...why I get such poor grades in my class. I can't afford to get more poor grades because it's driving me crazy to get C's while I should have been getting A's. I know critical thinking is still new for me (I'm a first semester student) but some questions in the test were not discussed or covered in lecture at all.
I wonder if other students have to do TONNES of homework in their first semester? We spend at least one hour for each chapter in average. We have at least 8 chapters every week. We spend almost 8 hours or more just doing homework. I don't know, but I personally think it's a waste of time when we could've used those time to study instead!!! Worst of all, my professor did not even mark the books (she spends like 5 seconds flipping the pages of our study guides), and yet she gets pissed of us if we don't turn in our homework! That's totally insane!
The book my professor is using (Potter & Perry) is thick and long winded. I know they are all great infos, but why can't they be more straight to the point? I am so tired of reading and reading and reading repeating infos when I can grab the key concepts and move on. Does anyone have the same problem as I do, or is it just me???
Seriously, the nursing program that I'm in right now is totally unorganized. The notes and syllabus are all over the place. We spend more time searching for my professor's notes more than listening to her lectures. She tries to cramp as much infos into our brains and expect us to know instantly. Sometimes we have no clue the terms she's using or the concept she's talking, and when we asked, she gets pissed at us. At the end, none of us know what she's talking bout, because we are too chicken to ask any questions.
We all know she's an old school, but shouldn't there be a more effective way of teaching and learning???!!!
Nursing school is completely different and it is normal to be broad sided by all that is involved. If you don't try and rebel against it right out of the gate you will be much better off. Grab ahold honey and get a plan. It will get easier as soon as you figure out how to think like a nursing student. You honestly do need to just suck it up and prioritize (won't be the last time you hear THAT word!)
Now... Here are a few things that worked for me (I graduated May 06)
I made sure I read the material before class. If I didn't have time to read ALL of it I atleast reviewed ALL of it. I began by reading the headings, all bold and italic print and studied the boxes and tables (tons of information from the chapters wrapped up in nice little packages right there...) and the review of information at the end of the chapters. Then... I would do the practice questions at the end of the chapters as well as on the CD provided (and I'd be surprised if a book exists today with an included study disc, USE THEM! They're great resources). Be sure to read and understand any rationales provided for right (and wrong) answers. When you discover a certain area you are completely lost about go find that particular thing in the book and read the entire section on it. Do the questions again. If the CD offers little study tools use them as well. Many do.
When I was in class... I would not even pick up my book (too hard to follow along with lecture for me if I was also using my book). Instead, I took notes. Our instructor used power point presentations so I would print out the power point before class (in 3 or 6 slide format per page) and take notes right on it as she lectured. When there wasn't power point lecture I just simply took notes.
End of the day... When I got home from class each night I reviewed all my notes. By doing this it was still fresh in my mind what my notes said. Sometimes my notes looked a little disorganized if I didn't review them soon after. If I only reviewed them prior to a test I would look at some of the information and say... Hum... wonder what I was trying to say here...
Last tip! I used color in my notes! Very important for me because I am a visual learner. If I don't have different colors looking back at me from the page then it all seems to glob together and I don't see any of it.
Learn your little things that will help you out and remember, everything you learn in nursing school is relevant and everything you do (even when it seems silly at the time) has a purpose...
Last tip! I used color in my notes! Very important for me because I am a visual learner. If I don't have different colors looking back at me from the page then it all seems to glob together and I don't see any of it.
Would you mind explaining how you use color? Different pens when you're taking notes? Highlighters? I'm very visual too and this sounds interesting...
I took my notes with a normal pen (blue or black) then used a red pen to 'star' information I wanted to pay particular attention to (i.e. instructor said was particularly important, something I needed to look up more on, something mentioned would be on the test, etc...) then I highlighted other information like 'pink' for meds or changed colors for certain topics (i.e. renal orange; now we are talking neuro yellow; now a different disease green... depending on what lecture is ~ I kind of clumped several together for my examples )
Hope that makes sense. There was another student in the class that color coded her color pens to her color highlights and the book. I wasn't that bad. I just liked to see 'some' color to make things stand out, where as she used ALL color in her notes.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
yoginurse. . .in another thread (https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/newbie-needs-help-208808.html) you asked for advice on how to study and how to answer critical thinking questions. did you ever go to any of those websites? it takes time to change habits. required work is required work. i have noticed lately that many instructors, mine included (i am in a health information management program), are inclined to give us homework and take home tests that have questions and problems on them for which no information was ever covered in class. this is done deliberately to send students searching and researching the answers. the reason: you remember the things you work hardest to find the answer at than if you are given the answer. we can get the answers from the instructors, but after the assignments are turned in and graded; not much help when your grade depends on them. therefore, you end up using lots and lots of different resources. this is a very classical collegiate (college) way of doing things and dates back to long before any of us were ever born. when i was in nursing school i had an older, used edition of a different nursing textbook that i used as a supplemental reference. while your nursing program may like potter & perry, it is not the only nursing textbook on the market. there should be other nursing textbooks in the library(ies) that you can look at. there may be one or two that you find you like better because they are easier to read or the information is presented more concisely or you just like the way they are organized. part of learning to think critically is also taking on other opinions by other authors. yes, it is time-consuming. however, it is productive time.
