How do you remember all the symptoms

Nursing Students General Students

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I have a G.I. and Enodocrine Patho examination next week and the symptoms are so similar to each other. Any suggestions on how I can learn it?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

Mnemonics?

Repetition and memorization worked for me.

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Thank you. I will check the links out and yes repetition always.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Keep in mind that the symptoms are always manifestations of what has gone wrong with the normal anatomy or physiology. Use the Critical Thinking Flow Sheet for Nursing Students that you can open and download from the bottom of my post. (If you can't open the file, let me know and I'll e-mail it to you.) The first two items on this sheet are (1) to list how the disease has altered the normal anatomical or physiological processes of the body, and (2) to list the signs and symptoms that a patient with this medical diagnosis (or disease) will have. The point is that these two lists are directly related to each other. This sheet was originally designed to be used to help in the critical thinking of putting together a care plan, but what you are being asked to learn in a pathophysiology class is just one of the first steps of this critical thinking process although you might not be told this. I'm telling you that this is what is going on. You can memorize these things, but relating the pathology (what went wrong) to what is supposed to be normal = symptoms. Learn that for each disease and you'll have a better understanding and remembering of it. Next step. . .in nursing classes you will learn about the specific medical and nursing treatments that are applied to these symptoms and why they work. It's all related. This is all part of the critical thinking that underlies the nursing process.

Here's an analogy to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

you bought a balloon at a carnival and it was all inflated with helium and floating nicely in the air. The intact walls of the balloon held the helium in place (normal anatomy).

Balloon with helium (normal anatomy) = floating in air (normal behavior)

A few hours later it was deflated, flat and lying on the ground (symptoms). Your nasty little cousin was seen standing nearby holding a pin and laughing wickedly at you. Upon examination of the balloon you discover a tiny puncture hole in the wall of the balloon. The little brat.

hole (pathophysiology, what went wrong) = deflation (symptom)

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Specializes in home health, neuro, palliative care.
You can memorize these things, but relating the pathology (what went wrong) to what is supposed to be normal = symptoms. Learn that for each disease and you'll have a better understanding and remembering of it.

This is so true! I find memorizing works best for things like drug endings and straight anatomy, but nothing beats understanding the physiology if you really what to remember the s/s, drug actions, interventions, etc. All the little songs and poems and stuff total mess me up. Just explain to me what is going on in the body, please.

~Mel'

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Specializes in Cardiac/ED.

I look for the difference in symptoms, when the question is asked on the test I'm almost 100% sure that is what the question will include.

I did the same for my fluid and electrolyte test. This the perfect example of conditions with similar symptoms...I always try and zone in on the symptom(s) that seperates them.

Good luck,

P2

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