HELP I need advice.

[KNLB]

Hello, all. I am in a BSN program and just finished my last clinical day. I am 1st semester. Still have finals&tests to go. Anyway- what I need advice on.....I feel as if I'm not retaining as much information as I should, I feel like I should already know alot more than what I do. For instance: My nurse, clinical instructor or fellow nursing student will mention something and I'll be like "what? Oh crap. I looked that up weeks ago but I don't remember." Or "we never learned that"...I feel as if I was supposed to come into nursing school with already alot of medical knowledge but the crappy courses I did in pre-red haven't prepared me in that way. Most of it waa so long ago and because i don't use that info I lose it. And I still make mistakes. This one day I forgot to check the Pt armband before meds, one day I forgot to clean an object before using it on the Pt, stuff like that. And making these mistakes really freak me out. When am I going to stop being "incompetent" and be able to do all of these beginning things(meds,shots,vitals) perfectly? I feel as if I will never know enough and I will all of a sudden be in third semester and something will happen and poof I'll be out. I know that's really negative thinking, I just am starting to feel very conflicted. I wish I had medical experience because I feel like im drowning with it being so fas pace. So sorry for the long message, I appreciate anybody reading all that and offering advice. (I know people say "you really have to want to be a nurse!" But the scary thing is, is everyone that goes through nursing school meant to be a nurse?)

[direw0lf, BSN]

Well some questions I'd ask are these:

1. Are you organized enough? Are you using time wisely? Do you have times set out to study and stick to that schedule every day? Do you make time to prepare for clinical and go over what you need to remember? (like checking pt armband)

2. Are you blaming your "crappy" pre-req courses, when really you should be reviewing what you learned in them? (A&P I mean. I had to review A&P for each section because you're right some people will forget when they don't use it)

3. How are you studying? Are you reading plus writing?

4. Is anything else going on that's distracting you? (you don't have to answer this but consider if anything is really bothering you)

5. Are you practicing your clinical assessments and pt care at home or school? I practiced on anyone I could grab (friends lol) I knocked, introduced myself, confirmed pt ID, pulled privacy curtain (pretend), washed hands each time I practiced before an assessment practice. You may benefit from practicing med admin. I think you might be wrong to think that you need a medical background to remember, it takes practicing and studying!

6. Are you quizzing yourself? It helps me if I answer a question as if I was explaining it to someone else. Like in my head I mean, like when I studied for my head to toe I'd go over it in my head as if I was talking to my instructor. I also do all the practice questions that come with my books and I also will say to myself "ok what cranial nerves are for the visual fields again?" or "Go over all the signs you know..Psoas, Blumberg's, Murphy's, etc" random stuff. And answer questions in class even if you don't think you are right, that will help make sure you remember it!

Good luck...you know some people think they aren't smart or not cut out when really they just need to change their schedule or study habits.