Desperate Need Help from RN students who make A's and B's consistently

LaceyRN · May 7, 2008

I am sorry you are struggling! Nursing school is challenging, no doubt about it! I will tell you what works for me, though I read through your post and it seems you do some of the same things I do. My exam scores are typically in the 88-95% range, though my lowest exam grade in nursing school is an 80% and my highest is a 100%.

First, I attend class and I sit in the front so I'm not distracted. I PAY ATTENTION (harder than it sounds sometimes, lol) take excellent notes and I record the lectures, though I only listen back to fewer than 5% of them. I find recording lectures allows me to relax in class b/c I have an "insurance policy" to fall back on if I miss something. When the instructor gives and example of something in class I write that in my notes. For example if she talks about a specific pt. or scenario I write it in the margin of my powerpoint slide (ex. child who fell off bike, etc.) to remind me of the story she told.

I skim the readings mostly and if I didn't understand something in class I read that section for clarification. I also do HUNDREDS of NCLEX q's before exams. Sounds like a lot but it's really not. I use Saunders and Lippincott and do the questions in each subject being tested on. I also have books from the straight a's series and I do the few q's in the book plus the ones on the CD. I also use the textbook CD's and do those q's pertinent to the material learned.

Finally, I do flashcards. I use 4x6 size and I frame the title on the card in the form of a question. For example, "what are important nursing interventions for the child with pyloric stenosis?" "what are the signs and symptoms of tetrology of fallot?" etc.

I also answer the question on the flashcard on the same side, NOT on the back. Not sure why this is helpful but I learned it in a study strategies class in my first semester.

I hope you will find some of my strategies useful and good luck! Keep working hard! :)

MistiroseRN · May 7, 2008

Are you practicing NCLEX questions along with studying?

I found it helpful. I own about 5 books and I do the questions that go along with what I was learning. Good luck to you.

ADNOLOL08 · May 7, 2008

*hugs*

Please don't give up. Nursing school is very difficult but I've seen people from all walks of life and with different backgrounds that make it through school, graduate, pass the NCLEX, and become wonderful nurses. Though the HESI is supposed to help point out your weak areas (and it did) I don't think that failing it gives an accurate picture of how you will do on NCLEX.

As for preparing for tests:

I read the chapters ahead of time and make notes from the chapters, typing them up in a word processing document as I go along.
I then add the PowerPoint notes to the document as we go through lecture in class.
From there, I study the material. It is a lot, much more than what many people study (many just read over the notes), but I feel that it gives me an advantage; not just on the test, but in an overall knowledge base.
I do tend to study beginning the first day that we begin a new lecture and continue to study until the day before the test. Everyone is different though. Some can't study that far ahead of time and others absolutely have to do so.

The best of luck to you! Hang in there, you can do it!

HeartsOpenWide, RN · May 7, 2008

I get As and Bs. I do not do anything special that I know of. I also was an honor student before nursing school. I read all of the assigned chapters, take good notes in class, answer all the lecture objectives, take any practice tests that come on those CD in the back of my text books, ummmm....I spend a lot of time studying. My program is not based on test scores alone, we have to write papers and clinical write-ups and I always get full or near full credit for those; so that helps my grades. Some times I make flash cards when it applies (drugs, lab values) and some times I make chart (i.e. neurotransmitters). Really, I study on my own, I find study groups to be a waste of time, they usually get off track. Mmmm, thats about it.

lemonaidangel · May 7, 2008

I hear ya. Nursing school is tough! I had a really hard time in the beginning. After failing three tests in a row, I thought I was an idiot and I could never make it to the end. But then something clicked, not sure what exactly, but suddenly I started doing better. My grades went up higher and higher each time, until now I'm an A- average.

I made a 3.8 last semester, and I've received several 100s this semester. I don't know if I'm qualified to give advice because I don't do anything particularly special--if anything, I feel like I should do more!

I pay really close attention in class. I used to take a million notes and write verbatim what the teacher was saying, but then I realized that I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. At the end of class, I would NOT be able to tell you a word she said. So I started carrying a highlighter to class. I highlight in the book as she lectures, and if she says anything important that's not in the text or the powerpoint slides, I'll jot that down. I found this works much better for me because I'm actually LISTENING to what the instructor has to say instead of trying to scribble everything down and missing half of the lecture.

I read all of the chapters at least once, and before the test I'll re-read the care plans and little boxes that everyone ignores. Interestingly enough, there are a lot of test questions that come from those boxes!

Then I read the syllabus and the power point handouts one or two times. Usually I end up skimming them because I remember her going over them in class.

And then I go over every single practice question that is available to me. I use the textbook, online material, anything I can get my hands on that relates to what we are covering in class.

Sometimes I make flashcards over keyterms and important facts that we need to remember (like how to calculate an APGAR score or the stages of fetal development, the different kinds of angina, etc), but it really depends on the class. If I know I am struggling in a certain area, or the teacher highly emphasizes that we have to know the key words, then I'll make them. But most of the time just reading the chapters and doing practice questions is all I need. But that's just me.

