Disappointed in myself, could use some pointers...

mandaluz · May 5, 2011

If I were you, I'd try to narrow down what exactly it is that is causing you not to achieve the success that you desire in the class. Is it lack of time, the material, the teaching style, test taking trouble? Once you determine exactly which part is of the class is holding you back, it's easier to find a solution and move on. I wouldn't be too hard on yourself because that won't help you get to where you want to be. If you can be more specific about your problem, I might have some suggestions for you :hug:

canigraduate · May 5, 2011

Mandaluz, thanks for the hug! I needed it!

I've been assessing my study habits, and I think the worst part for me is that my brain turns itself off when I am trying to study. I will start reading my notes or my books and 10 minutes and 2 pages later I will not recall a single thing I just read. I have to go back over things, sometimes three and four times. I have tried reading out loud, but with the same result. I have tried music in the background. I have tried reading standing up. I am just not able to get into the material.

I did figure out that I can pay attention as long as I am doing something with the information. For example, I made a lot of charts and that helped me pay attention and even retain some information. But, when I went back to read over the charts, brain fog again. So, I don't really know what else to do to help me engage with the information.

Sometimes, too, I just don't understand the questions on the tests. I find the stem, think I figure out what the question is asking, mark out distracting information, read the answers and think through them, then pick the most logical answer. My logic and nursing logic don't always mesh. I had one question on my final that I seriously thought "*****" I had to read the question through three times and I still don't think I understood it.

SierraMoon, ADN, BSN, RN · May 5, 2011

Wow, you sound a lot like me. I can't study either. Never could, I just can't concentrate on stuff I've already gone over. I wish I had a magic bullet for you but I never did find a good method. Some things that helped a little were study groups (talking about stuff helped) and NCLEX review books (hits the highlights; questions are good practice).

mandaluz · May 5, 2011

One of my favorite teachers helped me out with this study habit - compare and contrast. If making charts is helpful to you, try taking a few concepts that have some similarities and have one big section beneath them where you list out everything that is the same about them and below that seperate sections for each where you list out everything that is different about them. Try to list as much as you can, then go back over the notes and add things that you may have missed. Come test time, review the chart several times and then try to write it out from scratch without looking.

I have found over the past year that if I make a few friends at the beginning of the quarter/semester and stick with them through out the class: planning study dates and such, I can truly get a better grasp of the material and feel more comfortable come test time. They help to get me talking about the material and to gain a better understanding.

One more note, it sounds like you are having trouble with reading the material. You may be more of an auditory or hands on learner. Figure out which learning style works best for you and try to adapt your study habits so that you can learn how you learn best. Try a few different things and see what works best. Try recording lectures and listening to them on your drive home, before bed or while you're on the treadmill. If you are super confused about a concept, try searching youtube and see if you can find a video about it. Sometimes seeing the concept in action really clears things up!

I truly hope that some of this helps you! I'm sure that you have what it takes to succeed :)

Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN · May 5, 2011

I think the most helpful study tool is case studies. They usually are asking you all about the specific the condition, but making your apply it to specifics. My med surg 1 & 2 classes require us to do lots of case studies. I really do a thorough job on my case studies & study for like 4 hours before the exam & get As :) I think the application of the material is the key, because application is what is required on the NCLEX style tests.

Since you get foggy brain so quick, maybe you should pick up an "Incredibly Easy Book" for whatever subject you are struggling in. You can read in there the basics of whatever you are learning quickly & then expand as necessary from your text book. The Incredibly Easy books also have fun cartoons & Mnemonics which break up the monotony.

I wish you the best of luck!

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · May 5, 2011

Hi, everybody!
I just finished up a semester and I am really upset with myself because I made a C. I know, C = RN.

C does not equal RN...check that at the door. C equals you got a C.

morte, LPN, LVN · May 5, 2011

perhaps you subconscious is refusing to study because it doesnt want to admit you have to?

perhaps some hypnosis would help?

MidnightAzalea · May 5, 2011

Have you looked at adult ADD to see if that might fit?

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · May 5, 2011

C does not equal RN...check that at the door. C equals you got a C.

