Has anyone gotten an "A" in med surg I? !

[ital91]

What was your secret to passing with a high grade?!

I'm currently not passing, and more than half of the class is failing..

[Shagce1]

I did. It took a lot of work. Attend class. Ask questions. Read the chapters. Read the chapter summaries. I would make concept maps. Put the disease in the middle of the page. Draw lines out with definition, signs and symptoms, common lab values, nursing interventions, meds to treat, etc. I had a great instructor who was more than willing to answer any question by email or in person if you didn't understand something. She would re explain concepts until they made sense. Good luck!

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

As per the above poster, it took a lot of study time along with practicing NCLEX questions every day. I found Lippincott's Q&A for the NCLEX as well as the Davis Success series for MedSurg to be helpful. Last semester (medsurg I and II), I didn't have access to UWorld, so I was using PrepU (a Lippincott product) as well. Do regularly meet with your professor after EVERY exam to go over anything you got wrong focusing on rationales of the right answer(s) as well as the wrong answer(s). When doing NCLEX questions, DO NOT focus on whether you get the question right or wrong as much as you focus on the question, the answer choices, AND the rationales of why a given answer is right or wrong. Start doing your best to think like a nurse.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

It's just understanding the patho of each disease process. In medsurg I you are still doing a lot of knowledge based questions and a few application questions. Know your signs and symptoms of each disease process. Know Maslow's. That's super important. Most of all, study, study, study.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I did. It took a lot of work. Attend class. Ask questions. Read the chapters. Read the chapter summaries. I would make concept maps. Put the disease in the middle of the page. Draw lines out with definition, signs and symptoms, common lab values, nursing interventions, meds to treat, etc. I had a great instructor who was more than willing to answer any question by email or in person if you didn't understand something. She would re explain concepts until they made sense. Good luck!

I love the idea of using concept maps -- never thought to do it this way. Thanks!

[cocoa_puff]

Yes, I did. I read the chapters, went to class, did a ton of NCLEX practice questions (PrepU, Saunders), made study guides, and reviewed constantly. My studyguides were basically a quick definition of the disease, patho, risk factors, signs/symptoms (including lab values), diagnostics, medical treatments (meds, procedures), and nursing interventions. I tried to keep it simple. I use colored pens and highlighters for important info. When you do NCLEX practice questions, review ALL your rationales, even the ones you got right. Meet with your instructor to review your tests even if you pass to go over questions you missed. Ask questions when you don't understand. Don't just memorize info, try to understand, apply, and always think of the patient when you are studying (how would this look, what I do first, who would I see first).

Good luck!

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]