I love being a nursing student but I hate my book.

[souhila]

Hi, everyone

I'm going to start my Fundamentals of Nursing in spring 09 and I've heard that the book(potter $ perry 7th) Edition is full of repetition , mistakes and contradictions:confused:.

Please if there is anyone who survived Fundamentals of Nursing with this book tell me how did you succeed.

I do want start reading since I have the syllabus, but I fro zed after reading the first chapter there is no way for me to memories:banghead:.

I've always liked critical thinking memorizing it's not for me, but with this book I feel lost:cry:.

Please help me .

[whiteoleander5]

Hey! I actually have my final fundamentals exam tomorrow morning, and should be studying for it right now.... But instead of buying potter & perry 7th edition, I used the 6th edition and it only cost me 20 bucks. And YES I HATE THE BOOK. Too wordy, too many mistakes... Even in the 6th edition. You know how I survived? The powerpoint notes. I havent opened my textbook since the first exam. All I study is the powerpoint notes & tape the lectures, and if I should need to clarify something... I may look it up in the book, OR just google it. Or come to allnurses.com.

Hopefully your instructor has good powerpoint notes!... They saved me. Good luck to you!:redbeathe

[slsmithe]

I would just wait until the class starts. Most of it probably won't make much sense to you right now anyways. I would enjoy your time before schools starts because before you know it, you will want another break!

Oh and I hardly used my fundamentals book either. I used it as more of a reference, but I almost wished I had not paid all that money. But I thought I would rather have it then not and worry that I was missing something.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

when i was in nursing school many years ago we were given a list of nursing texts that we could use, so we had a choice. i also was given a nursing textbook that was 10 years old by a friend of my mother which came in handy so many times as a supplemental text. i looked up things for a second opinion in it so many times or just for a second explanation of a subject.

when i went back for my bsn my professors were astounded that i would even think to research other texts for other opinions on subjects. there is nothing wrong with doing this. in fact, if you look at what educators have to say about learning, they will tell you that often reading what other teachers have to say about a subject is helpful because it provides a different point of view and helps a learner to appreciate the material.

so, while you may be forced to use potter & perry, there is nothing stopping you from also consulting other authors on the same subjects you are covering. the sticky threads on the students forums of allnurses also have weblinks to some online information and weblinks to online nursing textbooks.

good luck.

[ShortStackRN]

The Potter and Perry 7th for Fundamentals is AWFUL!!! I swear the book just made it nearly impossible to retain any information...it was way too long and repititive...I found that the only way for me to survive that class was to try and read the most important points per chapter and DO THE STUDY GUIDES and NCLEX questions on the website that is offered. Most of our test questions came straight from there. Other than that I wish you luck because that book is a joke. AND I bought my Med/Surg I book today (it's identical to that book...of course...). GOOD LUCK!

[anewday]

I agree about the fundamentals book. Terrible and full of mistakes. Don't even waste your money on the 7th edition. The 6th has the same information and it will cost you less.

[k_r_ah]

I hate it too! I think the only useful parts are the nclex questions at the end of each chapter, and even then sometimes the answers are incorrect.

[chnc1024, ASN]

I'm very worried now. That's the same book I have for Intro... I was hoping it would be more helpful...

Chancie

[ScrappinSpidey]

I swear this is the most hated book in our program. We have been free of it this semester but I heard it comes back next semester. The one thing we found helpful was the study guide. It tended to hit all the main points in the chapter and broke it down fairly easily. It was much easier than trying to find our way through that book. It is some what disorganized and interrupted a lot. I can't wait till graduation when I will take great pleasure in burning that book. I even think my librarian grandmother will understand

Lynn/BW

[Nicole2010]

Actually, that book is in reprint right now b/c of all the errors. I started fundumentals this December, but we dont have our book until January b/c of this issue. So I wouldnt worry about it. The teachers teach you everything they want you to know anyways!

[ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN]

Honestly with P&P as your text, pay attention in class and lab, compare notes with friends to fill in gaps because that book is just awful! I'm glad to hear it's in reprint to fix the errors, I have yet to meet anyone who felt P&P was worth the paper it's printed on, our school was sucked into a contract for this book by a previous director so they couldn't switch out when all the errors in 7 came to light, I do know the new director (former instructor of same program) can NOT wait to burn her editions in the office lol I burned mine after graduation, I had bought the 6th in very used condition so it wasn't worth trying to resale lol it was quite liberating to watch it turn to ash tho

[AugustRain]

I used P&P and hated it too. Definitely check out the Reviews & Rationales book for Nursing Fundamentals, it was really helpful and comes with a CD of NCLEX questions. The made incredibly easy books are nice to refer to, as well.

The NCLEX questions in the P&P text don't provide rationales, and the same questions on the CD often give different answers. Not really worth the time.

Take good notes in class and do as many NCLEX questions (with rationales) as you can and you should have no problem. Good luck!