C=RN, I just need to get that C

Nursing Students Student Assist

Published

Hi all,

I know millions of people have asked this, but I am hoping that maybe there are some new tips or some really awesome ones that yall swear by and are willing to take time out of your day to type for me. (For those who don't have time to read my long post, recap at the bottom!)

Background: I am in OB, and I did awesomely on the first exam. The second and third ones, I totally bombed. So right now I am failing by 2 points. I wouldn't be so anxious if I wasn't one class away from failing out, in my senior year.

A quick explanation on the tests: I did poorly on the second one because of a lot of outside issues and when I went to the test review I understood exactly what I got wrong. This third exam? I studied so hard, and I did WORSE than on my second one, which I studied for maybe 4 hours before the test. I dont really have test anxiety because I get a quiet room and extra test taking time. I am going in for my test review next week, but until then I need to catch up.

I do better writing notes, so if anyone has any tips on the way you set up your notes when you write, that would be great. I had an excellent way to write notes for med-surg, but OB isn't so much focused on a billion different illnesses, so I am stumped on how to tailor them to OB. I am also open to other note taking strategies. Also, if anyone has been in the same hole as I am but managed to climb out, how did you go about catching up on the material that you didn't do well on?

I apologize that this is so long so real quick recap for those who don't want to read about my special snowflake-ness:

-Tips on how you set up your study notes (if you have a special way for OB, that would be great too)

-Study tips you swear by

-If you were in danger of failing, but pulled your grade up, how did you go about catching up on the material you missed/didn't understand for the final exam

Thanks :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"C = RN" is cute but not accurate. "C = passing grade" might be. However, only "NCLEX pass = RN."

Have you spent any time looking around in AN to find the approximately one bazillion threads on how to study? You will really improve your chances of getting useful returns if you do the search and join a few of them.

I see you are new here. You might not know that there are over 800,000 members, and so the chances of your having a unique problem or question are about zero. Go to the yellow bar at the top of the page, hit the little looking glass icon, and type "study tips" into the search field.

Also, please consider using an anonymous posting name and if that's your real picture, lose that too. If you change them, they will change on all your posts, past and future. There's a reason AN recommends anonymity.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've always heard it as Cs get degrees:) Anyway, I used the Pearson Maternal/OB book to study for OB. it was the only thing I used. Our book was horrible so I didn't do the reading out of it, just read the info in the Pearson book. Hope this helps.

Pearson Reviews & Rationales: Maternal-Newborn Nursing with Nursing Reviews & Rationales (3rd Edition): 9780132956864: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

Up Vote Up Vote ×
"C = RN" is cute but not accurate. "C = passing grade" might be. However, only "NCLEX pass = RN."

Have you spent any time looking around in AN to find the approximately one bazillion threads on how to study? You will really improve your chances of getting useful returns if you do the search and join a few of them.

I see you are new here. You might not know that there are over 800,000 members, and so the chances of your having a unique problem or question are about zero. Go to the yellow bar at the top of the page, hit the little looking glass icon, and type "study tips" into the search field.

Also, please consider using an anonymous posting name and if that's your real picture, lose that too. If you change them, they will change on all your posts, past and future. There's a reason AN recommends anonymity.

Sorry, C=RN is a saying we have at school. It was a joke. I understand how to get an RN license. I have been working on this degree long enough to know that getting my BSN does not equal an RN license. I also understand that there are many posts, but seeing as I am already behind, I was just hoping that maybe people would either (A) post some of their favorite techniques or (B) just ignore my post and move on. Being that there are "800,000" posts on the subject, I think it is safe to say that having 800,001 posts wont bring AN crashing down and probably wont incite a riot.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I've always heard it as Cs get degrees:) Anyway, I used the Pearson Maternal/OB book to study for OB. it was the only thing I used. Our book was horrible so I didn't do the reading out of it, just read the info in the Pearson book. Hope this helps.

Pearson Reviews & Rationales: Maternal-Newborn Nursing with Nursing Reviews & Rationales (3rd Edition): 9780132956864: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

Thanks so much for the suggestion. I'll definitely check that out!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, Medicine, Case Management.
Sorry, C=RN is a saying we have at school. It was a joke. I understand how to get an RN license. I have been working on this degree long enough to know that getting my BSN does not equal an RN license. I also understand that there are many posts, but seeing as I am already behind, I was just hoping that maybe people would either (A) post some of their favorite techniques or (B) just ignore my post and move on. Being that there are "800,000" posts on the subject, I think it is safe to say that having 800,001 posts wont bring AN crashing down and probably wont incite a riot.

I think the point of GrnTea's advice was to suggest you utilize the wealth of information already available to you with a quick search. Rather than spending time waiting for an overwhelming response which is unlikely to come, you could have simply saved yourself some time and looked back through the 800,000 excellent study tips that have been amassed over the years. However, if you choose not to look for yourself, well, eh. Your loss. Best of luck to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I study in 25 minute blocks. I set a timer. Hit the books, write/rewrite notes or flash cards, then take a break. It is working for me. I read somewhere that when you attempt long study sessions your brain only retains the first and last 20-30 min of information. Plus this helps me study more since I have a toddler cutting out huge chunks of time is not always possible.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I really like Mike Linares's videos on Simplenursing.com - he breaks things down in very memorable ways, he's funny, and (if you're of that persuasion) cute to boot!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My concern is the quiet room with extra time. You will get neither on a job. I forsee a bullying/Nurses eat their young thread if she lands a first job judging from her sarcastic response to GrnTea.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

:yawn: please strive for more than a "C". I hate that saying because it makes nurses sound like a bunch of underachievers.

Find out your learning style and use supplemental material. Also, look into getting a tutor if need be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

I have 2 girls I study with. My grades have been so much better since I study with my girls. We all have similar personalities so we know how each one gets it. I have to talk out anything I don't understand and then say one of the girls understands the subject better than me, we talk it out so I understand. We study every Wednesday. It may be a 3 or 4 hour block. We take breaks. It's very relaxed. But I have gone from B's on my tests to all A's since studying with them. I always thought I was a lone studier. This has worked so much better for me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in TCU, Post-surgical, Infection Prevention.

For OB, I just focused on the complications and worked backwards. I needed to know what an OB emergency looked like and what I was capable of doing within the scope of my practice.

I found that spending more time doing questions, than straight-chapter reading was more effective way to retain the information. You have to know the material, but you also have to have practice passing/excelling on the tests. So the more questions you do, the more experience you will have with not getting tripped up on questions.

I live by:

Kaplan

Quizlet

evolve

*******

NCLEX 3500

Maternity Nursing Success

Straight As in Maternity nursing

OB questions from any NCLEX book

Also know that you can pull yourself out of this hole. As OB RN students, we are all learning the same thing and same practices, just maybe in different sequences. You can do this! Hope this helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment