HELP!!!! (First Semester Nursing School)

szeles23 · Sep 17, 2011

start doing the nclex questions at the end of each chapter in your fundamentals book. That will help with the critical thinking prep. Those tend to help. Don't read every single thing, unless your professors specifically test off the chapters. Mine don't and they tell us not to read everything. Know your basics, nursing process. If you know your nursing process that should be help, You have to have basic knowledge like your vitals and you have to know how to apply them. You need to focus on the concepts instead of just memorizing material, having an understanding of the concept is a must!

KATRN78 · Sep 17, 2011

Defintely do NCLEX questions on the subject matter of your upcoming test.

I also studied by taking a piece of paper and writing down everything I knew about one thing. For example Acid Base and Electrolye imbalances. Then I would crack open the book and fill in the stuff I missed.

I also met with my school friends early in the morning before the test and each of us would take turns quizing eachother or "teaching" a subject. This especially helped the first year when I was learning about trach care. :)

GL

Streamline2010 · Sep 18, 2011

The "Success" series, too.

test taking strategies, b/c some of the secret to scoring well is gaming the system http://www.amazon.com/Test-Success-Test-Taking-Techniques-Beginning/dp/0803618948

Fundamentals http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Success-Applying-Critical-Thinking/dp/0803619219

There are something like 3 or 4 formats for NCLEX type questions that are detailed in these books. The nursing school questions are 1) know it, and 2) be able to take it farther and apply it, which is much different from the testing for non-nursing classes. For nursing, you almost never just "puke it back." You always have to evaluate, rule out choices, and often there are two answers that could be correct but you have to pick the most correct one for the circumstances in the question.

inthere · Sep 18, 2011

Do nclex style questions...if you have mynursing lab...use it. It helps.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2011

a agree with the other posters, nclex questions, and if you can, record lectures and listen to them...

and dont get too worked up, failing one test is not the end of the world. ive failed several, im still hanging in here. just continue to do your best. :)

AlishiaRN77 · Sep 20, 2011

I agree, NCLEX and the Patricia Nugent books are wonderful! I used them during Block 1 and it helped me tremendously. I'm currently in Block 3 (3rd semester) and have used websites, kaplan, saunders, etc to help with understanding NCLEX type questions.

Hang in there, read when you can, make note cards, test yourself with NCLEX, try to eat healthy, and most importantly....SLEEP! =o)

ms_sgr, BSN, NP · Sep 22, 2011

I used Saunders comprehensive nclex, the study guide that goes with the book and the success series book

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2011

I made a 96 on my first Nursing 111 test, and a 100 on the second. I'll tell you how I studied, but you may not like what you hear. I spent four days before the test reading all the chapters in the book, taking notes on the major points, looking up drugs and making cards for them, and reviewing what I had taken notes on in lecture. During that time period I made over 100 notecards with questions and answers, definitions, lab tests, etc on them. I used the notecards, the notes from my reading, and the notes from lecture to study. I studied anywhere from four to ten hours a day for four days, and then I took the first test. The second test was the day after the first test, so I went home that night, crammed for about six hours, and took it the next day. Some people in my class used Sander's books or other books of that nature, but I find that they don't help me all that much. I mostly memorized a ton of information, read the rationales behind everything, and put the pieces together. This helped me to think critically during the test and make a high score.

vicRNtoria · Oct 2, 2011

I am here to help you! I am also a first year nursing student and the way I study has helped me VERY MUCH. I will share with you my study methods.. AND REMEMBER - YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

1.) ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS read the material that is to be taught that week BEFORE lecture and before lab, know the skill. This helps SO MUCH :) That way you are not being taught "foreign" information.. The lecture is just reinforcing topics you've already been acquianted with! Jot down things you are having trouble with so you can go back and read up on it.

2.) Find some fellow students and make a study group. It is essential to learning! Sometimes you may not understand things and another student does. They can help you!

3.) After the material has been taught, I make an outline of the topic to focus on important things. Here is a small part of what I wrote for Step 2 of the Nursing Process:

**Diagnosis(Analysis): Analyzing patient data to idenity patient strengths and problems.

A. How is it different from a medical diagnosis: Medical diagnosis focus on pathological aspects of a disease. Nursing diagnosis focus on actual or potential health problems.

B. Guidelines for writing a nursing diagnosis: PES or PE: 1. Problem statement/diagnostic label/definition=P. 2. Etiology/related factors/causes = E. 3. Defining characteristics/signs&symptoms = S.

Therefore it can be written as either a 2 or 3 part statement.

Example: Actual: Imbalanced nutrition: Less than body requirements related to decreased appetite and nausea

Potential(Risk): Risk for Injury related to decreased vision after cataract surgury. ***

4.) DO AS MANY PRACTICE NCLEX QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN!!!! Theres an awesome app for iphones/ipods called "Lippincotts Taylors Fundamentals NCLEX Q&A" That lets you customize quiz's related to your material and provides rationale for wrong answers.

You can do it, NEVER GIVE UP!

justinpark09, MSN, RN · Aug 9, 2012

is there anybody out there sharing the first exam experience of the first semester ? thank you :)

chyna016 · Aug 10, 2012

I love the "Success" series of books, they give you rationals for both right and wrong answers. Many critical thinking questions have more than one correct option, but one is more correct. There are some VERY smart people in my class that had a hard time at first with the critical thinking question, but with some practice they did get the hang of it.