Any nursing apps? Websites?

[xmilkncookiesx, RN]

Hello,

I'm in my first semester of nursing. We haven't started clinicals yet, not til our second 8 weeks. I'm in nursing interventions right now. It's stressful because it's sooooo much ready for less than a week, then a 5 question test, and then moving onto the next subject which is 5 chapters with at least 70 pages to read on each.

We've learned so far about handwashing & PPE, communication, sterile gloving, vital signs, mobility, nursing process, and Foley catheters (just briefly like how to insert, remove, who's at risk for UTIs, the basics). We still have more to learn.

Our books are all online. So it's hard to sit on my phone or tablet and just keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling. And it's ALOT of chapters for one subject. I'm barely passing with a C- (about 76% or 77%)

I bombed my first unit exam, only reason is because the questions I missed, I had the answers right the first time!!! I just felt that they were wrong!!! Ugh.

Are there any apps that you use or have used during nursing school? I have an iPhone 6s Plus, so I'm not sure if iPhones have any apps for nursing. When I owned an android a month ago, I seen some.

For example, I know the basics of vitals. We did learn about hypothermia, hyperthermia, tachypnea, bradypnea, tachycardia, and bradycardia. My concern is that I can't remember how I would "treat" them!! I can't remember the symptoms either, it reallyyyyy irritates me and is killing me to want to remember these! They're so basic.

I know that hypothermia is low body temperature and I know shivering, confusion, and dizziness are the few of the symptoms of it. I know that you cover the patient with blankets to keep them warm and elevate their temperature to normal. I get confused if tachypnea or bradypnea are one of the symptoms, and if tachycardia or bradycardia are one of the symptoms as well.

I know that hyperthermia is elevated temperature from the body's normal temperature. I know that sweating, confusion, nausea, and vomiting are just the few of the symptoms. I know that bacterial infections, such as wounds, incisions, are just the few of the causes for hyperthermia. Also environmental factors, circadian rhythms I believe .. I know that tachypnea is elevated breathing/labored breathing, and bradypnea is deceased slow breathing. Idk the causes for it, I know tachycardia is elevated heart rate and bradycardia is deceased heart rate. I can't remember what causes those and how to treat.

Can anyone help give me a table or anything, just anything to remember causes, symptoms, caring interventions, and treatments for these? And future diseases and diagnosis? Also care plans? I seriously feel like I have a learning disability. I'll study and and study and I get lost in it or I just re-read them because I just can't seem to remember it.

Sorry that this is a lot, I hope you all read through this and can help me. I get small anxiety attacks just thinking about how I wont pass, and when I got my first unit exam results back, I freaked out and freaked out hat I found out I'm barely passing.

What are the main things to remember during this class? I really need help

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the General Nursing Student forum

[direw0lf, BSN]

You sound like an over-thinker!

Do you think the anxiety is a problem with the test taking? Lot's of times anxious students (including me!) will second guess, read the question wrong, jump to the answers, self doubt, etc. Many schools have accommodations for students with anxiety, like no time limits for their quizzes and exams.

I was told all that a lot but when it came down to during the exam or a lab sim I "forgot." I now wear a bracelet to remind me! So during a test/quiz I force myself to read the question, then reword the question without looking at the answer choices yet, and never change an answer unless I'm at least 90% sure :)

About the s/s. What might help is if you think about it with common sense, forget about medical terms first and think. If you're cold, how do you breathe, how is your heart rate, what do your blood vessels do, how is your body trying to conserve heat? Use any words you want to describe it and write them down, then go and put in the right term. Do the same for treatment, think about it with common sense with what you know about anatomy and physiology and say or write it in your own words and then put in the nursing/medical terminologies.

And when you start getting irritated at yourself for not remembering, that's just going to be something that hurts you more. Take a deep breath in and hold it for 4 counts and let it out through your mouth slow. Sorry if this sounds too silly or something! I think though just from reading your post not that I know for sure but it sounds like you may just work yourself up and all you need is a minute to think it through.

For tables and stuff like that I've searched pinterest and find good ones. Um I'll try to look for a table or something tonight.

Also I used to study for hours on end sounds like you do with how you said you study and study. How long do you go before taking a break? My teacher told us that our retention and comprehension declines after about an hour without a break then. I used to be able to do that fine though until pathophysiology. Now I only study that for 2 hours a day. Try shortening your study sessions or at least taking a 30 min break after every hour, even if it seems counterproductive just try it!

P.S. I got a C for the first time on a quiz in a nursing class this semester. That's when I crammed patho in 2 days for hours and hours. Now I've started studying the little bit each day, and I think I can take in more like this. I'm a perfectionist. I like analyzing everything. I don't like stopping until I'm finished. But when you get the C it's time to try new methods or you'll just keep getting the same grade. It's not too late for you to turn your grades around! My patho quiz was 5 chapters with about 50 pages each. It's tough I know! If you really feel though you may have a learning disability, do you think you'd want to talk to someone at your learning center about it? Also I forgot to say, use the tutoring! Sometimes hearing someone else explain something just clicks.