I'm Really Stuggling with Micro

tigress_8207, ASN, BSN · Jul 6, 2007

no that does not mean you'll be a bad nurse,you just need a little more help that's all.have you tried asking your professor as i'm sure he/she would be willing to help.well good luck.

samclaug · Jul 7, 2007

Im the same way. Im in micro right now and not to say that I am doing bad on my tests but I understand the material a lot more than what it shows on my tests. I am doing good on lab tests have had high As on all of them but when it comes to the lecture test Im only getting low Bs. Its rough but I understand there is no way to make up the test to complement everyones learning style. Im hoping I do well in all my nursing classes but worry my test anxiety will mess me up.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2007

well, freezing up on tests is one thing. answering questions incorrectly is another. have you really looked at your graded tests to see why you are choosing or giving the wrong answers? that is an important part of your learning process. from that de-briefing information you take measures to "treat" the problem. sometimes it's not enough just to know all the information. nursing, in particular, starts to get students to think, so they introduce the dreaded application question. these kinds of questions require you to read the main part of a question and put together some background information that isn't actually written there. that back ground information has to be used to "apply" to the situation at hand to come up with the correct answer.

as for text anxiety, i have a few links on how to work with that:

http://www.how-to-study.com/index.html - how to study.com: a study skills resource. has a variety of study skills on the website, plus a section on how to read your textbooks. topics addressed on this site include: taking notes, listening, solving math word problems, using references sources, spelling long words, essay tests, test anxiety, using abbreviations, study groups, test taking strategies, reading comprehension, remembering information, vocabulary building, writing a research paper, making oral presentations, managing time, writing techniques, multiple-choice tests and more.
http://www.ulc.psu.edu/studyskills/test_taking.html - test taking and anxiety from penn state university learning centers. there are also links here to note taking, reading comprehension, and time management.

Beary-nice · Jul 7, 2007

Micro can be tough, but it does not mean that you will be a bad nurse. In my opinion, you are identifying a problem and you are working on what can be done to fix it. Test taking in and of itself is a skill one has to aquire. If you can look at your old tests and perhaps review them with your instructor, maybe you could gain some insight as to how you are answering the questions. Some people just have bad test anxiety, and there are ways to overcome that. Daytonite gave some really good websites to check out. Hang in there, we have all been through this one way or another.

*Blessed2BaNRS* · Jul 7, 2007

Jd,

Take it from me, it doesn't mean you will be a bad nurse. I took Micro last fall along with A&P II and Psych, and thought I would never get through it. I failed the first 4 tests, with 2 tests left to go. I talked to the instructor about dropping, and she sat me down and talked to me about how to study and pass her class. The tests were BRUTAL, and I had never had tests like that before. Some have told me that she tested like the nursing program does, so maybe I got a heads up!!! Anyway, after that talk, I did what she suggested and made flashcards for EVERYTHING. I learned those flashcards forward and backwards, and the next test, I made a 97 on it. The last I made a 93 and finished with an 87 average. I had a stack of flashcards for each test that was about 3 inches thick!! But, it did the job!!!

Micro is a very complex subject with lots of info to learn. Some people say that it is easy, others say it is hard. For me, it was by far the hardest class I have ever taken. But breaking it down and writing all the info on index cards really helped me a lot.

Good luck, and remember, it is possible to passs Micro!! I did it will 4 failing tests!!!

Cherish · Jul 7, 2007

I think what everyone has said about talking to the professor is probably the best thing to do. Go to the instructor after class or find out the office hours and talk to them there. Tell them that you comprehend the information but are having problems with the test. They usually will show you things you need to know for the tests and sometimes they will tell you that you really do not need to know something for the test but its good to know. I hope that helps, everyone else's comments are spot on. Just talk to the professor, and tell them your problems.

casi, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2007

I found the best way to study for micro tests is to continously quiz myself. Go through the end of chapter questions, write your own questions (use the instructors style), and seek out online resources.

Everyone has a class in their pre-reqs that they find harder than the ohers. You've come this far and you can make it through. Just because you are having trouble in one class it doesn't mean you'll fail at the rest.

Here are a few links that might help with the studying.

http://www.flashcardexchange.com/tag/microbiology

http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/sci__tech/health_and_human_biology/diseases.html

*Blessed2BaNRS* · Jul 8, 2007

GREAT sites casi!! Thank you. I know that they can really help others who are stuggling with Micro. They are exactly what I put on my cards.

runner19 · Jul 8, 2007

greaaatttt.... i knew i shouldn't have read this thread !!!!!! i have micro this fall good luck to all of you !

MikeyJ, RN · Jul 8, 2007

Micro was incredibly difficult for me (lecture anyway -- lab was exciting and easy). I struggled to stay afloat in Micro and somehow managed a 'B'.

I can say though that nursing school exams are NOTHING like micro exams (at our school anyway). Nursing school exams are definitely tough, but are tough in a different way. I am mid-way through my first semester of nursing school and can proudly say I am doing very well, and I was one of those students in microbiology who worked so hard only to end up doing poorly on the exams.

So don't get discouraged with microbiology -- just study, study study... and soon enough you will be in nursing school and it will all be behind you. :)

coolpeach · Jul 9, 2007

You could also find a couple of people in your class that do well on the test, and ask them if they would be interested in a study group. I have had study groups in each of my science classes. Sometimes we meet at each others houses, Starbucks, Denny's for coffee, or in a common room on campus. It's amazing when you get together you get different points of view so you see things from different points. It really helps.