How do (or did) you study?

Specialties NP

Published

Specializes in Critical Care, ICU, ER.

Hello everyone,

I am a 4th year FNP student and will graduate in May 2009. I am having the most terrible time studying and getting things to stick. I am sooo frustrated which is not helping. My faculty and clinical preceptor both say "you have it" and "you've got the knowledge". They both want me to get to the next step or layer yet I am lost. My faculty preceptor has not given me an answer on how to get there. I will be asking my clinical preceptor in the morning.

I would really like to know how others study to retain information and how to apply the information in a logical thought process.

I study and yet did not pass my midterm. I use my notes and review 2 certification review books on content being tested prior to the test. I use the review books as a guide to see how well I know the content and when I check my answers against the text answers I do very well. Yet, I do poorly on the tests at school. I have never had a problem with test anxiety and I do not believe that to be the problem now.

When I was doing my basic nursing program (I was a diploma RN first), I had this same problem with doing care plans and coming up with the interventions. What I learned from that experience was that it was common sense things that I already knew what to do but I was having a mental block writing down the things I would do. For example, if someone was SOB, I knew to sit them up high fowlers and put oxygen on yet I could not think to write those down as interventions because they just seemed like common sense to me.

I am scared to death that if I cannot pass a midterm and final consistently... how in the world am I going to pass boards?!! :banghead:

I really appreciate your time and consideration in helping me get over this hump!

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, CVICU/SICU/Flight.

Something that has helped me during a rough period was a study partner. I chose someone who always had it together. That way you can talk it through and hopefully realize what steps you’re missing. Pulm Function Tests & most endocrine stuff (outside diabetes, thyroid etc) have ALWAYS been my pink elephant. I can never remember the helper hormone versus stim hormone etc. Don’t care, won’t remember anyway. Well, I had a huge patho test covering endo; the only thing that saved me was a colleague studying with me. He saw things completely differently and helped me start at ground zero and build. Now I am fairly comfortable talking about hormonal response etc. Not the best, but can shine like most. My suggestion is a study partner. Mneunomics would be another option, but you probably have used them all along.

Tracey

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Specializes in CTICU.

Most of the time, I rewrite my study notes out in a book. Sometimes I write them out several times. The notes seem to get stuck in my brain better when I'm writing! I make note cards of the key concepts - write a review question on one side and the answer on the back. I then carry them everywhere and review at every opportunity.

This works as long as I have a good understanding of the material. If I don't understand it, I can never just "memorize" it. If there's something I don't understand, I try various sources - lecture slides, textbook, even online to see if someone has a different way of explaining it that will make it click for me. A study partner can help in this regard, because they often see things differently and may be able to explain it in a way that helps you. (Having said that, I don't use study partners because I work fulltime, take call and don't really see the other grad students apart from in class. A couple of us sometimes email to troubleshoot the concepts).

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You have been a nurse for 12+ years - that alone tells me that you are intelligent, committed, and probably have seen a lot of the disease processes you are learning about. If you can handle what you've done as an RN, you can handle grad school and will probably make a great FNP.

How are you doing in clinical? When a patient comes in do you have a general idea about what to ask, and based on what they say what dx tests may be needed, and what to prescribe? That is the knowledge base. It may help to walk through the "classic case": a patient coming in with a complaint and what you would do (hx, PE, differential dx, dx tests, plan). Sometimes it helps in making things "stick" to think in terms of a person.

Use your nursing knowledge. I'm sure many times you advised an MD when he/she said "what do you want?" or got labs, CXR or whatever. We dx all the time. This is just doing it formally and verbalizing it. If you were watching the patient as an RN, what would you tell the NP/MD to do?

Good luck and hang in there!

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I have finally found a way that works well for me: one big poster sized sheet so I can put all the information together along with Post-It stick on notes so I can quiz myself. I follow this up with reviewing questions from at least two national certification review books.

I purchased a big poster/white paper pad from Office Depot AND about 5 packages of the stick on note cards. I sit down and read my class notes so I have an idea of how the information is organized and then I sit down at the table with my monster size white pad and re-write the notes so they are organized for me.

For example, we recently studied adult resp. management. One whole page was COPD with a bit about the disease process, spirometry testing and interpretation and then at the bottom I had 5 columns with one for "Stage O" and then one for "Stage I". I had diagnostic criteria for each and then the stepwise Rx management.

Along the way as I am writing these things down (I use different color markers as well) I will write out a question on the cards such as (At what point in management do you add an ICS?" and then I stick it down right over the answer. When I'm done I have a huge sheet of paper on a flippable chart with note cards all over it (but organized) that I can use as a quick review for myself.

Before I allow myself to start on a new topic for the day, I force myself to review the ones I have worked on previously...even if it is just a quick review.

So there you have my quick fip study chart!

Also, I buy a huge pack of colored folders and keep class notes and supplemental articles in those folders. So when I need the class notes for Resp. management, I can just reach in my file and grab the "Resp." folder and go from there.

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I think you're suffering major burnout because I am too. I've gotten almost to the end of the semester and I feel like I can't do anymore. I should be working on an assignment now but I'm so numb I can't even look at it.

I hope you catch your second wind.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ICU, ER.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful replies and fantastic ideas!

I sat down and had a heart to heart talk with my clinical preceptor. Background on her.. she is a 50 something D.O. who was a critical RN for 9 yrs prior to starting med school. She went to med school single with 2 kids, then had 2 more during school and 2 more afterward. Her and I have alot in common, as I started RN school single and 2 kids and then started grad school with 4 and single again. So we have alot in common including being self starters and having a ton of motivation. She really inspires me! She gave me the most special compliment that I have *ever* received when she told one of her patients that she found her "clone".

She and I talked and I am very comfortable in the office and very competent. She will see one patient in the office and I will see another patient then she will follow behind me and review my plan with me and the patient. She even pulled me out of the room to see her patient and wanted my opinion! I told her what I thought and she said, ya know since you put it that way, I think you're right. She is very encouraging. She said that I have it (basics and beyond) and with time in the office it will all come together. I was satisfied.

I also use colored markers for everything including my personal calendar. I am a very visual individual. I wish I had a study partner as I know they do add another perspective spin on things. However, it is extremely hard getting together with someone as I have already tried that route.

I am getting organized also which helps. I have a 3 ring binder with guidelines in it according to body system. I keep my PDA always charged and updated also.

Thanks again! I feel so much better! :yeah:

Cynthia

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Since your doing well in the review books you might want to study the section on test taking strategies. I am at the same point in my education as you and my instructors are giving lots of exams with questions that all have good or right answers but want the best answer, or questions that require you to distinguish between 2 very similiar disease with no real "red flags" but instead give a mixture of s/s. Test taking strategies come in really handy in these situations. I've also noticed that now that I'm at the end my instructors give questions where you have to think "globally" about the case, considering all the lifestyle factors, meds, psch and social causes that may contribute to the disease process.

Plus I'm 110% burnt out and just need a flippin break!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ICU, ER.

Thank you for your reply. I have looked over the test taking strategies and have listened to my Fitzgerald review tapes. They are quite helpful indeed.

I have changed my work schedule around and started re reading my physiology books to help reinforce the content we are studying now. I just think that it totally sucks that we only have a midterm and a final and that is it for testing. We have to study a complete 3 inch 3ring binder for the midterm and I will probably have another new binder filled with stuff to study for the final. That is ridiculous!

Yes, I agree that I am getting totally burnt out also.:bugeyes:

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