them clear(er). Any outlines you get in class are a good idea of what to pay attention to, as well. But really, it all comes down to how you learn. I'm a big enough geek that I may well try to read it all, even if it's just skimming. I have a special penchant for self abuse, apparently ;)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
Preface: my methods aren't exactly standard, and on paper they really shouldn't work.....but it does for me, and my grades prove it. I was the A student in high school that made teachers clutch their heads because they couldn't figure out how my system worked, but there really IS a method to my madness!

That being said :D I don't do any reading until after lecture. All of my instructor use Pps for class. I print those, skim over them the night before, and take notes during. After studying that, I read the specific topics that I don't have a great grasp on. The other 90 pages? I flip through and skim it super fast. If at all. Pps and NCLEX review book - that's my magic combo for nursing school goodness.

For prereq classes (A&P and the like) if there weren't Pps I still didn't read - just took thorough notes during lectures and read up on specific topics afterwards.

I told you, on paper I look like a bad student. But at least I'm efficient ;)

this.

you'll go crazy trying to read all 2000 pgs of each book., i use my texts books as reference. or if the teacher wants us to read a lttle segment i read it, but over all, i print out the PPTs and take word for word notes. its gotten me this far with a 3.7 gpa :)

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Preface: my methods aren't exactly standard, and on paper they really shouldn't work.....but it does for me, and my grades prove it. I was the A student in high school that made teachers clutch their heads because they couldn't figure out how my system worked, but there really IS a method to my madness!

That being said :D I don't do any reading until after lecture. All of my instructor use Pps for class. I print those, skim over them the night before, and take notes during. After studying that, I read the specific topics that I don't have a great grasp on. The other 90 pages? I flip through and skim it super fast. If at all. Pps and NCLEX review book - that's my magic combo for nursing school goodness.

For prereq classes (A&P and the like) if there weren't Pps I still didn't read - just took thorough notes during lectures and read up on specific topics afterwards.

I told you, on paper I look like a bad student. But at least I'm efficient ;)

This is what I do- rely on powerpoints and class notes, look at the book if necessary (eg I don't understand something or the professor says "the table on page XYZ is important").

There's no way to read everything and it's not even a good use of time if you can read everything, imo.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I go online (or use the cd) and take the chapter review tests. My scores dictate how long I spend reviewing a chapter. My main study technique is to take all the quizzes and tests available to me, open book style. FWIW I am only in my first semester so my study habits might change!

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