Any advice for an RN student?

[chinacatSN]

The way my school works is that you take the LPN program, then you take boards and get your LPN. If your grades are good enough, you're eligible for the RN/ADN program. There are 2 separate RN programs to choose from - spring start, which is slower paced and geared towards students who have been nurses for awhile OR summer start, which is accelerated and more intense. The spring start was very full and I just wanted to finish school so I could get my normal life back again (a long with a much needed JOB) so I opted for the summer/accelerated program. Graduated LPN in May of this year, started RN in June. Finished summer semester at the end of July.

Now, Fall semester is starting again (as I'm sure it is for many of you!) and I need some advice. For me, the critical thinking involved with the LPN program was challenging but not hugely difficult. I got all A's and B's and never failed any of my tests or assignments. I did have to study, but not excessively so - just a few hours the night before and sporadically during the week.

After the Summer semester for the RN program, I'm having some difficulties with the critical thinking. I don't know what the deal is. Some of it is the instructors we had - yeah, everyone blames the instructors - but one of them was SO bad that she was officially reprimanded. She didn't teach at all, gave incorrect information (umm...no...diabetes insipidus does NOT become diabetes mellitus!), and set her students up for failure. I had this instructor and it was extremely difficult. Luckily, she didn't create her own test questions, so none of her wacky reasonings were on the test, but I still didn't understand how the answers were reached. I read the readings, took practice exams, but nothing really prepared me for the tests. Granted, it doesn't help when you don't have lecture - since our instructor gave us incorrect information during lecture - but still. I'm usually pretty good at teaching myself when I have to.

So - for those who have made the transition I just made - any advice? I just feel like once I get my brain working correctly I'll be back where I was before. It feels like I have this wall in my mind that I can peek over but not quite break through.

Thanks in advance!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

rn-level critical thinking is harder than lpn-level critical thinking, so it should be more of a challenge. it's not the same as "knowing more stuff," although, of course, knowing more stuff greases the skids and makes critical thinking go easier. if you knew it already, you wouldn't be a student:d.

you sound pretty bright, you care enough to ask, you don't whine, and you are a good and careful writer, so right there you're ahead of probably 90% of your classmates. i'd say keep at it. don't despair. find a faculty member you connect with and trust and check out specific problems c him/her. read more than you have to; read widely in the rn periodical literature (nursing, rn, ajn), buy and browse through the nanda 2009-2011 (seriously-- you'd be amazed what you can pick up there) and understand the why-do-we-care aspect of every class you take. ask if you have to-- ask here if you don't want to ask the lecturer.

check back in here every now and then. i think you'll do well.

[NellieOlsen]

I don't have any advice, but the post above is great. Good luck to you!

[chinacatSN]

GrnTea -

Thank you very much!

I try as hard as I can, I read a ton (though I could probably read more!), and my biggest concern is being the safest nurse possible and I know critical thinking and knowledge play a HUGE part in that.

I did take a part-time/PRN position at a LTC facility and I've worked there about 4 weeks. I'm hoping that getting some real-life nursing experience will help me. I've been a CNA for 11 years and not much of that knowledge has helped me - don't get me wrong, it's been helpful, but not in the knowledge/critical thinking areas - it's helped mainly with adding to my common sense. I also know what CNAs deal with so I can empathize with them and it's helped with scope of practice things too.

I think one of my BIGGEST problems is anxiety. I get myself very worked up and it hinders my performance. While in clinical, I'm fine, I can think on my feet and I rarely have any problems. It's test taking that throws me for a loop. Sometimes, I do really well and other times, not so much. We review the test later and I think, "Why the heck did you choose that answer?!" And I think it's mainly just anxiety - especially if I have more than one test a day. My doc gave me an Rx for Xanax 0.25mg, just to help me calm down...but I'm a little nervous that it might make me TOO calm and hinder my performance even worse. What really ticks me off is that I'm much better at recalling knowledge on the spot than most people in class (everyone comes to me for answers) but when it comes to my answers affecting my GRADE, I freeze up and my test scores are very sporadic and all over the place.

Thanks for the advice! I hope I can connect with my instructor in a way that I feel I am able to talk to her about this kind of thing. I appreciate you taking your time to write your reply and you've helped me immensely.