Help! I'm going crazy...am I ever going to make it!?

[mandikt]

Okay, so i'm stressing a little right now because this quarter is almost over (feb27th). we are in advanced med/surg right now and so far we've had two tests and only 3 passed! 3 out of 16! to me, that is a problem. our teacher keeps telling us "look at the key points, look at your ATI books" but then our test are these nit-picky questions we've never heard of. i know that nursing school is hard and that it is hard to lecture on everything, but i'm just a little worried i'm not going to make it. and after this quarter, we will only have OB/PEDS, Psych and transitions left, and we'll graduate in november. (we're a straight 18 month ADN program) So I am halfway there and feel like things aren't going like they should. I have talked to the director and instructors but they keep saying "maybe you aren't getting the key points". it is driving me crazy...they aren't taking responsibility at all. Our teacher is very educated, but has never taught before. All she does is hands us a powerpoint with the different conditions and their patho., clinical manifestations, etc. and reads it to us. i feel like we can do that on our own. we never talk about nursning management, which is what the test is over! and i study sooo much, it is rediculous. any nice advice to help me through this hectic time. i feel like i have done all that i can do and if 81% of the class is failing, what are we supposed to do?

[psalm, RN]

...okay, do you have a syllabus where you read stuff before class? Make sure you read the books before class, so you are a little familiar with the content of that lesson. Then ask questions, ask! ask! ask!! An educated person is not necessarily a person who can teach. And we all learn differently.

...do you go over the tests afterwards so the class can see what the correct answer is and the rationale behind the answer? This is so important. If the instructor isn't willing to do this in class, get a group of you to offer to meet her after class for this, as it will help all of see the rationale. This will also help you with care plans.

...let us know how you do. If so many people are failing the tests, the teachers are not teaching, IMO. how are you doing in simlabs?

[CrystalClear75, BSN, RN]

I can TOTALLY relate to what your saying. Half of my class is in the "failing" zone right now and all the instuctors do, is read from the packet...It's SOOOOO stupid!! And when I take the test, I'm thinking, "What the HECK is this??? I study my butt off and it's just, I don't know, the questions are really twisted, no joke! I'm in the 3rd semester now and it's way more difficult, I wonder why?

Hang in there. I don't know what to tell you. I just pulled an "all nighter" and studied so hard for this test that I took tonight and I feel like it's worthless.