3 Days Until 3rd Semester

[Lyndalee]

I am entering my 3rd semester; which in my RN program it is the most difficult in as we do cardiac, respiratory, endocrine, and the hepatic and renal. I am apprehensive because I find these systems--cardiac and endocrine to be difficult to wrap my brain around the increases and decreases, the positive and negative--it seems to make my head spin. I have been studying fluids and electrolytes (which we will spend part of the first day on and we already touched on them in 1st--studiying ECG strips to try to get a jump on those....Any tips about major highlights for this semester??? I wish all of those returning after the holiday break and those going into first semester good luck and stick with it..."you are not alone.":up:

Thanks, Lynda

[Jules A, MSN]

No words of advice, just keep studying and don't lose your momentum. You almost done girlie!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

check the weblinks on the any good iv therapy or nursing procedure web sites sticky in nursing student assistant forum (https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/any-good-iv-127657.html): post #13 for respiratory related links on oxygenation, trachs and trach care, chest tubes, mechanical ventilation; #17 description of hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic iv solutions with link to a listing of them; and post #39 ekg/hemodynamic monitoring/intracranial pressure monitoring/intra-aortic balloon pump weblinks.

see the weblnks on the pathophysiology/ a & p/ microbiology/ fluid & electrolyte resources sticky in nursing student assistance forum (https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/pathophysiology-p-microbiology-145201.html) for the 6 important electrolytes on post #23; the rome mnemonic on post #24; and how to read and interpret abgs on post #45.

also check out:

• http://www.icufaqs.org/
  
• http://rnbob.tripod.com/ - nurse bob's micu/icu survival guide
  
• http://www.ccmtutorials.com/
  
• http://enw.org/can'tbreathe.htm (part 1)
  
  
• http://enw.org/can'tbreatheii.htm (part 2)
  
  
• https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/medical-disease-information-258109.html - medical disease information/treatment/procedures/test reference websites
  
  

good luck in your 3rd semester.

[VenaKavaRN]

I also recommend that when your brain starts to turn to mush, you may want to try studying in a different way. For example, when I get tired of reading from the textbook, I make use of the online materials such as animations and videos to engage other senses and parts of the brain. It usually makes me feel more refreshed and ready to hit the books again.

Not to mention, it gets me on the computer where I can check allnurses