Anyone feel the same?!?!?

[clueless8133]

So, I am a transfew student in my school, and am a sophomore in the nursing program. I have always wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid and was diagnosed with cancer. Now that I am finally in a program, I am having trouble with finding motivation to do everything. I know I have it in me, I love working as a CNA and always wanting to learn new things about the career; but, I am struggling with school. I have never been a good test-taker..and of course that is how the nursing program operates! I would like any suggestions for how to study for nursing tests, and how to prepare for them. Also, I am taking Patho this semester...and it is kicking my butt!!!! How do I study for that class??? My teacher is NOT helpful, and NOT willing to work with you. I feel as though I am barely keeping my head above water.......

[nursing81student]

I am almost to the halfway point in nursing school, and I have come to realize that a lot of it is just jumping through hoops and just doing what you gotta do to get through. It is great you have experience working as a CNA. I am so grateful for my hospital job. I am sure you see that hospital nursing is completely different than the way nursing school is. As for test taking-there are a lot of discussions on here already about test taking tips, I would perform a search to find them. When I took patho, I just read read read the book and did well, although I actually enjoyed the class. It's disappointing to hear that your teacher is not helpful. Is there another faculty member you could go to for help? Good luck with everything :)

[pc2801]

I haven't started NS yet, I start in January. At my orientation, I won a raffle for the book "Test Success:Test-Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students" by Nugent and Vitale. This is one of the books I had planned on purchasing for myself as I have taken a class that used the test format used by the nursing program at another school and I found it extremely challenging. I passed the class, but never really mastered the test questions.

Secondly, do you have a study group? If you don't understand something as you read it in your texts or as your instructor teaches it maybe a classmate has a better grasp and can put it in a context where you can better understand the material. It also helps to retain material if you can put it into your own woards and explain it to someone else.

[FineAgain]

Memorize, memorize, memorize your notes. Draw pictures until you understand the material, then memorize some more.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

you have probably realized that adult learning is really self-taught learning. All the instructor can do is orient you to the topic. I recommend a study group - but be sure the group is dedicated to the task and not talking about dates/pizza orders, etc. Patho is a difficult course. You have to keep reading. I remember going to the library (before Internet!!) to look at books for young readers. This would help me get acquainted with a topic. But you can do it much easier on the intranet by looking up images and consumer focused articles (not medical/nursing). Once you have the basic concepts you move faster.

BTW, it was not till I took advanced Patho in MSN program that I realized almost everything is divided up into sympathetic/parasympathic systems, even meds. Once you learn how to group things in one system you know the others are "opposites". May not help you now, but may help as you progress.