Have you ever used MedsPub? My school makes it available for everyone during the semester, and I think it's one of the best things ever. It has a lot of NCLEX/critical thinking style questions, and it gives you a good review of whatever you got wrong. I usually do that the night before the test to see how much I know. It's very helpful.

amybethf · May 8, 2008

It sounds as though you are giving your best effort and I am sorry that you aren't getting the grades for all the hard work you put in. I am wondering if it is the application of critical thinking and the nursing process you are having trouble with. During the test, I read the question and underline the cue words and ask myself what is the question asking, ie, application. priority, knowledge, nursing process, etc. By doing this I avoid reading into the question, which is so easy to do. I then look at the answers and 2 are always wrong right off the bat. So I look at the remaining 2 and reread the question again and the cue words. I go over in my head what I know and this ususally leads me to the 'best' answer. The best answer ususally gives more information.

If you don't have an NCLEX book, get one ASAP. This truly helps with understanding the questions and the rationale as to why it is the best answer.

You are passing thus far so give yourself some well deserved credit! It doesn't seem to matter how good of a student you were in previous courses; nursing tests are another animal entirely! Some students are very good at taking these type of tests. Those who are concrete thinkers have difficulty in NS. Also, I once overstudied and received my lowest score which was an 80. I never study the night before a test, I either know it or don't at that point. Put aside some time every week just to review and see what you have/haven't retained and then focus on your weak points.

Do you review your tests? This is a must. I can almost always pick the right one during review and I want to scream! Why wasn't it that obvious when I took it!

Just keep studying and do not give up hope. You are in your third semester and the end is near. You can do this. Do not let negative thoughts discourage you.

Good luck!

godbless-yute · May 9, 2008

I'm getting ready to start my junior year in the fall. So far my lowest grade was an 82. As far as studying goes, I've found that studying in a small (3 other people) group has helped me. We each look over our notes individually, then we get together and basically teach a section of the test to the others (teaching reinforces your knowledge). I don't read word for word from the entire textbook, but instead focus on the topics covered in the lecture and then skim the rest. I don't record, because I know I won't have time to go back and listen to it again, so I sit in the front of the class, LISTEN, and take great notes. Pay attention to the things the prof. takes extra time to explain. Write as much of what he/she says in your notes. This will come in handy when studying to remind you of what happened in class. hope this helped. Hang in there!!! :nurse:

Bec717 · May 10, 2008

I tape the lectures and then listen to them with my textbook and power points in hand adding notes to the power points from both listening and reading. I only work on small sections/concepts at a time~ once I do a concept/disease I then go and do NCLEX questions just for that material.

I then go on to the next material. We do 7 week courses and with so much information I have one shot to learn this prior to exam, so I learn it well the first time around.

Then about 4 days prior to exam and each day leading to the exam, I sit with one study person, we go through each slide and basically say, "Tell me what you know" and then we review the disease, the collaborative care, the meds, the nursing DX and nursing interventions for each lecture topic. (Be sure you have a study person who has also read, studied, and prepared~ otherwise the discussions back and forth will not work)

I don't rely too heavily on NCLEX questions to study, but rather to practice since our professors do not lecture from NCLEX study guides, nor do they use them for our tests~ I do focus on the taped lectures, power points, and textbook~

Good Luck!!

Bec717 · May 10, 2008

Also for test questions~

Always think:

ABC's

Pt. Safety

Pain

If the question is about a patient making a statement/concern- then the nurse always ask an open ended question which allows the patient to talk or discuss their concern

If a patient situation is one in which the doctor created, then only the doctor can fix so call the physician-

ex. You walk into a patient's room who has had a tonsillectomy and you observe constant swallowing- you should be thinking bleeding/hemorrhage but this is something the doctor must fix, so call the doctor would be the correct intervention ( I hope that makes sense)

Always, always be thinking what you can do for your patient as a nurse to assist your patient when taking the exams~~

justme1972 · May 10, 2008

This is going to vary by school, class and instructor.

What I do, for a first exam, is read everything, study everything, notes (recorded...and I don't really care if we are allowed to record or not...I keep my recorder on my desk and in my purse if they don't allow recordings and don't tell anyone...no one hears it but me anyway).

So for the first exam, I make sure that I know all of the material inside and out. Anything the book doesn't explain, I research on the internet.

As SOON as I take my exam, I go through my notes/book and mark in red ink everything that I can remember that was on the test.

THIS is how you figure out, if your professor is notes oriented or book oriented or a blend of both...however, most are one or the other.

Then when I get the exam back, I see how I did.

99% of the time, that tells me which direction to go.

On the rare event that it doesn't work, I find the student who did do well, and find out what they did.

kck605 · May 10, 2008

Okay...for myself, I never read the text unless I don't understand something or the instructor specifically says to look at the text..which has been twice this semester. That's just extra info to confuse and try to remember too much. During lecture if the instructor says remember it,I star it, if they say it won't be on the test, I mark it out.

I go over the powerpoint several times, then go back and write note cards. I don't make up questions or anything...just condense all the important points from the handouts onto cards. If there are several diseases, they all get their own cards so as not to confuse them. Sometimes there are lots of drugs and I have to give them their own cards. I highlight and underline the VERY important info. Once I have done this for every single power point...I go through the stack of cards over and over until I can't stand looking at them and I can recall all the information the second I lay eyes on the card. I usually don't even do this til the week of the test, cause writing helps me remember and it will be more fresh.