Be honest - do you do all your required reading?

NurseBunky · Aug 30, 2004

Ok I'll admit it....I'm a nerd. I do all the required reading for the entire week on the weekend. I have to though so I know what I'm doing and it helps the information given during the lecture sink in better. Gotta do what works for you I guess.

Jen2 · Aug 30, 2004

I used to do all the required readings until my grades started to suffer. I would spend all my time reading and no time studying. I quickly found out that our test questions came mostly from our notes anyway, so I just read what I don't understand in lecture or in my notes. My study time is less stressful and my test grades have improved.

Animaniacs, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2004

for some reason, i really feel guilty not reading the assigned readings. i really want to read it, buts theres just so much and it takes a lot out of me.

i only probably read 25% of the reading materials. the teachers gives us typed notes in the class base on the reading materials. and during lecture i just take notes on anything important.

then i refer back to the book and read some of it to help me understand some of the lecture materials i didnt understand. but i never read all the assigned readings, its more supplemental to further expand my knowledge on stuff that i missed.

now here is a question:

how many people who have passed the nclex and currently working as an RN in the hospital read ALL the readings the teachers outlined in their syllabus?

Megsd, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2004

I think it really depends on what your teacher wants. In my anatomy class this semester, for example, I sat down the first weekend after classes started and read the 30 pages or so of information I needed to know for lecture, including all the terminology prefixes, the different types of epithelial tissue, etc. I got to lecture on Monday, and aside from being proud of myself for A) having read and B) being familiar with everything discussed in lecture when he mentioned it since I had read, I also noticed that a lot of things I HAD read were not in our "lecture outline" handouts (which are supposed to be our study guides), and a few things that I had read and spent much weekend time studying, he would often say something like "well, there ARE 3 other kinds of epithelial tissue, but they're kind of complicated, so, eh, don't worry about those". And, of course, my first thought was "But I worried about those ALL AFTERNOON on Saturday!!"

So, apparently, I overstudied. Now I look at what's going to be covered in lecture and if a concept isn't listed, I skip over it in the text. This has cut down the time I need to study dramatically. :)

Anatomy lab is a whole other kettle of fish, though, as they say.

Diving back into the surface markings of the ilium,

Meghan

Christina_NICU · Aug 31, 2004

We have weekly online quizes based on our readings. They're supposed to be straight-forward, 10 questions, and you have 10 minutes to do it. Now, I just started classes, but I do hope to do the readings before lectures. I want to change becuase I used to always say that and then I'd always fall behind. I'm going to try my hardist since it's so important now with real nursing classes!

blue eyes · Aug 31, 2004

Only when an essay needs to be done. But, I do read the PPT lecture notes posted on WebCT and find them sufficient enough. Rather than doing required reading I spend more time answering unit objectives which are listed on PPT lecture notes. Quiz questions are mostly derived from the practice WebMCQ quizzes on WebCT.

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Aug 31, 2004

For the killer classes (Pharm, Patho, Med-Surg) I do all the reading, go to all the lectures, do practice questions, and outline the chapters.

For the other classes, I may skim, but I do go to the lectures, and the night before the test, I compare the lecture notes to the book and read the book's version.

oldiebutgoodie

mitchsmom · Aug 31, 2004

I do the reading when I need to in order to be successful in the class... which is almost all of them!

I've only had one class so far that we really didn't need the book.

manna, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2004

I haven't had TIME to do all the reading (in class from roughly 8-5 every day, and commute an additional 3 hours/day). When you're assigned 7 chapters a night, it's just not possible with my other responsibilities. I do try and get some of the reading done, but I usually only make it about halfway through before I'm drop-dead tired and not really comprehending the material too well. I really wish I did have more time to focus on those assignments, and would encourage anyone to do so. Even if you're not tested on the material you've read, there's nothing wrong with trying to learn it for the sake of personal enrichment, right?

studentNY · Aug 31, 2004

I had to read over 300 pages before the first day of class in a couple of different books. I am having a hard time breathing!! I hope I can do this.:chair: I read it all, but can't remember a thing. I hope my brain cells aren't dead. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

jemommyRN · Aug 31, 2004

I have been reading every single word before class to be prepared. I think (as of today), I am going to be changing my study habits. We haven't had our first test and I can not afford to fall behind. i already know that the tests come almost basically from the notes and sitting in class the other day, I realized that important points that I read in the book, the teacher told everybody and I was like "why am I reading these hundreds of pages and she's telling us all the important stuff?" I am going to just review the notes before class (they gave us all the notes in the syllabus on the first day) and supplement the material after lecture. All this reading and really no time studying. It's not like I'm retaining all of this information. I'll let you all know how it's going with the new change. I feel better already.

RNinRubySlippers, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2004

Can I give some advice to you all who ARE doing all the readings? In my opinion (humble opinion!) you are gonna burn yourselves out. You have to learn to be selective in your readings. Trust me, I highly doubt you will continue to read "every last word". SELECTIVITY is the name of the game. As you get on in your program, there will just be too many other assignments. Good Luck to you all! Have Fun in nursing school! Its a blast. Stay sane, and lay low. Dont be a know it all either, the instructors will zero in on you in clinical then. Some of the "know it alls and answer it alls" get DRILLED in clinical. Again just my 5 semesters of observational advice! Take care all!