Feeling intimidated by Adult semester

[Mommy_RN1211]

We just started back on Monday and I feel as though someone threw me into the deep end of the pool. In our school we rotate systems so my group is the lucky group starting with Cardiac. Womp womp! First day our professor dove right into the material and I am so intimidated now. I feel like as he is talking I should know some of this (probably because he keeps saying "You should know this") but I don't. Everyone says most people fail this test, even our professor. Feeling really anxious right now, and I am generally an easy going student.

Anyone else ever feel like you should know more than you do? Any advice on how to shake this feeling?

[itsmejuli]

Follow the syllabus and read the chapter ahead of time

[Summer Days]

Specifically, what was covered in the cardiac lecture that you don't understand so can I help? I need specifics like is it conductivity? Perfusion? Cardiac diseases?

Second, brush up on blood flow. Review the anatomy of the heart, there is a reason why they have us take anatomy, right? Know the layers of the heart and what they do. The endo/epi/myo/pericardium.

Review terminology such as ejection fraction, cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, systemic vascular resistance etc. Alot of cardiac meds tend to affect these.

Use youtube videos to reinforce what the instructor said you ought to have known. All the best.

[peacelover]

See if you can create a good list of nursing interventions you will use for those cardiac patients. Why they are important, how they help your patient, how you assess for the effectiveness of the intervention. Include what adjuvant therapy may happen. Make sure that you know they BIG ones, like when you need to call for help etc...

Next, take a breath and work hard. Some of the 'you should know this' coming from the instructor is just him trying to impress upon you how damn important it is for you to know this material. Don't fight it, just go with his flow and when he says something is important commit it to your grey matter!

Reading before hand and knowing what the objectives for the class are ahead of time are powerful. You can spend time then listening fully to the instructor rather than feverishly writing notes or sinking into a poo of despair thinking how bad you are going to bomb the test.

Allocate time to study. Do what you can-these are things in your control so don't worry about them..the rest let go, cause worry is NOT productive in school. Of course, I know you know this already :)

I personally have a bit of a rebel streak. When you tell me how I cant I will purposefully do 100% more than you told me I could not do...all the while thinking, HA! Take that!

best wishes your way!

I used this trick in school.