How Do You Retain ALL of This Info?

spuropathy · Sep 14, 2008

A and P is very important.

If you know how that organ works, what does it do, and all that, you're in good shape my friend.

Med-Surg (which accounts for half of the RN program) is all about pathophysiology. Just know how the body works, and you can plug the information back in. You know what the systems do when an infection occurs (sympathetic NS goes up), so you'd know what the signs would be like in a patient exhibiting infection (fast pulse, fast breathing, fever).

As long as you know you're pathology, you're in good shape. Just read the pathology, that is all my advice for you. And review, review, review.

Good luck in nursing school, you can do it!

cpkRN · Sep 14, 2008

Thank you.

I was all worried because I couldn't remember ALL the bones of the skull anymore the other day - guess I'm just too hard on myself and want to do well. I am finding that many other systems have the same names as muscles, bones, etc that are near them, so that is helping.

I'm just freaking out :wink2: need to chill out just a bit.

ToxicShock · Sep 14, 2008

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I can't remember the name of every single bone in the skull either.

If you have a good handle on medical terminology, that can help you to decipher and remember anatomical terms.

For example, epiphyses, the ends of a long bone. "Epi" means "upon", or "above". The epiphyses are "upon" the long ends of a bone.

Periosteum = peri (around) + ost (bone) + eum (word ending). Therefore... the periosteum is the outside covering of the bones.

Good luck and try not to stress :)

Adams_Mommy_07 · Sep 14, 2008

Well, obviously anatomical concepts must be memorized because Anatomy is purely the study of the physical structure of the body--there are no "conceptual aspects." The only conceptual things in the anatomical portion of the course would the little tricks we use to memorize body parts. The only useful way to memorize things is to use it daily. I still regularly practice the Latin names of the body: e.g. antebrachial, patellar, etc. Regularly review your information that is the ONLY way to retain it.

What your instructors may be referring to is the physiological component of the course. Rote memorization will not serve you well here. It is imperative to understand protein synthesis and have it make sense to you for you to get what you should get out of the course. The tests are also much easier if you comprehend the material and aren't just spewing it back out on the paper. Once it makes sense to you you will always retain it with a little brush up here and there. I remember these processes from BiologyI four years ago (mainly because I tutored it and continually reinforced it) because it must be understood. Memorization gets you nowhere with physiological concepts. If you don't understand the breakdown of glucose in the processes leading up to cellular respiration then it is useles, rote memorization might pass your test but you will never retain it.

The way I effectively learn information is to use a dry erase board and effectively teach myself. I draw pictures or write supporting details of a particular concept. Also mneomonics (spell) help too. For concepts such as remembering how to illustrate carboxylic acid just remember COOH (as coo) and now you have the letters. Then it triggers the idea that Carbon is in the middle, one of the oxygens is a double bond, and OH goes together as hydroxide. R group is attached. Flash cards do not work for me but it does for some people. There are all sorts of ways just try out different ways. You know best how you learn!!

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Sep 14, 2008

My microbiology professor tells us to study every day like we have a test tomorrow. So, I guess just a lot of studying, a lot of reviewing, etc.

I'm going to be tutoring A&P this semester, so it's an excuse to refresh that info for myself too