i want to address a comment you made
sometimes we have no clue the terms she's using or the concept she's talking, and we asked, she gets pissed at us. at the end, none of us know what she's talking bout, because we are too chicken to ask any questions.
as a nurse you will have to be an advocate for your patient. you will have to step forward and ask questions of many different health professionals to clarify orders and instructions regarding the treatments ordered for the sake of your patients. and, that includes a grumpy or nasty doctor or charge nurse. rns are leaders. leaders must advocate (speak up). you need to learn to be an advocate for yourself first, no matter how uncomfortable it is. this is your responsibility as an adult and as a professional. it gets easier with each attempt. if you can't advocate for yourself, then how are you going to advocate for your patients?
the penalty for not completing a homework assignment may only be a grade reduction; not completing a treatment for a patient is a serious matter. if you are too scared to question a doctor because you have no clue about the terms he used in the treatment order he wrote or you are pretty sure he's going to get pissed at you for even asking him, it could result in making a error in the ordered treatment. the result: possible harm to the patient and the nurse losing their job. and, who do you think is going to be standing there holding "the bag"? not the doctor. you. this is what you are signing on for when you become an rn.
Some great ideas....even just the highlighting of meds and starring items that were noted to "know" will be helpful not to overlook when re-reviewing notes!!
Welcome to nursing school. I am in my second semester, and the exams only get tougher. I am actually doing great because of the strageties I have been using. I read every single chapter, attend class on time, record the lectures and review the power point notes with my book open. I dont complain about the readings because I knew from the get-go the amount of information that was required. As I am reading, I am asking why?? for example why is a type 2 diabetic pt does not get ketoacidosis? Part of becoming a nurse, you have to be curious and go with the facts.
I have enjoyed reading this post. I too am a new nursing student, and I am a bit overwhelmed at the amount of work required. I already hold one degree (double major) and was an honor student so I feel I know a little bit about being a decent student.
I am not happy at all at the school I am at. It is a private BSN program. It has the worst NCLEX passing rate in my state. I went there as no other option was available or right for me. So I made this decision. The lectures are poor, unorganized and the teacher does not really explain anything. Most of the class is failing. I am one out of 12 who are passing. The other 40 some are failing. They were called out of class last Thursday. I study ALL THE TIME. It is Spring Break, and I am studying. I am holding my own... A's and B's. I study tons. Most of the info. is not discussed and when I ask the teacher questions she says and I quote "I don't have time for your 20 questions today!" Yes. That is what we get. Ridiculous. Several people have written the Dean. The school may loose their accreditation. It stinks. I have to teach myself just about everything. No I am not whining. I am a 34 year old mature adult who has worked other professional jobs before going back to get my RN degree. I spoke to another student (an upper level 40 yr. old RN student who has been there a while)... and she said she has dealt with this and to just go with it. So I have accepted my lot and I will make it because I STUDY MY TAIL OFF and I WILL NOT FAIL. If I did not actively study and seek outside help for assitance (I am getting two tutors)... I'd be one of the 40 called into the hallway. Yikes.
While I understand the sentiment of 'Stop whining. Nursing school covers a ton of material. Period,' I also understand how it can feel like pointless work. Of all that material we covered, I never did feel like I really understood what exactly we were supposed to be learning. Because there's no way anyone MASTERS the content of 1000+ pages in 10-15 weeks unless those 1000+ pages are redundant or at least build upon each other. I've taken other difficult, time consuming classes (such as upper division o. chem for majors), but it was clear what I was supposed to learn even when I struggling to learn it and to keep up.
In nursing school, it was like a bunch of info was thrown at us and maybe if they threw enough at us, enough would stick to say we'd been thoroughly trained. The books weren't really instructional. More like encyclopedias - a collection of information and we jumped around a lot, never went straight through.
By the way, I took lots of notes, paid attention in lecture, tried to ask questions (generally discouraged by professors because they only had so much time to cover so much material in lecture), joined study groups and got A's and B's in my classes and passed the NCLEX on my first attempt... and still felt my nursing education program was unfocused.
By the way, I took lots of notes, paid attention in lecture, tried to ask questions (generally discouraged by professors because they only had so much time to cover so much material in lecture), joined study groups and got A's and B's in my classes and passed the NCLEX on my first attempt... and still felt my nursing education program was unfocused.
