How to prepare for med-surg class?

rnintwo · Dec 21, 2010

Im scared to death of Med-Serg as I heard its the weed-out course too!

UumiNurseX · Dec 22, 2010

I would like some info as well....

ag.wade · Dec 22, 2010

]Med-Surg isn't bad. Study a lot and know the key points about each disease process. Here are a few topics my class covered (med-surg 1):

] Heart failure
] Hypertension - orthostatic hypertension
] COPD
] Diabetes Mellitus
] UTI
] Med - ace inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics, etc
]Anaphylaxis
] Pnuemonia
] ABC - airway, breathing, circulation (know this like you know your name)
]AD PIE - the nursing process (know this like you know your name)
] DVT/immobility - how it effects your body
]Labs - K+, Na+, Cl-, HgA1C, fasting glucose levels, Hematocrit, WBCs, RBCs, etc.

Good luck. Study hard.

AggieNurse99, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2010

I know nursing school will tell you "no" but I always found having a good pathophysiology book very helpful - the 'why' of the disease process gets answered and it helped me understand. We had to do these 'textbook' pictures of a disease: A&P, pathophys, S&S, and ADPIE (minus the E). I'd add renal failure/insufficiency, total hip and total knee to ag.wade's list.

Servingshots · Dec 22, 2010

Go over your pathophysiology notes!! If you didnt take that class there are some good books out there...my favorite is Pathophysiology reviews and rationals by mary ann hogan. It has key points which makes it easy to find what you need. HTH :-)

nlion87 · Dec 22, 2010

This helped me for med surg. In outline form List disease/disorder, pathophysiology of the disease/disorder, diagnostic tests to used to identify each disesae/disorder and special nursing considerations associated with each diagnostic test, signs and symptoms of the disorder, special nursing implications that go along for the disease/disorder as well as listing the meds used to treat disease/disorder and corresponding nursing implications associated with each med. It may be time consuming but as you are writing you are also reviewing as well plus no need to reread chapter--your notes will be all set for the exams

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2010

Get the syllabus NOW. Email or telephone your future instructor to confirm which competencies they will be covering first. Do the assigned readings for the competency. Do ALL NCLEX style questions at the end of the chapter, on the companion website and and DVD/CD that accompanies the book.

Always do the readings before class. That way if you are stuck on something you can ask during or after class and not get behind.

I have a complicated home life caring for a parent with unstable health. This is how I manage my classes so that when an emergency comes up (twice a semester at least) I do not really get behind. I pull a 4.0 with one semester left.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2010

I'm looking forward to it. Foundations was so lacking in interesting material that I'll be glad to have an interesting class.

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Dec 23, 2010

One answer is that you have already prepared for med-surg class. Your science prerequisites, previous nursing classes, clinical, and on-the-job experiences helped prepare you for this class.

The students who had the most trouble in my M/S class last semester were the ones who memorized their way through previous Chem, A&P, and pharmacalogy content. When it came time to apply knowledge in Med/Surg, they didn't have any.

Most of them worked hard and caught up though. But it wasn't easy.

So take a deep breath and be prepared to work your butt off.

decembergrad2011, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2010

Med-surg was the third course of my BSN program, and it was also known as the "weed out" class. Many students in my class failed that course. As well - many of them went on and succeeded this following semester after retaking it. I am so proud of them for sticking through it because it was difficult.

Learn to take criticism. Learn to ask for help. Learn to delegate to your CNAs if your clinical instructor will allow it. And do not think you are too good to make mistakes, and admit them when they happen. This will probably be the clinical where you have the opportunity to perform the most invasive procedures (IVF and IV starts, Foleys, injections, etc) and that will carry a whole new risk of making mistakes. Breathe while you're doing procedures and don't be afraid to ask for help or clarification from whoever is supervising you. It also helps to say the steps out loud as you're doing them. 90% of the time, your patient will not be bothered, and may even be interested in what you are doing - which brings up great teaching opportunities. As well, explain to your patients why you are giving them particular medications - it's great for you AND for them. Making drug cards and keeping up with them as you go along will save you time looking up meds in the mornings - and be prepared to have as many as 20 8 AM meds!

You will also see the widest variety of patients - I saw everything from MVC (motor vehicle crash) resulting in fractures and chest tubes to cardiac problems to cancer to liver failure to post-op for both elective and emergency surgery. Whatever you do, use those patients as stepping stones to your knowledge. I never really understood what end stage liver failure "looked like" (although sure I knew the s/s, cause, etc) until I had a patient who was resigned to his bed, rectal tubes inserted, and taking lactulose to help with his encephalopathy. I still think of him whenever I get a test question about liver failure. In the same vein, I have a patient that had been in a MVC and had chest tubes, and I always think of her whenever chest tubes are the topic.

Med-surg was tough for me because of the 12 hour clinicals and the weekly care plans due 48 hours after clinical. The stress of that far outweighed the difficulty of material we learned about in class. Review your notes within 48 hours of class and continue on with whatever study method has helped you to be successful in the past.

Good luck. I hated, and I mean HATED, med-surg at the time. I cried at least once a week before, during, or after clinical. My CI was tough as nails on me. But I survived, and I wouldn't take back anything about the experience, because it has helped to shape me into a better nurse. Looking back as a student going into my 5th semester of my BSN program, I can't help but smile at how far I have come from the timid student who shook like a leaf trying to give her first insulin injection in my fundamentals class my second semester.

To all of you who are heading into med-surg - keep the faith and be confident that you can succeed, even when it gets tough.

Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 24, 2010

Med-Surg really isn't THAT bad. The best advice I can give to you is STUDY! You need to learn the disease process and after that practice answering questions about the disease process BEFORE the test. That helped me A LOT! Good luck! Like I said, it's not that bad as long as you can keep studying a priority!