I don't know how to study 😩

[stacylethani, BSN]

I had my first pharm test last week and I got a 70%.

I was studying almost every day, I made a study plan the week prior of what I was going to study each day before. I read the book, made a study guide, I made concept maps, I drew pictures, I listened to recorded lectures.

Something went wrong though. I just don't know what.

I'm very slow when I study, it was taking me 45-50 minutes to fully learn one drug (because I was writing things out, drawing concept maps, ect).

I'm also a visual learner. I have to make weird connections or find weird ways to remember things in order for it to really stick.

I don't know where I went wrong in preparing that made me do so poorly on the exam. Any advice? I really want to do well on the next exam.

[heidi94]

I don't know, but I think you may be studying too much! For each drug, try to simplify the mechanism of action/what it does to 5 or so words, memories the unusual and deadliest side effects, when you should hold it, and patient teaching. Don't over complicate it! We're studying to be nurses, not pharmacists. Memorize what a nurse would need to know.

Edit: this is pretty effective for me in my program, but of course it depends on what your teachers expect from you. I agree with the other post that practice questions are very helpful

[Ancher]

Just finished my ATI pharm final today with a Tier III. What I did was take tons (and I mean tons) of practice question. I used saunders pn test bank from evolve, pharmacology success, and the ATI practice exams along with the unit exams. In total, I probably took around 500 questions, then repeated those questions until it started making sense.