I am a new nursing student, and about to give up... Please help

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 24, 2012

I'm in my final semester of nursing school, and it does get easier.

Here are a couple tips...

BUY an NCLEX review book and practice questions. I recommend Saunders comprehensive review for the nclex rn exam. It has a great content review and thousands of questions on the CD. You may want to wait for the 6th edition though, because there will be a new NCLEX test plan starting may 2013. Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination,5e (Saunders Comprehensive Review for Nclex-Rn): Linda Anne Silvestri: 9781437708257: Amazon.com: Books

NCLEX 3500 is another resource with questions that is free online. Main Menu - NCLEX-RN 3500 - Institutional Version

The reviews and rationales series by Mary Ann Hogan, is also very helpful.

You must also READ YOUR NURSING TEXTBOOKS. I'll say it again...READ THE BOOK.

Also, take advantage of the free resources that come with your books. If your school uses evolve for case studies, you can access free online content from many books published by elsevier.

Memorize your drug categories and mechanism of action. This will help A LOT when you get to med-surg.

Nursing school is tough! With strength and perseverance you will get through!

dawniepoo · Oct 24, 2012

My best advice is to join a study group. Use the group to ask each other questions about applying the info that is given to you in lecture. It works very well for us. Also, our school supplied us with ATI books that are great. Does your school provide those to you? Finally, try Success series books. There is one for every nursing subject from fundamentals to complex med surg.

db2xs · Oct 25, 2012

Does your school provide tutoring? At my school if students are struggling with grades, teachers assign them tutors and that seems to really help boost their grades.

jessjay · Oct 27, 2012

i review with questions. i get books offline such as the test success books, fundamentals success, medsurg success, etc. and they are all practice questions with rationales which help alot! i also like to look online for different ways of looking at it. but these questions helped alot with the exams

gingrew · Oct 27, 2012

Have you gone and spoken with your teachers at all? They are going to be the best people to help you.

Witty3RN · Oct 27, 2012

The hard thing about nursing school is figuring out what is important and how to apply what you learned. Read your text book!!! NCLEX review books to review the material you read. Download apps with practice questions so you can quiz yourself often - helps you realize what you know and what you don't know and what is important.

Cierra88 · Oct 31, 2012

Please don't give up and stay encouraged. I am not a nurse yet but i am in the midst of completing my pre-reqs. I wish u the best of luck.....

Racer15, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2012

I won't say it gets easier, but you get better at figuring out how to pick out correct answers. It took me over two semesters to really get a handle on how to take nursing exams. Go to your instructors, go over your exams, get their advice on how you can study differently and how to better manage your time. You've only just started, don't throw in the towel yet!

Sinman · Oct 31, 2012

Join a study group

See if your school offers group or individual tutoring (mine offers both for free)

See if your school has a learning specialist who can assess your learning styles and help you develop a study plan based on your strengths.

Talk to you teachers often times they will have very helpful tips on what or how to study

If you find you have a lot of test anxiety go see the campus counselor they can offer great relaxation an focus techniques to help you during tests

Mattie2012 · Nov 1, 2012

I understand how you feel. I am a first semester student, I am doing ok with the book work. But preparation for clinical is about to push me over the edge and out the door

mkatts19 · Nov 2, 2012

I personally never joined a study group... most people just diverged from anything nursing related and wasn't helpful at all. The practice questions for NCLEX are WAYYYY too early for you. You shouldn't even touch that until your 2nd or 3rd year, if anything not until you graduate.

Do NOT JUST read your book. I know you get that a lot, but passing nursing school and passing boards is not about just reading and getting those 2 chapters read front to back before class starts.. You really need to UNDERSTAND the concepts and be able to apply them. If you can't explain hyptertension or addision's disease to someone.. you don't know the info as much as you 1. should and 2. can. Don't just read just to get the assignment done... read to get the info out of the book and in your head. That definitely is the number one way to study. Write the concepts out on a paper. If after reading a section you can't remember 3 topics from it? You didn't really study. Hope this helps a bit :).