C student

[DogLover1215]

Hi there, I am currently finishing up 3rd semester of my nursing program. And I’ve just been in a bad funk ever since the school started doing an honors society for those who have an average score of a B. Everybody in my class got invited except for 3 of us including myself. I got a B in my first semester and a C in my second semester. I get bad text anxiety and my whole adult life never been “good” at test taking despite my efforts of studying hard. Anyways, I was completely content with my grades because as long as I was passing I didn’t care whether I got a C until this so called honors society. It’s literally something I think about it every day. I feel dumb, incompetent, and not worthy of being a nurse if my grades are B’s and C’s. I’m just not smart like my fellow classmates. And now I’m thinking ahead whether I would even be able to pass 4th semester or even NCLEX. Has anybody else felt this way?

[oldie, CNA, LVN]

I used to be like this.......What you need to do is seriously critique yourself. This can be hard but, try to compare your previous notes to the past exam. Did you write and study the same things? Or were they different? For example did you focus heavily on physiology when the test was actually heavy on nursing interventions? Did you not pay enough attention to the medicines? Did you leave out S/S? Next, if your close to somebody in your program(ideally an A+ student) ask if you can see their previous notes for a past exam. What did they write? What did they study? Also TIME. Time is very important you can't master something unless you put in the time. Im going to share with you what I do to study.

First I print out the slides, then I record the lectures, then I write little notes here and there on to the slides. Then I read/skim the assigned reading and write down what I think is important, I use different colored pens to help me find information. I write all the drugs on index cards and a detailed note about them on the other side. Then I get my laptop and start combining everything into one big giant study guide. For example: Hemophilia- I write the description of what it is, how one gets it, the S/S, how we diagnose, how we treat, nursing interventions, the drugs that we use to treat this disease, all in extreme detail. I do this with every single topic/disease that we are studying. I usually end up with about 10 pages, I print it out and read it outloud to myself. It sounds nuts but this works for me. I started out a 70s student and now I score 92-97 on every exam. It takes a lot of time but that is what is required for me. You only have one more semester you can do this!

[londonflo]

On 11/30/2021 at 4:09 PM, DogLover1215 said:

Anyways, I was completely content with my grades because as long as I was passing I didn’t care whether I got a C until this so called honors society.

Is this Honor Society "Sigma Theta Tau"? I would lose any sleep with not being asked to join. I have been 'inducted' into 3 chapters. The organization did nothing for me (except a certificate I had to frame) to improve my nursing practice. It is just a money making operation. Have you looked at the journal you get with membership? The articles are so esoteric, they do nothing for your practice.  Be glad you saved the money you need to pay to join and renew. 

Quote

Think about it like this...I love antiques and go to auctions weekly. Sometimes the bid of the item goes higher than I want to pay and I lose out. Then I always say to myself (but I still have my xxxx dollars).

Not joining Sigma Theta Tau is like this....When all is said and done..you still have your money.