I'm having nightmares about Med-Surg 1

lyanez · Mar 1, 2012

I start Med Surg 1 next week, and I am terrified. Legit, terrified. I just had Psych and I feel like that was an easy class (workload not included) compared to the horror stories I've heard about med-surg. It doesn't help that I have one of the toughest instructors teaching it. God, why?
I never have nightmares about school unless real anxiety is involved.
Can anyone offer any tips? (not study groups, please. I don't do them, I'm loner freak who works better alone). Calm words? Did anyone find it not so bad?
If it helps: I really love science and the body, and I kind of hated Foundations because it was more about interactions and communication and I'm not as good at those things, but when we did a brief Fluids and Electrolytes section during Foundations, I aced every question. Will this help my case? lol

I'm in Med Surg 1 right now, half way done, and I can honestly say the Pathophysiology Review book by Hurst has made all the material SO easy to understand! I love this book and it's only like $16 on Amazon! Hope that helps

KingsMommy · Mar 1, 2012

I just finished Med Surg 2 and while it was hard I feel like a "real nurse" now. I think that loving the science behind nursing will take you a long way because m-s is the meat of nursing school. It takes the science and applies it with real life. I am in an accelerated program so we have 5 week classes and managed 6 tests and a final in med- surg 1... here is my advice. I highlighted in the book and wrote like a crazy person during class. At night I would clean up my notes and make them into an outline. This included reading the entire chapter (not just what was covered) and making sure I understood the A&P behind it... doing extra research if needed. I highlight on my review and focus on that leading up to the test. At my school MS1 was mostly about assessment so knowing WNL was important in understanding what was not normal and needed further investigation.

I also would like to study alone because I can go at my pace but the one thing I would say helps me is teaching others. If I understand it and explain to my classmates I remember it even better.

One piece of advice that I would say on top of everything else is work on the skills and patient interactions as much as possible because although you need to understand what is going on- the clinical/ patient interaction is the most important part because it is a huge piece of the end product. Nursing is about being the go between of science and comfort so work on finding the balance!

Good luck- you can do it

mangopeach · Mar 1, 2012

Don't sweat it so much. Honestly, Med Surg was not the beast I thought it was going to be. Challenging but was nowhere near the nightmare I thought it would be.

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Mar 1, 2012

No. An A on a test is not going to help your case. :lol2: All that shows is that you are a good student and know how to study. If your Med-Surg I is anything like my future Med-Surg I, you'll be applying what you know in Fundamentals into Med-Surg I. But, there is more to that.

Stay on top of your schoolwork, try not to get behind in reading/studying, and most importantly relax. :)