Dreaded Nursing Classes

Jules A, MSN · Sep 17, 2008

Hi,

Congrats on starting nursing classes. I didn't think the work was difficult. There was a ton of it so staying on top of your reading and assignments is crucial. One advantage I had is that I am old and didn't even consider trying to have a social life so just keep an eye on that. :wink2:

Best of luck to you!

RhodyGirl, RN · Sep 17, 2008

Yep. Throw your social life out the window. Time management and keeping up with readings is HUGE. Good luck.

peacelovestar · Sep 17, 2008

i'm not in nursing school but i start next semester and i've been reading these boards for years.

i think you just need to stay on top of everything from the very beginning.. get your books ASAP and start reading ASAP. make flashcards of simple topics and carry them with you everywhere.... you'd be surprised how often you have a few minutes. don't study 24/7 but definitely look over stuff every single day if not for just a few minutes.

if you are one of those people who doesn't ask questions even though you don't know what is going on- learn to ask questions. you're paying for your education too and you have just as much right as anyone else.

always read before lectures. and make notes of topics you couldn't quite grasp so you pay extra attention.

get an nclex review book and use it to get familiar with "nursing style" questions.

be friendly in nursing school but do not get involved in drama.

be organized.

don't give up your social life. make time for yourself or you'll go crazy.

do not cram. ever. it doesn't work.

read allnurses.com :) this site is amazingly helpful!

missjennmb · Sep 17, 2008

Read read read. I'm only a month in and I've gone from "it may be hard for them but it will be cake for me because i'm 'good' at school" to "how the heck can anyone keep up with this workload and still find time to sleep???". The only thing I have difficulty with, honestly, is the sheer volume of reading material required every week. I have a 40-50 page chapter (including chapter review questions and a 2-6 pg associated lab) twice a week, and every week we cover 7 chapters for nursing, plus we have 1-2 skills that we have to memorize the steps/reasons for and be able to do backwards and forwards and the related 4-10 pages of information to absorb for that.

The other thing? DO NOT LET THE DRAMA SUCK YOU IN!! I did... I have already gotten myself so focused on the non nursing "stuff" that its sapped what little energy I had left to stay motivated about school. Time is money, and time spent on drama is time lost that could bring you an extra point, or two or three or ten on the next quiz/test/etc. I'm learning this the hard way unfortunately...

jesa · Sep 17, 2008

you probably know yourself and how you study best, and different people are different.

the number one thing is don't get behind!! you don't always have to do everything 100%, but once you get behind it's hard to catch up.

I am a mom, wife, and student doing an accelerated program (graduating in Dec!!) and have found for me I have to enjoy my life, see my friends and family, and try to balance it all. I don't go crazy over things like some of my classmates, I don't have to get 100% on all my tests, I'm doing really well and will graduate with honors, but I attribute it to knowing myself, how I study, and taking time to balance.

good luck!!!

lemonaidangel · Sep 17, 2008

Yeah, finding a balance between school work and having a little bit of downtime is the key. Do not get so caught up in homework that you get burned out! I always take one day per week to do whatever I want. I don't even think about school on those days. I watch movies, go to the park, meet friends and family, etc. I study all of the other days, but having that one day to myself seems to work pretty well to relieve the stress. Here I am in my senior year of nursing school, with a job, a farm, and family. I am still here and I make decent grades. It is very doable, but you need to be able to manage your time appropriately.

truern · Sep 17, 2008

i keep seeing where others read read read, but honestly i didn't that much. i skimmed the chapters...picked up on important areas (you'll know them...they're in a different color, highlighted, in a box or figure, etc). the thing i *always* did was pay attention to lecture...especially anything repeated during lecture. i always put a * beside any material i didn't have a full grasp of and studied it until i did.

another thing: when you get to a test question first thing you do is eliminate the distractors. there's always some information that's just thrown in there to muddle the water. see what the question is really asking and then look for the information you need to answer the question without getting bogged down in the extraneous material.

eta: immediately after each test i'd go thru my notes and syllabus and highlight test questions....made it much easier to study for finals

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 18, 2008

The other thing? DO NOT LET THE DRAMA SUCK YOU IN!! .

Great advice. Don't let the "energy vampires" suck the life out of you. You need every ounce of energy you can muster to manage your time effectively.

Good Luck

Diane

DoeRN · Sep 18, 2008

I keep seeing where others READ READ READ, but honestly I didn't that much. I skimmed the chapters...picked up on important areas (you'll know them...they're in a different color, highlighted, in a box or figure, etc). The thing I *always* did was pay attention to lecture...especially anything repeated during lecture. I always put a * beside any material I didn't have a full grasp of and studied it until I did.

Same here I would read over my lecture notes. The only time I did have to do some serious reading was for my last two med surg classes. Hang in there it will be over before you know it. I only have a couple weeks until I am finished and I can remember my first day like it was yesterday.

P.S. I do agree with some of the other posters. I did have to give up my social life. When I was taking my pre-reqs I would go out of town during school breaks. When I started the nursing classes I used that time to study my lecture notes or do NCLEX questions.