At a loss

ladysyrah · Nov 12, 2016

Remember that passing is still passing. The scores you have are passing. There's a saying in my program: C is passing. C's make RN's. In my second and third quarters I dealt with having a pretty bad concussion where I could barely remember things immediately after I read them (if at all). I still have remnants of this concussion (my eyesight is forever altered, and I cannot test in a group), but I'm pulling myself out of it. I'm not sure how far into your semester you are, but you will gain a stride. In the meantime, do not be too hard on yourself (I'm famous for that too, but having the concussion taught me to relax and be happy with my hard work even if it meant I did not receive an A). Nursing programs are much harder than traditional college so realize.. you are passing! You are making it happen. Look at you go! You got this. You can do this. Make little cards and put it on your mirror saying "I am successful" "I pass this quarter easily" et cetera (however you want to say your self-affirmations). Look at them every day. Start by looking at them and saying it out loud to yourself every morning. Do it before bed... and do it when you are feeling down. You will feel a little bit of self-empowerment. Try it, it at least worked for me.

Study wise: try something different. Do something to switch it up, perhaps you are getting bogged down by too much of the same. Change the venue, or give yourself a treat. Change the music in the background... I feel myself get into a rut and I stop being able to learn as much. When I change the environment and approach studying differently (maybe you always read first then do videos and notes... maybe switch it up and do videos first then read for example). I'd need to know more about your learning style to really make specific to you recommendations. Also, try to go over NCLEX style questions before and after studying and before and after class. This will help adapt your mind to how to use the information.

AliNajaCat · Nov 12, 2016

Your next semester will be harder still. That's the thing about nursing education-- every semester builds on the previous ones. You absolutely have to have a good, solid, working knowledge of the material from before because you will be expected to apply it at a higheer levl next semester. So if you find yourself slipping now, you need to turn that around FAST.

Spend a lot of time with your faculty picking their brains about what you did wrong, why (this is critical), and why other answers are better. Do not argue that "there are two right answers" because there may be two that are factually correct, but only one of them is the right NURSING answer, the one that a prudent nurse with a mastery of the nursing process would recognize as correct. You need to get on this right now. Make a weekly appointment with the lead teacher and start hammering this out. Do NOT delay, because you're already slipping.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2016

I remember responding to your posts a number of months ago. You've come a long way. Remember how far you have come. Remember the battles you have already won.

What I've found helpful is to review the content several times. I incorporate auditory learning by speaking out (sometimes yelling out) certain concepts, often as I'm pacing (kinetic). Sometimes in terms of review, I will write down or re-write concepts.

Then I try to find NCLEX questions that cover the subject area and review all of the rationales. I take notes on the rationales (I do my best to avoid memorizing the question because it is the rationale that holds the most weight in the long run).

Continue to fight the battles, and conquer the dream; you are almost done.

Buyer beware, BSN · Nov 15, 2016

Yes the folks are right, again!

For example the person who graduates last in his/her class at West Point is called 'The Goat" but an officer nonetheless.

Since I love history I must tell you that Geoeorge Armstrong Custer was such a person having graduated last in class at West Point.

Most of us know what happened to him when he, through hubris, ran into the entire Souix Nation and many others at the Little Big Horn.

So just understand your limitations and work on them to be a better person and practitioner every day. Don't sweat the small stuff.

That in itself will make you first in YOUR class. And that's all that really matters.