Hello there! I am new and I need some serious help!

ERnightsRN · Aug 17, 2004

Hi there! One thing I have found helpful is to go over my notes and put the info into my own words. Also, do you have study groups available for you to utilize? Or someone you can study with? Sometimes just talking it through with another person can help. Hang in there...hope this helps:)

kelnich · Aug 17, 2004

I don't know how indepth your pharmacology class is. Mine was EXTREMELY in depth. Best thing to do is memorize the general things about the drug classifications and then try to memorize the differences. It's still hard but the only thing you can do is MEMORIZE. ugh..

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Aug 17, 2004

First off, try to relax (yeah, right). Easier said than done, right?

Second, if you are on this BB, I assume you know something about surfing the web. Use http://www.google.com and look up the terms and concepts and meds that leave you feeling puzzled, and see if you don't find articles online that make it all make more sense to you. All I can say is, it really helped me. I found articles from nursing and medical journals, and also sites meant to educate the general population about various conditions--it made it easier to see it in a different format from the book and lecture.

Begin your next unit with a "can do" attitude--you accomplished a lot just to get where you are and that's proof that you have what it takes! Take notes in class, keep up with your assignments, reheorifice your info with a classmate, your husband, yourself in a mirror, whatever works for you.

Probably most important, take good care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat well, get some kind of exercise, HAVE FUN!!! And don't forget to breathe. If you are into it at all, use relaxation techniques--you learn best if your anxiety is at the "not too little and not too much" level. (I think of it as the Goldilocks approach to learning.)

Stay in touch! I'll be thinking of you today and I'll want to know how you did.

Sending positive thoughts your way...... (hear that low key buzz? That's me!)

jschut, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2004

Second, if you are on this BB, I assume you know something about surfing the web. Use http://www.google.com and look up the terms and concepts and meds that leave you feeling puzzled, and see if you don't find articles online that make it all make more sense to you.

Excellent advice! :)

LouisianaNurse2006 · Aug 17, 2004

"I have my first test tomorow and I am unsure because I am not comprehending what i am reading! If there is ianything anyone can do PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!"

Are you serious?? You have a test tomorrow and you are just now doing the reading and finding out that you DO NOT understand it??

Unbelievable.

My suggestions: 1) Just do what you can for the test tomorrow, go over MAJOR items only, that is all you have time for.

2) Next time, read ahead of time, that way you have time to research the areas that you do not understand.

Good Luck!

snuggy · Aug 17, 2004

Many schools have a free tutoring program for students, so be sure to look into that. There's absolutely no reason why anyone should wait until the night before an exam to ask for help with something they don't understand. The night before an exam should be spent reconfirming that you know everything necessary to pass. It is not the time to try and grasp new concepts. I don't understand why you, or anyone else, would wait until the last minute like that. :uhoh3:

Regardless, best of luck to you.

SirJohnny · Aug 17, 2004

Soon_2_B_LPN:

- Sounds like you are getting overwhelmed -- we all do, so here's my advice.

- First, take a deep breath (not too deep - else you might pass out - and that's not good). While exhaling, start organizing. Repeat step one until you are organized. Am I making a joke here, yes. Why? Because you need to relax.

- Second, type or re-write (typing is faster), your notes (not all at one sitting). This will help define how to organize your study efforts - also will help you organize your notes. Most instructors teach in an outline fashion. Having your notes organized in this fashion really helps you to understand the outline (how things are laid out - how the instructor prepared his/her notes).

It is during the second step (above) that you will generate a time estimate for memorization. Meaning, how many hours do I need to study for this section. Note: I said hours, not minutes.

- Third, start making notecards from your re-written notes.

- Fourth, do not spend too much time on steps (1 .. 3) above. You are getting "paid/rewarded" to memorize -- and this is where the bulk of your time should be spent.

-----------

- How does this play out:

- First, I go to class on the weekend (Fri-Sun) I am in a weekend program (every other weekend). Then I make notecards - immediately on Sat evening for that week's vocaulary/abbreviation list - If there is a definition sheet for the lectures (pharm and/or nursing), I go ahead and do that as well. I continue adding vocab terms/defs to this list as needed after the Sunday lectures.

- Second, I start my writeups Sun night from 6pm to 9pm. Hit the bed at 9pm and am up at 4:00am Mon to shower and pack for trip back home. Am at airport by 5:30am (taxi). Study those cards on plane ride from Syracuse, NY to Evansville, IN (get about 3.00 hours memorization in). Yes, I carry a timer - 10 min per definition. I will repeat this on the way back up in 2 weeks.

- At work from 10AM - 6PM on Monday (go to work directly from aiport). Monday is my put fires out at work, and bathe the cats day. I have three persian cats - so this takes until 9 or 10PM. I do not study Monday afternoon/night. Yeah, I am dragging by 9 or 10 on Mondays.

