Help dealing with struggles and competition?

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 9, 2016

Have you tried joining a study group? What about taking advantage of your instructor's office hours to get help? Tutoring services offered by the school? There is a wealth of resources out there for you.

mhnu · Sep 9, 2016

Thanks for replying. I suppose I could try finding a study group, but I don't really know how that helps people. Saying the material out loud to myself has always been my best method. As for tutoring, unfortunately 0 students tutor for nursing at my school. And I definitely utilize my instructors, but it's hit and miss. My A&P teacher is very helpful, but one of the professors barely speaks English and my questions are met with log-winded anecdotes that don't address what I asked. Another recommended I "learn the ******* material" to do well on her test

Meeshie · Sep 9, 2016

I'll second the study group idea since one of your problems seems to be comprehending the material. Discussing the material with others might let you make that "ah-ha!" connection.

emmjayy, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2016

Thanks for replying. I suppose I could try finding a study group, but I don't really know how that helps people. Saying the material out loud to myself has always been my best method. As for tutoring, unfortunately 0 students tutor for nursing at my school. And I definitely utilize my instructors, but it's hit and miss. My A&P teacher is very helpful, but one of the professors barely speaks English and my questions are met with log-winded anecdotes that don't address what I asked. Another recommended I "learn the ******* material" to do well on her test

How do you speak the material? I also learn by saying things, but I don't just recite stuff over and over. I get up and pretend I'm teaching a class and that I have to link all the concepts and know my stuff so I can explain it adequately to my "students". A study group could help because you could be the group facilitator and take the lead on explaining stuff. The fear (hahaha) could drive your preparation and help you really learn the important things well because you'll have to explain them to other people :)

gizahon · Sep 11, 2016

Stay positive and study hard!!!!!!

Best wishes

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Sep 11, 2016

I'm having a real hard time adjusting here. I'm in my second year out of high school, and am currently taking A&P2, Nutrition, Human Development, and Assessments. Last two semesters, I took all gen eds except A&P1, which kicked my butt into gear. I wasn't able to daydream in class, and then learn the material on my own, which was how I got through high school. I ended up with a solid B, but I was very close to the bottom compared to my classmates.
This semester, I've been working harder than ever. I'm hanging on every word in lecture, taking notes on the main concepts, and then going and getting a deeper understanding and making notecards/ reading additional sources/ watching videos after class. I'm also looking over everything before lecture. Still, I'm missing a lot of info, it just doesn't seem to make sense to me no matter how it's explained. Other things make lots of sense, but I somehow look over them and am caught off guard on quizzes/tests. AlsoI'mmissing things that I know. I will have the concept down while studying, then just draw a blank or have some illogical thought pattern on tests. I'm honestly at my wits' end on what else I can do.
And the problem gets worse because I get so discouraged by it. I did poorly on an A&P quiz this morning, and I wasn't able to focus for my other lectures. How do I put what I can't change behind me so that I can keep learning? Furthermore, I am always comparing myself to my classmates. My class rank in high school was 4/350 in a good school, and all of a sudden I'm getting test scores that rank about 35/50 in my nursing class. This wouldn't be too terrible, except that I know only 35ish people will end up finishing the program. So I'm really just not keeping pace, and I can't imagine what the other students are doing that I'm not. It seems they must just be smarter than me.
Anyway, all of this is just really discouraging and only makes my struggles worse. One thing that I really wish I had was someone who had been through the program before to express my concerns to and look for help. So if anyone on here has any helpful words, I would appreciate it.

what I highlighted is your biggest enemy and if you tackle this first, then everything else will fall into place. Honestly, you really need to learn how not to compare yourself to people because nothing positive comes from it at all. Trust me I know. It will suck you dry and will distract you. A&P is rote memorization but it's actually way to tap into your artistry. Drawing helps a lot

BrendanO, MSN, RN · Sep 12, 2016

Study groups can be great. If you know something well, and can explain it to another person, you are reinforcing your understanding in different ways than just repeating it to yourself or reading it over again. And then, hopefully, one of the other people will be able to help you understand the things you're not getting on your own.

It sounds to me like you're having a lot of anxiety, though. Have you considered stress-reduction techniques (exercise, yoga, going outside, meditation, etc)? High stress is bad for learning!

I'd also suggest that you stop caring about where you stand relative to your peers (easier said than done, I know). Some of them are always going to be smarter than you. So what? You shouldn't work less or study harder depending on where you rank yourself. Except in a few specific circumstances, intrinsic motivation for academic learning is much more productive than extrinsic motivation. Do you want to do your best? Great, then do your best! Let the other people worry about how "your best" ranks in relation to theirs.

In terms of general study tips, you should plan to read and annotate everything in your textbooks BEFORE you see it in lecture, not just "look it over". You can read at your own pace, you cannot slow down a lecture (unless the prof. lets you record). Ideally, you will have seen all material four or five times before you are tested on it (pre-lecture reading/annotating, lecture, post-lecture re-reading, then review for test/quiz). Make sure to take breaks often, exercise your body, eat well, and get enough sleep. Study smarter, not harder.

What kind of stuff are you missing/not understanding? Things that need to be memorized? Things that require critical analysis? Things that need synthesis of ideas? I have always been weak at visual recognition of similar (but not exactly replicated) images, so I specifically used multiple image sources for learning histology, for example. To become a more efficient learner, you need to be able to recognize where your weak and strong points are, and adjust your study techniques accordingly.

Good luck to you!

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Sep 13, 2016

I'm so sorry you're finding the transition to nursing school so difficult. It may help to realize that this is actually a very common occurrence, especially for students who have done very well with minimal effort in the past.

What you're probably coping with is the shift in learning that needs to occur. In previous courses, memorization was a successful learning strategy.... just "remember" all those facts & you can easily pass the tests. Now, you're dealing with tests that require you to "understand" the material and apply it to different situations than the ones in the book. This type of learning is based on 'conceptual understanding'. Here's an example - if you're taking a 'fact' test on internal combustion engines, you might be asked to list parts of an ignition system, identify different types of fuel, etc. A 'concept based' test would present you with different scenarios, and you'd have to figure out answers based on your understanding of how the engine actually works.... "the engine suddenly stalls and cannot be restarted. You have just purchased fuel at a shady cut-rate convenience store. Describe the most likely causes of this engine failure and the repairs that will be needed for each cause" â€‹Big difference.