Is info in class covered too quickly?

[Nicole2010]

I was wondering if any other students feel the same way. I'm currently in nursing fundamentals & pharmacology and I feel like everything is being taught so fast. We only have a hour lecture per week in pharmacology and in nursing labs, procedures are shown VERY quickly.

I start clinicals in about 5 weeks, yet I havent even practiced a bed bath yet! Also, the instructor showing us certain procedures seems a bit lost as well (she's been a RN for 44 yrs & isnt too sure about the whole bath thing).

Maybe Im just stressing, but I really am trying to learn as much as possible before clinicals. Does it seem like important material is just too quickly covered?

Thanks!

[avahnel, ASN, RN]

I have learned in NS, that we are told how to do most proceedures/skills once-after that we are required to know how to do it. I wrote down steps/materials required in a little notebook I could take with me to clinicals. Then, I could review proceedures and make sure I was not wasting time making multiple trips to the supply room. We have skill check offs, but not for baths. We were told how to do enemas once in lecture, and after that lecture we were supposed to be able to do them in clinicals if one came up. Most easy skills are self study. Our skills lab is always open, and our skills instuctors will always help us with anything if we ask, I hope your instructors are as nice!!

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

My nursing instructors do the same thing. They go over the procedure once and we have check offs the following week. Our lab is open Monday thru Friday from 8-5 (unless there is a class using it). Anyways, I typically make it a point to stop in and perform the task three times prior to check offs. Our instructors use our textbooks for the procedures, so if I have any questions, I tend to refer back to it. I seriously don’t think you can go wrong with doing a procedure according to your textbook. It is to my understanding that hospitals have reference guides to go by while performing procedures at that facility. The reason I bring this up is because if you did your lab and the instructor says to you, “sorry you didn’t pass because you did the procedure wrong or you forgot to do something”, you have a leg to stand on. Just refer the instructor back to the book for reference (in a kind way of course).

As far as your instructor not being sure about baths, it may be because she hasn’t had to perform the procedure in a long time and don’t remember from when she was in school. I don’t look down on any instructors who are unsure. I have a lot more respect for the ones who say, “I’m not sure, let’s look that up in the text”.

I hope this helps. If after going over the procedure you still are unsure, ask if you can meet with your instructor in the lab to show you again. I had to do that when learning Foley caths (The whole sterile thing makes me nervous). She did and when it came time for checkoffs, I had no problems.

Good luck to you!

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

I've learned that in NS, you basically have to teach yourself. The instructors are really there to guide us in the next direction. It urks me when students say in clinicals " We didn't cover or practice this,that or the other in class" The instructors are not going to hold our hands through nursing school. Its something called a book and skills list that will help us to understand how a procedure is done. Our labs are also open most days of the week for us to practice with other students and sometimes instructors. I do agree that theory is fast past, but once again we know what needs to be read way before the class starts. I would suggest reading and taking notes before every class, so that you won't feel overwhelmed by the intensity of the information. Before clinicals practice, ask questions... but don't expect the instructors to go over every little detail. There are also many videos that demonstrate some procedures, many of them are on the CD rom in back of the nursing text books. Good luck to you. Hope I didn't sound harsh, totally not my intensions. I hope one day I can teach, and be able to spend more time with nursing students.

[Eirene, ASN, RN]

I broke out my Clinical Nursing Skills and Techniques all of the time and practiced on my kids and husband (with the exception of Foleys, etc.). My program gave each one of us a package of sterile gloves to practice at home, we just had to reuse the gloves, so be careful!

Nursing IS basically a self-taught course. Stay motivated and write down questions to ask in lecture when doing your reading. That was the key to my success.

[Mommy_of_3_in_AL..RN]

I learned a long time ago, that nursing is more self taught. Not saying your instructors dont have a responsibility to teach you the information, but there is SO much to teach that they can only cover the high points. It is up to you to look and see what you need, ask questions, and go to them for advice or assistance. They will not come to you, will not beg you to learn anything, and will not drill it into your head. I had to get very self motivated and fast, or else i would have been in trouble! I graduate in 7 days, and my instructors have gone from my worst enemy, to my best friends and mentors. If you are unsure about what one instructor is teaching you, there is nothing wrong with asking an opinion from another instructor to clarify. Also, as you get further along, you will learn alot from your clinicals and the nurses in the area. Just be careful to make sure that you dont go back to class and answer an exam question based on what the floor nurses do, because they are dealing with real life and in class and on NCLEX they question you based on a "perfect" situation. I learned that the hard way!!!