How to acquire nursing school skills

DawnJ · Sep 17, 2012

Get an NCLEX app on your iPad/Phone and do practice questions. Best if they give a justification of the correct answers like Davis Mobile does. Even if you get them wrong, you are learning from it and getting practice with the NCLEX format. A lot of people have trouble getting used to that question format where multiple answers are "right" but one is more correct than the others.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2012

learning to "critically think" comes from learning in nursing school how to utilize lateral thinking skill and all of these are right.......what would you to first. I think doing NCLEX questions will only frustrate you as you don't know the disease process and the actions that apply.

I would however practice drug calculation problems and get good at them. DosageHelp.com - Helping Nursing Students Learn Dosage Calculations Learn your conversion factors.

Know your conversions

The Short List 1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz)

1 dram (dr) = 60 grains (gr)

1 dram (fl dr) = 60 minims

1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt)

1 glass = 8 ounces (oz)

1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams (mg)

1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains (gr)

1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)

1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb)

1 liter (L) = 1.057 quarts (qt)

1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims

1 minim = 1 drop (gt)

1 ounce (oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp)

1 ounce (oz) = 8 drams (dr)

1 ounce (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL)

1 pint (pt) = 16 ounces (oz)

1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)

1 quart (qt) = 0.946 liters (L)

1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt)

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)

1 teacup = 6 ounces (oz)

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.93 mL

The Long list

1 central = 45,359 grams (g)

1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm)

1 cubic centimeter (cc) = 1 milliliter (mL)

1 cup © = 8 ounces (oz)

1 drachm = 3.55 milliliter (mL)

1 dram (dr) = 60 grains (gr)

1 dram (fl dr) = 60 minims

1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt)

1 gill = 4 ounces (oz)

1 glass = 8 ounces (oz)

1 grain (gr) = 64.8 milligrams (mg)

1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg)

1 gram (g) = 1,000,000 micrograms (mcg)

1 gram (g) = 15.43 grains (gr)

1 hand = 4 inches (in)

1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)

1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g)

1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb)

1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)

1 liter (L) = 1.057 quarts (qt)

1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters (mm)

1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm)

1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg)

1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)

1 milliliter (mL) = 15 drops (gt)

1 milliliter (mL) = 16.23 minims

1 minim = 1 drop (gt)

1 ounce (fl oz) = 2 tablespoons (tbsp)

1 ounce (oz) = 20 pennyweights (dwt)

1 ounce (oz) = 24 scruples

1 ounce (oz) = 31.1 grams (g)

1 ounce (oz) = 480 grains (gr)

1 ounce (oz) = 8 drams (dr)

1 ounce, fluid (fl oz) = 29.57 milliliters (mL)

1 palm = 3 inches (in)

1 pennyweight (dwt) = 24 grains (gr)

1 pint (pt) = 16 ounces (oz)

1 pint (pt) = 4 gills

1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)

1 pound (lb) = 350 scruples

1 quart (qt) = 0.946 liters (L)

1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt)

1 scruple = 20 grains (gr)

1 stone = 0.14 cents

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)

1 teacup = 6 ounces (oz)

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 60 drops (gtt)

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.93 mL \

Or you can just rest and re-energize for the road ahead. Good Luck in school!

margritamix · Sep 17, 2012

Thanks guys for your invaluable comments and suggestions! :)

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2012

I'd suggest looking at the NANDA-I 2012-2014 book-- you're going to need it anyway, and it will give you a jump start on the nursing process. That's what your friends will be calling nonlinear thinking like a nurse, and it's what you'll be doing the rest of your professional life.

margritamix · Sep 22, 2012

bump!

loriangel14, RN · Sep 22, 2012

A lot of the conversions are usually rounded off. I teaspoon is 5mls.An ounce is 30mls.

iluvivt, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2012

I too think NCLEX questions will just frustrate you. When ever you are learning ANYTHING new it it best to start with the basics,the fundamental if you will. You need to build your knowledge base on a strong foundation. So by all means start with the basics. The lists provided above are a good start. If you are done reviewing A and P you may want to get a basic pathophysiology book that includes some of the more common diagnoses you will be seeing such as Diabetes ,CHF,Pneumonia, AMI,Endocarditis,GI diseases. I could go on and on. There are some really good ones....I have a favorite but its upstairs and I am to lazy to go look for it now.

You may want to review the fairly new AHA CPR guidelines as I am sure you will be doing this. A basic drug book to review common medications may be another thing to look into if you are super motivated.

Critical thinking will come in due time....you need to have a solid knowledge base and some experience under your belt before you can good at this. You get really good at it if you continue to learn and keep up with you chosen specialty after you get your license. You can also learn this skill from experienced nurses. If you ask a good and experienced nurse why she/he made the decision he or she did,,,you will get to see the thought process that goes into that decision.

BlueEyedGuy · Sep 23, 2012

I too think NCLEX questions will just frustrate you. When ever you are learning ANYTHING new it it best to start with the basics,the fundamental if you will. You need to build your knowledge base on a strong foundation. So by all means start with the basics. The lists provided above are a good start. If you are done reviewing A and P you may want to get a basic pathophysiology book that includes some of the more common diagnoses you will be seeing such as Diabetes ,CHF,Pneumonia, AMI,Endocarditis,GI diseases. I could go on and on. There are some really good ones....I have a favorite but its upstairs and I am to lazy to go look for it now.
You may want to review the fairly new AHA CPR guidelines as I am sure you will be doing this. A basic drug book to review common medications may be another thing to look into if you are super motivated.
Critical thinking will come in due time....you need to have a solid knowledge base and some experience under your belt before you can good at this. You get really good at it if you continue to learn and keep up with you chosen specialty after you get your license. You can also learn this skill from experienced nurses. If you ask a good and experienced nurse why she/he made the decision he or she did,,,you will get to see the thought process that goes into that decision.

Totally agree. Work on your knowledge base, critical thinking is really just applying knowledge, and if your knowledge base is good... it becomes a lot easier. If your A&P are solid, then start working on pathophysiology and some pharmacology.

pathophys:

On itunesU there's a good audio podcast of a pathophysiology course. My program doesn't teach pathophysiology (it's supposedly "integrated"), so if I had time before starting again I'd probably listen to that and take notes. Then pickup something like pathophysiology made incredibly easy. I'd steer clear of heavy pathophys textbooks like McCance, unless you're a detail person and need to learn that way.

pharm: I'd just pickup up this Mosby's image flashcard thing: Mosby's Pharmacology Memory NoteCards: Visual,Mnemonic,and Memory Aids for Nurses,3e: JoAnn Zerwekh MSN EdD RN,Jo Carol Claborn MS RN,Tom Gaglione MSN RN: 9780323078009: Amazon.com: Books

Start learning the different classes of drugs, what they do, and their major side effects. It's a fun way to get started with some cartoons, and have some nice mnemonics to help you remember.

Then if that's not enough find out what fundamentals book they use at your school, and read to nursing process chapters, and the communications chapter.