That may be a dumb saying but I don't think the op needs to hear that. She sounds like a good student who is or was struggling with one class.

I think you just need to get past this and let it go, so you got a C big deal. You passed so just go on to teh next semester and try to figure out how to study better. One thing I started trying to do because I can't read through all the material, is just try to focus on the many power-points and what I do is make up my own practice questions or tests.

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · May 5, 2011

Here are two things I wonder:

a) Are you not as interested in the material right now?

or

b) Could you be stress, anxious or depressed in some way.

I found I had problems like you described a few years ago and with hindsight I believe I was quite depressed. I retained very little material. Recently I studied the same stuff, put in less effort, and got all A's. Could you need a little break from studying?

Just spit balling. Sorry you got a disappointing grade.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · May 5, 2011

OK..this post is going to sound like a criticism, but trust me...I have a point and it is a kind one.

I feel that your past experience in getting grades easily has "set you up" to thinking that it will happen all the time with very little effort. In my nursing school, 11 already had BS degrees in other areas and every single one of them said that nursing school in my little, tiny, community college of an ADN program was 15x harder than anything they had ever done before.

Anatomy and Physiology was my biggest nightmare. I got an A in both sections (I and II), but I studied, and I am NOT kidding, with 5-6 hours of sleep every night and I studied at least 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday on the weekends for the entire summer semester...because if I wanted that A, THAT is what it took. I bombed the first test and took it to my teacher and said, "Ok, this C is not acceptable to me...I want an A...can you show me what I need to do to get one?" She was a good instructor that told me what to focus on and I did exactly what she said and it paid off.

What has happened with you is that you are used to the teaching environment changing to suit you...that isn't your fault at all...that is the fault of the teachers. The Valadictorian that I graduated with, failed out his first year of college and he lost a full-4-year scholarship because all through high school, I saw tests get thrown out, papers handed back to HIM to rewrite when no one else got that opportunity...I saw alot of favoritism...but it short changed him in the end...b/c when he entered an environment where HE was expected to rise to the occasion...there wasn't anyone to save his A.

So...here is my advice:

1. Make an appointment with the instructor that you think you are having the most trouble with, take everything with you that you use to study with...charts, notes, even your laptop, everything...lay it all out and say, "Ok, here is what I am doing and I am getting a C...I want an A...please, tell me what I am doing wrong."

2. Get a copy of an NCLEX book and do additional questions for EVERY exam you take in school. This is KEY to passing nursing exams. I found out about this trick when I was applying on this website and when I saw that others were doing the same thing?? I bought one that same day....I did questions not only from my textbook, but from the ATI books they gave me AND Saunders. So I did about 300 to 400 pratice questions for EVERY exam that only had 50 questions. I read the rationales, not only when I got the question right, but when I got the question wrong....so when I took the NCLEX, I barely studied, and passed at 75 questions. I also got out of nursing school with a 3.1 GPA.

3. Now...this may sound like sour grapes, but here it goes: It may not necessarily be you and every program is different. When I graduated, I got an A in every non-nursing course I took and all of my pharmacology courses. I got B's the first year in nursing and C's in my nursing classes the second semester. You know why? Because NOBODY got an A in nursing as a final grade in the entire two years I was in....NOBODY.

I know this because they posted the list of the grades (without identifying information) so everyone could see where they fell after every test and then the final grades. My final grade was STILL in the top 5% of my class, even with my C....this is another thing you need to take a look at...how are you doing in comparison with other students.

My final bit of advice is NEVER believe what someone else tells you as far as what they are getting in grades unless you see their paper. Students LIE about what they get so you will think they are smarter than they are, or they will claim that they "never cracked a book" for their test. Don't believe them.

I wish you luck...trust me, we have all been there. The tears, wanting to quit, thinking we would never pass, we have ALL been there.

We made it and you will too. Dedication and sacrifice....THAT is what it takes to make it in nursing school...you will never get a paper or a test grade handed to you...ever. Treat these classes differently than you would any other class.

Like they say, Nursing School...it's not for sissies.