Thanks for this info...I feel like this a LOT.....I just feel like I spend a lot of time trying to retain as much as I can and just when I think my head's about to explode, here comes another round of info!! My grades are good, but...
I had my Saunders NCLEX review book out the other day to review F & E and ABGs which we were doing in class, took a look at the other stuff we haven't even BEGUN yet, and wanted to cry....I don't know if my head can handle all the things that I need to know in that book....but I just keep trying to take it one day at a time...you know, like that saying, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"...
I braved it through the first three semesters of nursing school and did fairly well I might add. Here I am in the last semester, getting good grades on all my exams and homework assignments...with only two days left of the the clinical management rotation and I was "booted out". Of course, I can still finish my theory classes, but will have to petition the board for readmission to retake my clinical management and transition rotations either this fall or next spring. My instructor had some reservations as to my comfort level in a hospital situation and my ability to make timely decisions. Of course I will argue that my hesitance was only in her presence...but the fact remains, I am not totally comfortable on the med/surg floor or familiar with the everyday flow. Honestly, I believe it all would have come together in the final transition rotation "if" I had been assigned to a hospital, but my instructor had a decision to make. I can't tell you how hard it is to explain to others that my good grades and homework assignments weren't enough to keep me afloat! An error on my part was made by accepting employment with a hospice agency as an LPN. I should of sought employment as a an LPN or nurse tech in a hospital in order to gain the proficiency I needed in performing clinical skills! Hospice has been wonderful with providing ample opportunities for critical thinking, assessment, and prioritizing...but it's a totally different ball game from what you are expected to do in a hospital. So instead of making excuses and blaming others...I immediately brainstormed how this incident could be used to my "advantage". Now I have more time to devote to my theory classes. I can also accept more hours at my hospice job and can actively look for employment opportunities that will develope my clinical skills! I won't be graduating in May with my fellow classmates, but I will still be graduating in 2007! And after graduation, I have been informed that my employer will be hiring me on as a hospice RN! It's not the norm for homecare/hospice agencies to hire newbies. I was fresh out of my first year of nursing and waiting to take the LPN state boards when they hired me to work as an LPN. I feel honored that my employer has seen my potential and has faith in my abilities. I had to make the transition from the manufacturing industry to the healthcare industry, and that first year of nursing school required alot of dedication to the homework and reading assignments in order to get where I am today....which isn't anywhere near being done! Nursing is a lifelong learning process. Get a good foundation and be prepared to continue on from there.
Epona, I think this is what she means, why she was dropped from the program.
My instructor had some reservations as to my comfort level in a hospital situation and my ability to make timely decisions. Of course I will argue that my hesitance was only in her presence...but the fact remains, I am not totally comfortable on the med/surg floor or familiar with the everyday flow.
Hooterhorse, I'm glad you were able to stay positive, and turn the situation around to your benefit.
)
rags
265 Posts
Nursing school is completely different and it is normal to be broad sided by all that is involved. If you don't try and rebel against it right out of the gate you will be much better off. Grab ahold honey and get a plan. It will get easier as soon as you figure out how to think like a nursing student. You honestly do need to just suck it up and prioritize (won't be the last time you hear THAT word!)
Now... Here are a few things that worked for me (I graduated May 06)
I made sure I read the material before class. If I didn't have time to read ALL of it I atleast reviewed ALL of it. I began by reading the headings, all bold and italic print and studied the boxes and tables (tons of information from the chapters wrapped up in nice little packages right there...) and the review of information at the end of the chapters. Then... I would do the practice questions at the end of the chapters as well as on the CD provided (and I'd be surprised if a book exists today with an included study disc, USE THEM! They're great resources). Be sure to read and understand any rationales provided for right (and wrong) answers. When you discover a certain area you are completely lost about go find that particular thing in the book and read the entire section on it. Do the questions again. If the CD offers little study tools use them as well. Many do.
When I was in class... I would not even pick up my book (too hard to follow along with lecture for me if I was also using my book). Instead, I took notes. Our instructor used power point presentations so I would print out the power point before class (in 3 or 6 slide format per page) and take notes right on it as she lectured. When there wasn't power point lecture I just simply took notes.
End of the day... When I got home from class each night I reviewed all my notes. By doing this it was still fresh in my mind what my notes said. Sometimes my notes looked a little disorganized if I didn't review them soon after. If I only reviewed them prior to a test I would look at some of the information and say... Hum... wonder what I was trying to say here...
Last tip! I used color in my notes! Very important for me because I am a visual learner. If I don't have different colors looking back at me from the page then it all seems to glob together and I don't see any of it.
Learn your little things that will help you out and remember, everything you learn in nursing school is relevant and everything you do (even when it seems silly at the time) has a purpose...
Good luck!
rags