- Third. Every morning, for 2 or 3 hours (repeating this every morning until all notes are done), I type up my notes. Up at 4AM - Do writeups from 4:30AMish - 7:30AMish. I work from 8am to 5pm (will take an hour for lunch - and squeeze study time in between eating - see item four below).

- Fourth, at lunch I go over vocabulary for 45 minutes -- sometimes only for 15 minutes. Whatever I can squeeze in. That's why I have the notecards for vocab.

- Fifth, after work - I grab a conference room and hit the books -- this is memorization time -- do this for 2 or 3 hours. Am usually in conf room from 5:30pm to 8:30ish. Get about 2 to 2.5 hours of actual memorization time in.

Sometimes, I go over to Barnes & Nobles and study there -- just depends on my mood and if I hate where work at that day.

- I repeat the above steps every day until the writueps are complete for step three. When writups are complete for step three, I convert that time into making lecture notecards. It takes a long time to do the lecture notecards - but it's worth it in the long run. I still study at lunch and after work at this time.

- Step seven, after a few more days when step six notecards are done - usually about a week after lecture -- I will convert this time into either sleep makeup time, or memorization time. Kitties are good for two weeks - so won't need another bath/shampoo just yet.

- My off weekend. Since school is every other weekend, I have an off weekend between exams/classes. During this time, I will cram big time, wrap up any writeups/notecards/readings. Usually a big study session in the AM (3-5 hours), then hit Subway for lunch, then sleep, and small 2 or 3 hour study session in PM. Repeat for Sunday. Sometimes more hours ... sometimes less hours.

- We are on a light schedule this week ... so will spend this upcomming weekend in bed. Have to work this Sat - so no road trips or such. Will get oil change and hair cut, and vacuum apartment. Do you see how time management all fits into the equation?

----------

- This is how I have my week broken up. Essentially, my life revolves around nursing school.

- Getting back to your question. You need to break up your study efforts - do not try to do writeups all at one session. You do a piece at a time. Once you have the writeups done (or a piece of them) - then you do memorization. Essentially, you want to bounce from writeups to memorization and back every day -- until the writeups are done.

- If you don't understand something --- get on the Internet. Call friends, call / talk with professors.

-----------

- Does this work? Yes.

- This is how I do it -- and hope that it will help you devise a plan of attack.

- Good luck,

John Coxey

Evansville, Indiana

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Aug 17, 2004

You are getting "paid/rewarded" to memorize

Well, not quite.

Memorizing does not equal learning. Memorizing gives you facts, definitions, etc. Learning gives you that AND the ability to put it to use.

The difference? We do not understand what we memorize. We understand what we learn.

The rest of it looks pretty heroic. I couldn't have kept to that schedule. My hat is off to you, John Coxey of Evansville, Indiana!

SirJohnny · Aug 17, 2004

Chris:

- You are exactly right

===

We do not understand what we memorize. We understand what we learn.

===

- But, you memorize/understand during those memorization sessions. And you get

rewarded (good grade) based on that memorization/understanding. My point being

not to spend all of your time writing notes / making notecards. You have to devote the bulk of your time memorizing/understanding.

- Regarding my schedule. I am single, this is my fourth college degree (so am used to it). The cats are my "escape route" -- so far, not one accident with 3 cats in 2 years -- so they are still my "stress relievers".

---------

To everyone else:

- The reason (besides the fact I am at work and bored to tears), that I posted

my routine - is to give others (including the original poster), an idea of the time

and time management required for nursing school. I wish when I started college

some 20+ yrs ago - someone would have explained this to me - instead of just

wishing me "good luck".

- It's my belief that by having a study schedule (and your approach or plan

attack will be different), you seriously reduce the "stress factor" and the

feeling of being "overwhelmed".

- As far as the number of hours. I talked with the other 3 students getting "A"s

in our program - and we all put in 20-30 hours/week hitting the books, and

doing notes. We all make notecards and re-type our lecture notes. We all

highlight our books - and yeah, we were all pretty beat last Sunday afternoon. Had

final for Nursing 101A (8 week class), as well as our first pharm exam.

- Hope this helps.

- Hear the boss yelling for something....

Later,

John Coxey

Evansville, Indiana

Soon_2_B_LPN · Aug 17, 2004

Thank you for all the advice I am taking it all in! Besides from what some of you said, that was not the first time I looked at the notes or studied that was like the fifth or sixth time! I tryed going over to a buddies house and still did not understand! I was tring to find some answers! I passed the test with an 80 and hoping that I will do better next time! I thank you and once again I have a quiz tomorrow! Over the blood flow of the heart and I am confident about that because I know it like the back of my hand! Thank you and keep me in on things! Let me know some more things to do and help me out because I feel overwhelmed already and it is just the second week back! I need all the help I can get!

