Simple Nursing course turning out to be a complete nightmare.......help!

tippytootagon · Oct 14, 2012

"If it's in your textbook, you may be tested on it" - every single one of my nursing professors ever.

Hi everyone,
I am currently in my first semester of nursing school. Some of my prereqs were taken over the summer. Right now I am taking the following courses:
Anatomy & Physiology II
Organic & Biological Chemistry
Nutrition
Nursing 129 (Professional Socialization: Education for professional Nursing Practice.)
So far I have an A in A&PII, Chem, and Nutrition.
As for Nursing129, I think I failed the first exam and I don't see how on earth I can pass future exams in this class because of the professor....
This is the first nursing course of the program. It is on the history of nursing, social issues, etc. Sounds easy right? Well the professor is making this class a COMPLETE NIGHTMARE. It is unbelievable how ridiculous this professors teaching methods are. During the first 3 classes, this professor literally spoke about herself and her accomplishments in nursing- nothing, absolutely NOTHING relating to the course material or chapters in the book.
The first test was on 4 chapters of the textbook. Come the class before exam 1, all the students were asking what material would be on exam one and what we should focus on because there was an immense amount of material. The professor gave NO INSIGHT as to what we should focus on. She just said we just have to read all 4 chapters and be prepared. Come the test- there were only 15 multiple choice questions ALL ON ONLY 1 OF THE 4 CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK.
How am I supposed to focus on every minute detail of 1 chapter while she said the first exam was on 4 chapters (VERY LONG AND DETAILED CHAPTERS!!!!!)
To make matters worse, Exam 2 is on 12 chapters...... and yes that is TWELVE chapters. Everyone thought she was joking when she said that but she wasn't. Each chapter takes literally an hour to read. I don't see how I am going to pass this woman's class, especially with having to focus on my other 3 classes. The entire class met outside after the test and everyone was furious about the situation so I'm glad it's not just me.
I contacted this professor to make an appointment to meet with her to see how on EARTH I can get through this class with a C+ or above.
It just really angers me because I KNOW THE MATERIAL!!!! And I feel like this professor is:
A) screwing up my GPA, and
B)Wasting thousands of my dollars if this class is not passed with a C+ just because her teaching methods are absolutely terrible.
I KNOW the material, but she REFUSED to give the class ANY insight on what to focus on. It was like she didn't want us to do well......
I thought this class would be the easiest of the 3..... Boy was I wrong. If I don't pass this class with a C+ or above, I will:
Not be allowed to take any summer courses in 2013.
Not be able to take the classes I need to next semester since this is a prereq.
Have to take this class again which will be a total waste of my time and money that I DO NOT HAVE.
Any advice???? I already have my bachelors in another field, and in my past 4 years of college I have NEVER EXPERIENCED such a horrible professor. Is this common in nursing professors????? I hope this is just ONE bad apple out of many.... because if my future nursing professors are like this I may as well drop out of the program now and save thousands and thousands of dollars.
Thanks for any advice.

CHESCCRP · Oct 14, 2012

I am sorry you got stuck with such a lousy professor. You can complain to administration all you want after the class is over, but it looks like you're stuck with her for now. Don't waste your limited study time complaining about the professor, because things probably won't change this semester. Use that time to absorb as much material as possible. Try going to this professor's office hours to see if she might be willing to help you after you specifically ask for her help. Set up a study group with your other students, and try your best to teach each other the material. If there is another professor, ask that one for help. I know it's not the answer you want to hear, but that's the way it is. Nursing school isn't just about being taught, it's about learning how to learn, and in some cases, how to teach yourself something.

Please don't take this as me being mean; I have a professor who is like that this semester. Heck, we would be lucky if she lectured to us, but it is an online class, and she doesn't. Study groups are how we are teaching ourselves these things, and how we are coping with this class. I'm also a first semester student, so I'm just dealing with it as it comes and plotting my revenge via my course evaluation.

Best of luck to you, keep your chin up, and ask for help from your classmates. Maybe even somebody in one of the upper classes might be able to help you.

Orizza · Oct 14, 2012

I'm only in my pre reqs right now, but my AP I professor won't give us insight as to what's on the test either. He feels as future possible nurses, learning for just the test is not going to help us, and potentially harmful in the long run. I agree with him. I don't think I'd want a nurse who only studied to get a C+ on a test. :/

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2012

Nursign is about being able to take the information given (labs, past history, current complaints) and through inference be able to come to a seemingly unrelated answer.

Example:

Pt has a hx of ischemic stroke. Currently taking coumadin. Arrives in ER complaining of numbness in the toes. The nurse should first:

A) have pt put feet up

B) draw labs

C) check vitals

D) call MD

(Super dumb question, I know, trying to do this as I go and make sure I can explain)

I would answer B because we know that (a) there is a history of clotting issues and (b) there is numbness in the toes. This means that there is a possible clot and that's why the toes are numb. No one said anything about when the last INRs were drawn or if the pt is compliant BUT we know history, current meds and current complaint. You have to draw a conclusion. Without knowing what an ischemic stroke is, what coumadin is and what tingling toes could mean you can't answer the question. So yes, reading 4 chapters and giving a test with 15 questions STINKS she is giving you a hard lesson on knowing all the material and drawing conclusions. 12 chapters is NOTHING and just the tip of the iceberg. There are good teachers and there are bad, and you can learn from them all you just have to take it in stride and keep pushing on! My funds instructor tried teaching us that the blood ENTERS THE HEART THROUGH THE LEFT SIDE!!!!! And exits through THE RIGHT SIDE! She even drew a picture of this! We argued for a good HOUR but she insisted she was right. We had to keep reminding ourselves this was a small fraction of our schooling and just learned the material on our own and learned how to answer the tests HER WAY, plain and simple. Right wrong or indifferent we had to answer HER WAY to get a good grade. Left the class with an A and we all collectively complained so those behind us didn't have to deal with that. She was eventually replaced.

