Head just above the water

Tim Holloway RN · Oct 1, 2009

Here's my story, hope it helps,

I too struggled with school until I figured out how to study. Try this, hopefully it works for you.

We were told to read 100's of pages, look up crap, and try to study notes from lectures.

As i sat in lectures I found that if I taped the lecture as I wrote "skeleton" type notes and not worry about all the other crap i did just fine. It's amazing what you mess as you desperately try to write notes. While your busy trying to write everything down the instructor ends up way ahead and you miss so much stuff. Important stuff!

As soon as lecture was over I'd go home and listen to the tape filling in all the blanks in my skeleton notes making notice of everytime they would say, now this is important or you need to know this or this is good to know. Those things always ended up on the tests. Good luck!!

>--stethoscope--o · Oct 1, 2009

I'm sure you've done better than a lot of people in your class and you just don't know it. I wouldn't ask people for what they got because obviously that's not helping you. I also wouldn't give people my test score. Leave a little mystery in it for them and say something like, " I did better than I expected" when they ask you what you got. You never know with your class mates they could be lying to you. Don't get into the competition mode because then it'll take your concentration off of what you need to be concentrated on which is learning the material to be a good nurse and not just for a test and to compete. What you get on an exam doesn't mean you are going to be a good or bad nurse. You could do not so well on exams and do awesome in clinicals. Sometimes it's not so much how book smart you are. I wouldn't give up on the amt of time that you study because you need as much time as possible to study, but maybe the problem is the way that you study. There are different learning styles and the one that you're using may not be the best way for you. Maybe it is and you just need help knowing how to answer test questions. Practicing NCLEX type problems have helped me and I'm sure it'll help you too. Best of luck!

kittykatty · Oct 1, 2009

You should record the class like previous poster mentioned and then rewrite your notes. Also try to get 2 or 3 other people together for a study group and then designate to each person the questions at the end of all the chapters. If there are 30 questions and 3 people --each do 10 questions . We all used to make a study guide of our assigned questions and meet early Sat morning and print out our study guides and go over them aloud with each other. If 1 of us didn't understand something we would find out then. We would review our class notes with each other--you would be surprised how you might miss something and your classmate picks up on it. If we had time we would ask each other NCLEX questions pertaining to what we were talking about in class. We all bought different books--Kaplan--etc. so we had a different question bank to choose from. My group all had honors at graduation--4 of us. Most of us taped the class--I didn't but my friends swore by it.

Just make sure you study and don't goof off.

Agrippa · Oct 1, 2009

If you're a full time student, I strongly urge you to quit your job. Yes, this may be financially difficult, but you need to keep your priorities in line. You can either decide to work and not do well in school or you can concentrate full time on being a student and take out debt. Yes, it sucks, but 10 years down the road when you're an RN you will be able to pay off the loan where as if you don't finish school, you will still be a cna.

busyallthetime · Oct 1, 2009

What if you can't record lectures? Our school doesn't allow us. Do you have any other methods that work for you?

JomoNurse · Oct 1, 2009

It's not necessarily how much you study, it's what you study and how well you study it. Reevaluate your study habits, revamp them, and implement a strategy that best suits you.

For me, reading the chapters, from the first word to the last word, and memorizing everything, worked for me. That's not an easy thing to do, but it was necessary for me to succeed.

Best of luck to you, Pumpkin (since we're in Pumpkin month now).

FLmomof5 · Oct 1, 2009

One of the first things that hit me is NS tests are different. Our school writes questions that are HESI/NCLEX-like. What I have done is SKIP all that extraneous reading and 'make' work....I focus on the lecture. I write ONLY what the prof says is important or "this may appear in the future". I do the NCLEX questions at the end of every chapter. I go on the evolve website (our school uses this) and I do all the affiliated case studies, practice tests and quizzes.

Mjawors1 · Oct 1, 2009

Thanks for all your replies...I'm going to reevaluate how I study and possible switch it up a bit.

MammaNurse2Be · Oct 1, 2009

First I would quit comparing grades with others. Sometimes that alone can undermine your confidence. Then, look at every aspect of your studytime. Work smarter not harder. Act like and outsider looking in and critically give yourself an evalutation. Sometimes when we look at our actions closely we can see where we are going wrong. And lastly, don't give up!

Northofnowhere · Oct 1, 2009

I too have resorted to recording lectures. I actually use a Livescribe Pen(which is a little pricey) to record the audio and notes from my lectures. I then put the lectures on a CD and listen to them in the car at any chance I get. The repetition of hearing things over and over really helps the information stick in my head. I will also say that re-writing your notes after class can help, and I know many students that do that.

I also have to mention in this response that I think it is irresponsible for someone to suggest that if you are a

full-time student that you should quit your job. I don't care how much you take out in loans, for some of us

that is just NOT an option. For those of us that have a couple of car payments, a mortgage, kids and the numerous

other financial responsibilities, we could never even entertain the idea of quitting our jobs.

Let me also say that working full time, and going to school full time can absolutely be done. It can be a very

tricky dance, but if you can get a handle of how you mange your time, you can do it. Just believe in yourself.

Good luck to you!

morningland · Oct 2, 2009

I am in my sixth week and didn't do well on the first two exams. My foundations lecture I did not pass by 2 problems and my pharm test I messed by 1 (I was actually happy because I thought I got under a 50%). Going over the exams, I realized I would have passed if I slowed down and read the questions more careful and thought about my answers more. So I don't feel so bad cause I know What the problem is.

I agree with everyone else. We are told to read about 120 pages in our foundations book and I did this every week but NONE of it sunk in. What I do now is skim the chapter before class, tape the lecture, skeleton type notes in class then re-listen to the lecture and re-fine them. Next, I go through the reading and focus only on the sections that were discussed in class. I read a section then type up "book notes". These are basically, explainations of concepts in my own words to really help me UNDERSTAND and APPLY the material we learn . My next exam is next week and I will hopefully see a big imporvement.

One way I see it, if you are passing thats whats important. Who cares about getting A's at this point... just get through the program.