Are you an A student. How do you achieve it

cannolis · Dec 19, 2012

I have this question too. I have never really been book smark. I memorize by doing vs memorizing everything out of a book. :S

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 19, 2012

Memorizing will help you only to an extent. You have to be able to apply your knowledge.

kalevra, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2012

Nope, I am an A/B student. I do not have straight A's. Grades do not matter as much in the real world. I have seen people stress out about their A, but when you give them a patient they just freak. Life isn't a multiple choice test. Do not stress about the letter, rather you should learn to apply theory to the real world.

This is what I think about when I start to over stress about a letter grade. 85% of my family are BSNs, many of them were average C students. But they have been working in their specialty like ICU for over 20 years. Their experience and skill is what defines them, not the letter grade they got back at University.

zoe92 · Dec 19, 2012

Really stay organized. Get yourself a great planner to remember what is due when. Study a little every day (don't cram). Go to every class and take diligent notes. Take advantage of office hours, open labs, and tutoring. Do every homework assignment, especially extra credit. That's all I've got lol basically just stay on top of your work.

KJM-RN, BSN · Dec 19, 2012

Nope, I am an A/B student. I do not have straight A's. Grades do not matter as much in the real world. I have seen people stress out about their A, but when you give them a patient they just freak. Life isn't a multiple choice test. Do not stress about the letter, rather you should learn to apply theory to the real world.
This is what I think about when I start to over stress about a letter grade. 85% of my family are BSNs, many of them were average C students. But they have been working in their specialty like ICU for over 20 years. Their experience and skill is what defines them, not the letter grade they got back at University.

Some people are A students and provide excellent patient care as well. Never understood the argument that A students don't perform well in the clinical setting.

I have one semester left of nursing school and have maintained a 4.0, as well as having exemplary reviews from clinical professors and nurses. I make sure to keep up with the textbook reading, I highlight the main points in the book as I go along. I go to every lecture (and clinical) and pay attention. We don't use power points, but rather case studies, I take notes as the teacher speaks on relevant points. When it comes time to study for a unit exam, I go back and read highlighted points in the textbook, then my lecture notes, then I read out of ATI (something we had to purchase at the start of nursing school). Basically I make sure I understand the point before I move on. This may sound like a lot, but I definitely have free time to spend with my husband and son. Good luck with achieving your goal!

Cmorales23 · Dec 19, 2012

Instead of just trying to memorize everything, I try to actually understand it. If you do not understand the concepts, you will never be able to apply your knowledge in the clinical area. Also, buy a review book that has a lot of questions and rationales behind it. The more questions you do, the more likely you will develop and understand the material. Good luck in January!

joselyne · Dec 19, 2012

Thanks all for your insights. I am already organising my planner. Does anyone go to Langara College and knows how to get course outlines? Are course outlines listed online like other universities do?

In the meantime, I emailed my proffs asking for outlines

I am very curious about the clinical portion. How exactly does it unfold. I suspect it's different based on nursing programs?

Feel free to offer more advice.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 19, 2012

Every program is a little different. Most programs have rotations in long term care, Med/surg, labor and delivery, and psych at a minimum. Other programs may a critical care and/or pediatrics rotation. BSN programs will usually have a community health rotation and/or leadership and management. Many programs have a senior practicum/capstone rotation where you work one on one with a nurse who is hospital staff.

Your clinical group will be 5-10 students thereabouts. You will have a clinical instructor, who may or may not be continuously on site. Some program utilize hospital staff to teach students. You will start off with one patient and may gradually progress to 2 or 3 patients.

Clinical can be annoying at times, because you are working under someone else's license, which means you have to be supervised for many activities. It's hard to compete for the clinical instructor's attention. It can be frustrating because you may feel like "you never get to do anything." A good attitude is key.

manisha03 · Dec 19, 2012

I go to Langara, I'm pretty sure they dont have any course outlines onlline..but you can try

As for the clinical portion, you have a hospital tour, a shadow visit with someone in the later terms and a nurse.

Skips, MSN, RN · Dec 20, 2012

I got mostly A's this semester, I got one B. D: Almost made it! haha. Anyway...my advice is to read through the chapters once over, then go over the material you need to know with a highlighter. You will be surprised how much you retained. Use the end-of-chapter questions in the book. Also, use a tutor if you need to talk out the material. This works for me...I give myself lectures in my head as if I was teaching myself. I know that sounds weird, but it works for me.

I've never gotten all A's. I've gotten all A's with a B or all A's except for 2 B's. In my humble opinion, it's super hard to get all A's in nursing school...and I'm not necessarily willing to make my life nursing school. I keep my life outside of it. Yes, I put in the effort (hence, getting mostly A's), but I don't neglect my family and volunteering for it. If that makes sense. It's all about balance. If you get burnt out studying from doing it too much, you grades won't improve.

I also think a major part of nursing school is more than just studying. You really have to know the material inside and out....but you need to know it to critically think more so than just memorizing the info for tests. It won't be written out blatantly on the tests for you. You need to have rationales rather than one-word answers. Also, doing care plans is a major part of nursing school and critical thinking. It's definitely not laid out for you. I think that's the hardest part. It's more difficult than the material itself. It's doable, though.

mofomeat · Dec 20, 2012

Hard work and sacrifice.

Heavy emphasis on the sacrifice.