Study Tips

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I was wondering if anyone here has some good study tips they could share? I'm having a hard time learning the material in the short amount of time that we are given. I usually read over the 20 page packet, half at a time. I'll usually do this over a period of a day. Then I'll try and read my med surg made easy books, or med surf help books, or the textbooks to clarify any information that I'm having trouble with. Do you think it would help to read the packet in halfs.. and then reread the whole packet over again? I did this in the first semester adn I used to do this in college but it seems like sometimes I would be studying too much and I'd miss the key points. I have ADD which I'm sure is a factor in why I have a hard time studying and all taht but I am on medication for it. Can people share the best way that they are able to study?

What I usually do is record the lecture. I read the book and make highlights and make notecards. Then I go back and listen to the lecture making any extra notes I need on the study guide. Then I study the notecards and studyguide with my classmate budies. The day before the test I go back to the book and read the highlights. It takes forever but that's how I get through. But I think what helps me most is going back and reading the highlights. Hope this helps.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

I don't know if it will help you, but this is what I do. We have the entire semesters lessons, readings, and objectives given to us at the beginning of the semester, so we know exactly what to learn. I read before class, or at least I try to. I don't try to understand it, I just read. I start off with Med/Surg Made Easy and I get a basic gist. Then I read the textbook. I then read over the powerpoints. If I have time, I try to make a study guide for each subject--just doing this will force you to learn something because I answer the course objectives as a guide and answer those questions. Learning outcomes are also at the beginning of each chapter, so you clould answer those too. Then I go to every class. I have already read all the information, so I'm just hearing it now and I usually remeber everything the instructor says. Then I just go home and read again and review and maybe finish up some study guides.

My biggest thing is keeping it simple. I love those booklets they have at the hospital with the patient teaching in them. They always have lay terms in it.

I also try to do 200 NCLEX practice questions before the test for each subject. After you have gone over something that many times, it's hard to not know it.

Don't know if this will help you, but I have never gotten a C or below in nursing school, all A's and B's here, so it works.

Good Luck:mortarboard:

I've thought about taping lecture but theres no way I would ever be able to listen to the lecture tape. Our lectures are long and theres just no time for it. I wish I could though.. it seems like a good idea.

I don't know if it will help you, but this is what I do. We have the entire semesters lessons, readings, and objectives given to us at the beginning of the semester, so we know exactly what to learn. I read before class, or at least I try to. I don't try to understand it, I just read. I start off with Med/Surg Made Easy and I get a basic gist. Then I read the textbook. I then read over the powerpoints. If I have time, I try to make a study guide for each subject--just doing this will force you to learn something because I answer the course objectives as a guide and answer those questions. Learning outcomes are also at the beginning of each chapter, so you clould answer those too. Then I go to every class. I have already read all the information, so I'm just hearing it now and I usually remeber everything the instructor says. Then I just go home and read again and review and maybe finish up some study guides.

My biggest thing is keeping it simple. I love those booklets they have at the hospital with the patient teaching in them. They always have lay terms in it.

I also try to do 200 NCLEX practice questions before the test for each subject. After you have gone over something that many times, it's hard to not know it.

Don't know if this will help you, but I have never gotten a C or below in nursing school, all A's and B's here, so it works.

Good Luck:mortarboard:

The objectives that we are given in the syllabus are ridiculous and its pretty much everything we cover. I've tried before to try and do the objectives and learn what is needed to achieve the objectives but a lot of it is stuff that we arent even tested on. We have 16 objectives for theraeputic aspects of psych nursing and we were asked 3 questions on it on our last exam. It would be nearly impossible and a waste of time to learn it all. Thanks for your input though i do apreciate it and I am going to try some of the things you mentioned.

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

read over the information at this website. you may find some of it helpful for you.

http://www.efn.org/~nurses/ - this is a website maintained by the nursing students at lane community college in eugene, oregon. for study and learning tips specific to nursing students click on "tips for learning" at the left side of this home page.

Specializes in Emergency.

I do pretty much the same thing CRNASOMEDAY25 does and have found that having an overview of the material prior to the lecture really helps. Practice NCLEX questions also reinforce what I've learned as well as giving me experience in how the test questions will be formatted. I'm using Davis NCLEX-RN Success and it's pretty good at explaining the rationale behind the question and answers. So far it's working, I got a 95 this weeks Unit II exam.

