This is my first year of nursing school, and I'm right out of high school. I'm totally stressing because I'm taking Fundamentals of Nursing, Pharmacology and Dosage Calculations, and Nursing Skills and Techniques. All my tests I keep getting 70%'s on. I've studied soooo much. I have nursing information coming out of my ears. Actually, in Fundamentals I got a 70%, 70%, and then today we took a test and I got a 72%. And in Pharm/Dosage Calc. I got a 60% and then on my second test a 74%. We have to make a test average in each class of a 76% or better. I'm just curious as to if this is common for the first few tests to be this bad, or if I'm just not good at Nursing School and need to change my major. I've prayed and prayed about it, and I keep feeling like I need to try a little harder that it will work out in the end.
Here's my studying ways:
Look through the chapter, print off powerpoints, do workbook pages, make note cards, study the note cards and workbook pages, then do the practice tests on Evolve and the CD that comes with my book.
Maybe someone can give me a little advice on studying??
And when I study, sometimes I get distracted: cell phone, tv, facebook =) ....the normal teenage distractions....
I'm also a first year nursing student & although I'm not a teen, i can remember a few years back to when I was, and heck, I still have those distractions!
I think it is very common to get low scores on your first couple of tests. You are still getting used to NCLEX questions. Also I feel like communication and culture is hard. My test scored are really random. I go from 79 (which is the lowest passing grade in my program, to 93 (which is the lowest A) to 89 to 80 to 93. My grades have gone up for the most part, and I think that what has really helped me is that I re-write my notes over and over. If I just read them, my mind wanders. but by writing them, i'm seeing them on the original paper, i'm saying it in my mind as a write it, and then i'm seeing it again as my hand actually writes it. I also like to use different colors of ink because I think that helps me recall information.
And the thing that has helped most, is just doing practice nclex questions. We have a book called Fundamentals of Success that is broken down by chapter (communication, legal, culture, physical assessments, etc) And i know they have more in our bookstore that I'm about to get.
Also---at my school i heard the 1st 8 weeks (fundamentals 1 & pharm 1) then the 2nd 8 weeks (fundamentals 2 and pharm 2) are the hardest. Everyone has said once you make it through those, its a lot easier to grasp.
Alright everyone, good news!!!! I made an 88% on my test!! YAY!!!! I listened to everyone and picked out the things I thought would help me, and I did good!! I am sooo glad!
Just wanted to let you know, that I am over 40 and in my first semester of nursing and I can feel your pain. It may not be common, but I do believe it takes a few test to get used to the way they want you to think. I am doing the same things that you are, but I find the NCLEX study cd helpful (may need to purchase). My instructors recommended taking a 20 question test each day and I believe it is helping. I made a 67 on my first test in class and second one was 89. The questions on the cd will be similiar to the test questions, especially in fundamentals. If you have the Math for Meds in Pharmacology, work the questions on the cd that came with the book, I found that to be helpful. Stay encouraged and God will see us both through this course. God Bless!
Hey, I'm 40 and get distracted by texts and facebook.....if I let it. I don't think that's a teenage problem.
I think what you are struggling with is the "critical thinking" aspect of nursing.
I cruised through the first semester thinking hey, this is easy. It was straight memorization. Then I hit Nursing 101 and got my first failing grade. I was devastated. My instructor kept ensuring us it would come with time. But I was frustrated. That wasn't helping me pass those quizzes. But she was right. I did pass 101 with an A! What helped me most was going to tutoring. Take advantage of every session your instructor offers.
Don't give up just yet. It is kind of culture shock I think.
@Liz, I just looked over the chapters before class, highlighted what I thought was important with the yellow highlighter, then in class when we went over the material, if the teacher said what I highlighted, I would re-highlight in the other color, since it made a different color that I did not have a highlighter for. So, when I reviewed I knew that was pretty important. Then, I did a workbook that causes me to look back through the chapters, so with those three things, that's three times of seeing the material. Then, I wrote out notecards with the material out of the workbook and the "special" highlighted stuff in my book. Along with notes I wrote down in class. Also, my teacher tuitored me twice. It helped soooo much. And, I did the questions with my Fundamentals book on the book's website. Also, I think I just had adjust my brain to thinking like an RN, and realized Nursing is about Critical Thinking, not memorization!
@Justhanginthere, Good luck!!! And thank you for the advice. I have been doing the questions with my book. Their the NCLEX questions. But, my teacher told me not to focus as much on them, just use them as a review after I have done everything else because I was using them more for studying then reviewing. =)
And yes, God will get us BOTH through this wonderful journey!
afox
135 Posts
I'm also a first year nursing student & although I'm not a teen, i can remember a few years back to when I was, and heck, I still have those distractions!
I think it is very common to get low scores on your first couple of tests. You are still getting used to NCLEX questions. Also I feel like communication and culture is hard. My test scored are really random. I go from 79 (which is the lowest passing grade in my program, to 93 (which is the lowest A) to 89 to 80 to 93. My grades have gone up for the most part, and I think that what has really helped me is that I re-write my notes over and over. If I just read them, my mind wanders. but by writing them, i'm seeing them on the original paper, i'm saying it in my mind as a write it, and then i'm seeing it again as my hand actually writes it. I also like to use different colors of ink because I think that helps me recall information.
And the thing that has helped most, is just doing practice nclex questions. We have a book called Fundamentals of Success that is broken down by chapter (communication, legal, culture, physical assessments, etc) And i know they have more in our bookstore that I'm about to get.
Also---at my school i heard the 1st 8 weeks (fundamentals 1 & pharm 1) then the 2nd 8 weeks (fundamentals 2 and pharm 2) are the hardest. Everyone has said once you make it through those, its a lot easier to grasp.
Good Luck! Hang in there!