I failed Med Surg 1

Jess_Missouri_RN · Oct 22, 2008

I'm sorry you failed. The gal who sits next to me (or did) ended up with a 75.9 and 76 is needed to pass. She missed it by 1 point but they didn't/wouldn't pass her, she failed and has to retake the class next year. Talk about being upset, she couldn't even drive herself home she was so upset, I felt so bad

I have no answers, what works for some doesn't for others. I read... alot. I highlight and do tons of Q&A. I bought a nurse test taking book and I read it and it helps. I try not to read into the question and can usually get it down to 2 answers, then I apply each and pick the best, has been working on questions I'm ifffy on..

I wish you luck!

donewit08 · Oct 22, 2008

I was in the same situation 2years ago. We had to have a 78% to pass. I was told to go to the tutoring center where they would find me a tutor. I got the run around about that. Especially when I found out at the end of the semester and failed that the teachers knew that there was no tutor available to any nursing student.

To make a long story short, keep at it. You will do better the 2nd time around and be able to comprehend it better. At our school, we used ATI. Everything I needed to know the 2nd time around was in that book. I did not find NCLEX books to help me during the 1st semester, but they were very helpful in the 2 nd. I have graduated and you will to. Keep your head up and follow through with your dream!

beck_79 · Oct 22, 2008

scorpiostudent had some great suggestions. I highlight the heck out of my textbook, too. It helps me stay focused. I also jot down notes while I'm going along, too. This is all very time consuming, but I tend to remember it better.

Before my exam, I take the CDs that come with my textbook and do the NCLEX style questions for each chapter I've studied.Most people ignore these CDs, but they have lots of good info on them. I'll also go to the school's nursing computer lab because they have tons of programs with NCLEX questions. This was a resource I never new about until this semester- you should see if your Nursing program has something like this. Reading all of those rationales really helps in the learning process.

xt1 · Oct 22, 2008

I dropped out of "med surg 1" becaues I was borderline and retook it later... nothing to feel discouraged about... sometimes it just takes longer to absorb the information you are presented.

saral_123 · Nov 10, 2008

just curious, but as you sound suprised about your grade, did you see it coming? How did you do on your tests for the class from beginning to end?
Please dont think me unfeeling because I know how tough it is. But I cant help but think of the students in my class that have either barely made it, and acted surprised/frustrated at the end, when everyone else saw it coming.
Another thing. I'm NOT saying that the teachers have no fault (I'm not there so I don't know obv). I have had some pretty fantastic teachers over the years and some incredibly horrible ones, and most of them fall inbetween. What I have learned though is that is really doesnt matter how much they suck, or how great they are. The key to getting through the semester is to be what THEY want you to be, and figure out their teaching style/testing style. In Fundamentals, for instance, I got an 84 on my first test (80% to pass the class). Every other test I made a 90-93.5 on, and then a 94.5 on our final. Over half of my class got "get x% on your 4th exam and x% on your final or you will fail" messages. In my Algebra class this summer, again the same situation. We had a teacher leave just before the middle of the semester, and the new one came in and 2 people dropped the class that first night because he was "too tough". The class average on the next text was 63%. I got a 97% for the semester, by reading the teacher, understanding what it was that he wanted, understanding where he WOULD and where he WOULDNT be flexible (our previous teacher was very workable and this guy expected every t crossed, every i dotted, and every problem checked two ways to sunday)
Another thought... try studying differently. It does me no good what so ever to memorize anything other than lab values and vocab, and sometimes not even that. In anatomy I can do nothing BUT memorize or I fail out, but in Nursing, it really is all about comprehension and that could depend on some small detail in the tables or charts that you would never think to memorize by heart.
I'm really sorry that you failed and I know this must be frustrating for you. I hope that you go back and give it another try. There are students in my class that are here for round two and are REALLY doing fantastic.

Great advice! I was having a rather difficult time in nursing classes. I was super stressed, anxious all the time. I didn't have the best of the instructors as well. I was studying like crazy, trying to switch up my studying styles to what the instructor wanted. Actually, I never really knew what she wanted. I felt that she was teaching Fundamentals, but then would give us algebra questions. I'm not sure if was a trick, or if I just wasn't get the nursing concepts. Anyways, your advice of changing how to study was great advice. After all nursing school isn't about memorization, it's all about comprehension. And it's taken me a while to absorb this. Thanks!

Kudos to you!

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2008

I will start fundamentals in january, but am afraid of med-surg!!! i am going to do whatever i can to succeed on it!!! i am just scared! THANG GOD the nursing director is great!