SoulShine75 · Aug 17, 2004

Soon_2_B_LPN:
- Sounds like you are getting overwhelmed -- we all do, so here's my advice.
- First, take a deep breath (not too deep - else you might pass out - and that's not good). While exhaling, start organizing. Repeat step one until you are organized. Am I making a joke here, yes. Why? Because you need to relax.
- Second, type or re-write (typing is faster), your notes (not all at one sitting). This will help define how to organize your study efforts - also will help you organize your notes. Most instructors teach in an outline fashion. Having your notes organized in this fashion really helps you to understand the outline (how things are laid out - how the instructor prepared his/her notes).
It is during the second step (above) that you will generate a time estimate for memorization. Meaning, how many hours do I need to study for this section. Note: I said hours, not minutes.
- Third, start making notecards from your re-written notes.
- Fourth, do not spend too much time on steps (1 .. 3) above. You are getting "paid/rewarded" to memorize -- and this is where the bulk of your time should be spent.
-----------
- How does this play out:
- First, I go to class on the weekend (Fri-Sun) I am in a weekend program (every other weekend). Then I make notecards - immediately on Sat evening for that week's vocaulary/abbreviation list - If there is a definition sheet for the lectures (pharm and/or nursing), I go ahead and do that as well. I continue adding vocab terms/defs to this list as needed after the Sunday lectures.
- Second, I start my writeups Sun night from 6pm to 9pm. Hit the bed at 9pm and am up at 4:00am Mon to shower and pack for trip back home. Am at airport by 5:30am (taxi). Study those cards on plane ride from Syracuse, NY to Evansville, IN (get about 3.00 hours memorization in). Yes, I carry a timer - 10 min per definition. I will repeat this on the way back up in 2 weeks.
- At work from 10AM - 6PM on Monday (go to work directly from aiport). Monday is my put fires out at work, and bathe the cats day. I have three persian cats - so this takes until 9 or 10PM. I do not study Monday afternoon/night. Yeah, I am dragging by 9 or 10 on Mondays.
- Third. Every morning, for 2 or 3 hours (repeating this every morning until all notes are done), I type up my notes. Up at 4AM - Do writeups from 4:30AMish - 7:30AMish. I work from 8am to 5pm (will take an hour for lunch - and squeeze study time in between eating - see item four below).
- Fourth, at lunch I go over vocabulary for 45 minutes -- sometimes only for 15 minutes. Whatever I can squeeze in. That's why I have the notecards for vocab.
- Fifth, after work - I grab a conference room and hit the books -- this is memorization time -- do this for 2 or 3 hours. Am usually in conf room from 5:30pm to 8:30ish. Get about 2 to 2.5 hours of actual memorization time in.
Sometimes, I go over to Barnes & Nobles and study there -- just depends on my mood and if I hate where work at that day.
- I repeat the above steps every day until the writueps are complete for step three. When writups are complete for step three, I convert that time into making lecture notecards. It takes a long time to do the lecture notecards - but it's worth it in the long run. I still study at lunch and after work at this time.
- Step seven, after a few more days when step six notecards are done - usually about a week after lecture -- I will convert this time into either sleep makeup time, or memorization time. Kitties are good for two weeks - so won't need another bath/shampoo just yet.
- My off weekend. Since school is every other weekend, I have an off weekend between exams/classes. During this time, I will cram big time, wrap up any writeups/notecards/readings. Usually a big study session in the AM (3-5 hours), then hit Subway for lunch, then sleep, and small 2 or 3 hour study session in PM. Repeat for Sunday. Sometimes more hours ... sometimes less hours.
- We are on a light schedule this week ... so will spend this upcomming weekend in bed. Have to work this Sat - so no road trips or such. Will get oil change and hair cut, and vacuum apartment. Do you see how time management all fits into the equation?
----------
- This is how I have my week broken up. Essentially, my life revolves around nursing school.
- Getting back to your question. You need to break up your study efforts - do not try to do writeups all at one session. You do a piece at a time. Once you have the writeups done (or a piece of them) - then you do memorization. Essentially, you want to bounce from writeups to memorization and back every day -- until the writeups are done.
- If you don't understand something --- get on the Internet. Call friends, call / talk with professors.
-----------
- Does this work? Yes.
- This is how I do it -- and hope that it will help you devise a plan of attack.
- Good luck,
John Coxey
Evansville, Indiana

Hi John, I read your post and you gave some great advice. I noticed you were in Evansville, I am in Owensboro. How are the nursing programs there ( competitiveness, etc...) and where did you go or are going to school?