help

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

Most of my class used flash cards & posted them every where...this might help you. For myself, this didn't work. My method of study was long & tedious, but it worked for me. I usually read my chapters no less than 4 times...the first time word for word & each time after that I'd use a different color highlighter until I had narrowed it down to just key words with a certian color. The morning before my exam I would scan only the words in that certain color. Basically for me the key was cutting out all the back ground stuff in the paragragh & hitting the high points only. I got my share of criticism (for studying too hard) from my fellow classmates, but it helped me learn the material (I can't test on memorization alone) & I stuck to it all the way through school! Don't give up, you will find what works for you...maybe a combo of all our suggestions! Anyway, hang in there & all my best to you! :icon_hug:

b43tands · Oct 19, 2006

S. Carter, you are very right I need to connect the dots. What kind of nurse would I be if I couldn't connect the dots? I connect the dots in while in clinicals just not on the test.

s.carter · Oct 20, 2006

for me it makes things easier to understand. I guess because if we can own it and see it then it has meaning and changes from a list of facts to memorize to a thing you can understand. My wife used to do the same thing, allways memorize facts. and she would get bad grades on the tests. while I would take the same test and not have anywhere near the factual knowledge that she had but I would get a better grade because I "got it".

when you study, try to hit some reality checks. like if you are studying diabeties, take a second and think about, what does a person with diabeties look like? talk like? smell like? whatever, just think it through and then try to understand why these things are the way that they are.

I think I am not makeing any sence so I am gonna stop now.

N51308 · Oct 23, 2006

b43tands,

Don't give up!! Unfortunately, as seen by some of these posts :offtopic: some people may not want to see you succeed. Their main goal is to discourage and belittle you but don't allow them to succeed. You KNOW, you KNOW the information. You just need to be able to regurgitate, for lack of a better word, the information YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW! In addition, don't believe everything people say. Those individuals that feel the need to brag about their grades and superior study styles may be lying or lack in other areas and are trying to compensate. IGNORE them :zzzzz. Ultimately, wait 10 years down the road and look around. You'll find that these are the very ones that leave this field. Many nurses have told me that it is not the ones that are BOOKSMART that make it but the ones that struggle to get it. They are in it for the long run. You can do this and will! And, don't forget you are not alone. Many of us are in your same boat and are along for the same BUMPY ride. Best Wishes and Keep your Head Up!:cheers:

Nothing is more rewarding than to watch someone who says it can't be done be interrupted by someone who is actually doing it.- Anonymous

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."

- Truman Capote

You must do the thing, you think you cannot do."

Eleanor Roosevelt

b43tands · Oct 23, 2006

JDCD, thank you for that...it was really uplifting.

BoonersmomRN · Oct 23, 2006

Keep going for it. M/S is an interesting experience to say the least- yes it is all about connecting the dots.

Do you have any NCLEX study guide books? They helped me tremendously in M/S. When you get used to the kind of questions NCLEX are- and learn how to break a question down...it starts to fall into place.

I am our class mentor and I helped a lot of people in M/S. The one thing I noticed was that a lot of the people struggling were attempting to memorize every little last detail. True, there are things you will need memorized but the bulk majority of it wasn't about memorizing.

Let's take fluids_ electrolytes for example. Let's use sodium. If you can understand what sodium's role is.....and it's normal range...then you should be able to state what happens when there is too much or too little. I had people memorizing 800 symptoms ...and then they were just getting confused- which I would be too! It's about understanding the PATHO. If you can get the PATHO then the rest will fall into place.

For M/S I used the Saunders NCLEX complete evaluation book ( think it was $42 and it's HUGE and comes with a CD) and Prentice Hall's M/S Reviews and Rationales. These were wonderful extra tools. A lot of the people I helped said that they helped them as soon as well...=once I told them about it.

You can do it! Good luck!

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 23, 2006

Let's take fluids_ electrolytes for example. Let's use sodium. If you can understand what sodium's role is.....and it's normal range...then you should be able to state what happens when there is too much or too little. I had people memorizing 800 symptoms ...and then they were just getting confused- which I would be too! It's about understanding the PATHO. If you can get the PATHO then the rest will fall into place.

Yes! Great post. I remember students memorizing the exact hemoglobin values for men and women just before a test. I was watching them and I said, you know, there will never be a question on a test asking you they value of that. You must know the big picture. Look at all the s/s. The test questions are a puzzle, a riddle that the teachers have set up for you. Ask yourself, what are they asking in this question? What is it that they really want me to know?

ExCorporateRN · Oct 23, 2006

OK....there is someone asking for help here not asking to be judged.

You have done well enough to get into the nursing programs which are highly selective now. My school received over 1000 applications for 76 spots. It is a different game now than it was 10-15-20 years ago. You had the brains to get in....so you deserve to be there. Forget the connecting of the dots idea...UGH!

So, let's back up a few steps. What is your best learning style? Are you better at retaining info from lectures or more successful in reading the material? How are your note taking skills?

Some things I have done and maybe it will help you:

-Record the lecture. Then replay it once to fill in your notes. Listen to it again shortly before your exam to keep it fresh in your mind.

-Take your powerpoint handouts and highlight this info in the text. So as you are reading along you can learn the additional details to help with understanding the pathology. It will also enhance your critical thinking skills.

-Buy some NCLEX books. I use Saunders.

-Make flashcards. Boil the material down to a few words that can be used as anchors in remembering your key concepts. Try some tricks. To help me remember the difference between gastric and peptic ulcers I did this-

Gastric = G for gag "nausea, A=anorexia S=stop NSAIDS T-Trim or Thin R=recent pain after meals I=indigestion C= belCh. For Peptic I used R's=recurrent, relapse, rectal bleeding, Right Epigastric, Red blood in stools, Runs (diarrhea). I bring these cards EVERYWHERE. Anytime I have 1 extra minute on my hands I take these out and go over and over it. Repetition is really key!

Med-Surg is a HARD class. At my Univ. the instructors are terrible! They read the powerpoint slides to us. Unfortunately we are getting more of the anatomy/physiology/symptoms/meds but not the application. Every school has this disconnect. So there is NOTHING wrong with you.

Again...spend some time on your NCLEX books to build your intuition muscle in answering these types of questions. I noticed that the students with clinical experience whizzed through these classes because they have the intuition that we are still trying to develop.

You can do it!

b43tands · Oct 24, 2006

CorporatetoRN and Boomersmom:

You know, yesturday night I was laying in bed thinkning that I need to buy a NCLEX book. I do try to remember about 1000 things at a time. I think what the both of you suggested was really good ideas and I will try them. Thank you. That Gasrtic thing for the ulcers was really good. I just wanted to say thanks, your comments did and do help and I'm actually about to go get a NCLEX book tonight. I will try all of these things and I'm sure I will be as successful as you all.

THANK YOU

LisaCRN05 · Oct 24, 2006

I had a friend who had every nursing tool available. She had all those books about getting straight A's, etc. She would stress herself out so much. She would read every line of every chapter. She barely made it past semester 2 and had to take her last semester over. She was pretty good on the floor too! Try focusing on the notes given to you in class and correlate those notes with the readings in the chapters to pick up additional information. Rewriting or typing your notes is helpful too. I always found that the instructor gave the important information that you needed to know. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOR ADVICE. Good luck.