Good luck! You can do this! Listen to those stories and perhaps there is a connection to the reading. Look for the connection. If you can't find one, make one so you can remember the content. I do not learn from stories like that, but our advanced med-surg teacher taught like that, so critical care stuff was all up to me to learn on my own. Walked out of there with an A also. You can do it!

Nursing2102 · Oct 14, 2012

Thanks for your responses everyone! Hopefully I can just get myself through this class on my own and learn how to self-teach!

dawniepoo · Oct 15, 2012

Lets look on the positive side: After completing one test, you now have an idea about what the other tests will be like. I took this same class a few semesters ago and I remember how boring it was, lol. Do you belong to a study group? If not, I would join one pronto! Start with one chapter, read the objectives and major headings of the chapter, then go back and read it. Sometimes it helps to make an outline of the material too. If there are questions at the end of the chapter, make sure you can answer them and know the rationales for those answers too. Good luck!

nurse2be13 · Oct 15, 2012

Why exactly should the instructor tell you what will be on the exam? Your post was extremely long. You could have spent that time studying instead of blaming your instructor for your shortcomings. :-)

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Oct 15, 2012

I don't mean to be mean and your teacher may really suck but a lot of stuff in nursing school is like this. Many times our exams cover tons of chapters and I haven't gotten a study guide or much of focus on this stuff type of thing since starting nursing school. I remember how irritated I was at first but then you just kind of find your way and then it becomes normal. Our tests are similar too because they are generally very short. You will figure it out and get used to it. I took 3 gen ed's this past spring and I couldnt believe how easy they seemed to me aafter a year and half of nursing school :)

loriangel14, RN · Oct 16, 2012

This fairly typical. Welcome to nursing school. Yes you will study huge amounts of material and not all of it will be on the exam.You are not just studying to pass the test, you need to know the material.Exams covering several long chapters is quite normal and yes, it is a lot of reading.This not bad teaching, this is nursing school.They will not spoon feed you the stuff you need to know.

AshleyDiane6 · Oct 16, 2012

Every nursing instructor I had said if it is in the text it can be tested. If you knew the information why didn't you pass the test? I was a straight A and B student before nursing school, my first semester of the nursing program I developed test anxiety. I took other classes during the nursing program and never had test anxiety in any of them except the nursing courses. I know it seems weird but do you think it's possible that you may have test anxiety?

Guest343211 · Oct 16, 2012

I detest when professors in any course waste class hours with tons of impertinent BS. I have seen this before. They bloviate for x amount of classes, and then they do the panic squeeze as they get near the end of the term, b/c they know they are supposed to at least touch upon certain things--and they didn't effectively pace the curriculum. So, yea. That's bad teaching. They need to stay on point. Some diversions can be tangentially worked into the lectures, but the prof should be careful with this and respect the students' time. This is how I teach. I am folksy and share some things if they can carry into the lectures, but it's unfair and false representation, in my view, when profs go way off target and/or don't cover the material that was supposed to be carefully developed and hit upon as noted in the objectives in the course outlines. I also hate a lack of clear rubrics as well. People are paying a good deal of money to be there; don't waste their time. It's disrespectful and quite frankly a rip-off.

Most of my professors at any college or university I've attended test a good piece on what they presented in lecture. No doubt you have to cover things in more depth on your own, and then you have to sweep review.

But regarding the haphazard teaching, well, it just goes to show that you can get a degree, but it doesn't mean you can teach and teach well. Yes, adult learners have to learn a lot on their own; but the professors set the parameters and the tone.

Nah, she's not going to focus on every minute detail; b/c it's impractical. That's why you have to do a clear and concise overview, and note where the focus will be from her lectures and syllabus. What does the syllabus say?

Job one in academic success is familiarizing yourself with the complete syllabus and any course material and information specific to the course that goes with it. If you are in a university, the college of nursing within the university develops and vets the material, and all syllabi have to be pre-submitted with a full plan and rubrics.

Overview/outline each chapter. Outline objectives for each subdivision in syllabus and course material. Review these thoroughly, and then study for your own self-edification. That's what I did with great success.

It's also better to ask the professor questions of a specific nature, rather than asking them to tell you what's going to be on the test. They figure if you have read the material and are seeing that you are meeting the objectives and comprehend them, then you are generally aware. In general, they will usually only take specific questions.

If the professor focuses on particular things, take special note of it; it's likely to be covered. The reason I said to do a general overview is b/c you don't know what will be covered specifically in terms of all the test questions. *They can only make the test so long. I've been interested in certain things, and focused on those things more, and low and behold, they were barely covered or not even mentioned on exams. So, I learned to overview and outline as comprehensively as possible, and then I focus on what interests me. That way I can kill the exam, and then actually learn. *Note, studying for the test is only part of learning. I have a different philosophical view on what real learning actually is compared with other people, so. . .

Also, if they have given you specific assignments or projects that address particulars on the objectives, go over them.

They have certain expectations and so do you. This is why clear objectives and specific rubrics are important. You have to converge with them where they meet as well as where they make the most sense for you. But never blow off the syllabus. Sometimes professors will dance around what's in them, but at the best schools, IMHO, they generally don't, and the professors are expected to guide the students properly through meeting them. But only YOU can determine if you are getting them--or understanding them. So the bulk of the work in that regard is on you. Most professors aren't going to lose sleep on whether a student is "getting" the objectives or not. If you don't feel you are, after putting in the work, you have to make an appoint with the prof. or go to office hours.

Good luck.