Haven't tried the "made easy" books yet, might look into those. Gotta go do my caremap for tomorrow's "train wreck" of a patient (the nurse and CI words, not mine).

I have adult ADD so I can tell you what I do to study, it might help you. I dont take the meds. I learn to deal with it.

you have to know how "you" work. Personally, I "change channels" about every three to five min. so what I do is have all the channels on nursing, if I am studying I have the internet on a website for what I am studying, flashcards, the current book I am using, the powerpoints, any stock powerpoints I can find on the web about the topic. so I have five sources of info on the table in front of me. but you have to pay attention to the brain, when you find that you are flippin the channels in the mind, put the book down and pick up the notecards, then switch them up for the internet.

thats for sit down study time, but I think most ADD'ers learn better on their feet, so I tear pages out of the book and keep them in my pocket, about five pages fits in a pocket OK. I take them out whenever I have a chance, waiting for the school bus, waiting at the bank, at soccer practice, ect..

in the other pocket I keep notecards. I memorize them one at a time in the same "whenever I get a chance" fassion, But what I do is to throw them away after I memorize them. if you spend time studying something you allready know its like an instant OFF switch for the brain.

keep the cards on your person at all times, and mark an x on the top of your hand to remind you that the cards are in your pocket.

of you dont have ADD this will make no sence to you, of you do have it, it will be like an awakening. another true add'er taught this method to me, so now I pass it to you.

P.S. the first time you tear the pages from a book it will make you cringe, when you have those pages down cold in three hours, it will make you smile.

I am no doctor, but you should ask yoursef if you think you need the meds.

I've never been diagnosed with adult ADD but I have always had some difficulties when it came to studying. When I was in LPN school I did what you did----I took my book apart. It pretty mucht mortified everyone in my class including the instructors. All I can say is that it worked for me. I have to have several study resources to go by and sometimes I jump around from chapter to chapter.

Note cards are a must for me. I'm in the Excelsior program.

I totally learn better on my feet.

Your tips are great. Thanks for posting this.

Christy

I have adult ADD so I can tell you what I do to study, it might help you. I dont take the meds. I learn to deal with it.

you have to know how "you" work. Personally, I "change channels" about every three to five min. so what I do is have all the channels on nursing, if I am studying I have the internet on a website for what I am studying, flashcards, the current book I am using, the powerpoints, any stock powerpoints I can find on the web about the topic. so I have five sources of info on the table in front of me. but you have to pay attention to the brain, when you find that you are flippin the channels in the mind, put the book down and pick up the notecards, then switch them up for the internet.

thats for sit down study time, but I think most ADD'ers learn better on their feet, so I tear pages out of the book and keep them in my pocket, about five pages fits in a pocket OK. I take them out whenever I have a chance, waiting for the school bus, waiting at the bank, at soccer practice, ect..

in the other pocket I keep notecards. I memorize them one at a time in the same "whenever I get a chance" fassion, But what I do is to throw them away after I memorize them. if you spend time studying something you allready know its like an instant OFF switch for the brain.

keep the cards on your person at all times, and mark an x on the top of your hand to remind you that the cards are in your pocket.

of you dont have ADD this will make no sence to you, of you do have it, it will be like an awakening. another true add'er taught this method to me, so now I pass it to you.

P.S. the first time you tear the pages from a book it will make you cringe, when you have those pages down cold in three hours, it will make you smile.

I am no doctor, but you should ask yoursef if you think you need the meds.

Interesting tips/techniques for study time. Our A&P instructor told us that the brain will remember the first and last thing pertaining to a given subject. He therefore suggested that we study in blocks of time - 20minutes - take a quick break and return to the subject.

What I do is skim the text material/handouts/etc first, then look up terminology that's listed in the beginning of the chapter. I then start to read the chapter and highlight. Then when I'm in class I listen to the lecture, highlighting is needed other key points, and taking a few notes. Then comes the 3X5 cards; I set up an outline of the material, include keypoints as highlighted.

Prior to a test, I take out the cards and study them; do as many NCLEX questions as possible on the subject and then IF I have time, go over the highlights in the text. It's a lot of work; however, nursing school is not suppose to be easy and I've maintained high GPA. For me it seems to help in using various mediums - I love the 5 sources in sight and plan on incorporating that in my study time.

thanks for the thanks! you are welcome...

I quick suggestion. You don't need to tear the pages out of your textbook. Just go to Kinkos and have them debind the books. It makes the pages loose and it cost no more than $10.00

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