Just finished Medsurg... I feel like I don't know anything.

Published

Specializes in SDU, Tele.

Hey everyone :)

So I just finished My medsurg class, thankfully! I think I got an A, the lowest possible grade I could have gotten is a B... now, now don't think I am some kind of a smarty pants. Reality is, I think most people got this grade because our class was just too easy.

Our prof is a real cool lady, but I feel like she totally made our class easier than it should have... like she went on the surface of things and tested us on really obvious stuff, like a good Hgb A1C for diabetics is 7.0, 6.0, or 8.0? lol

I just had the final today and I mean, I am super happy that I got that A, made my GPA go up, but she even told us, "Don't look for me when you have take take advanced medsurg!" because she knows we're gunna get in big trouble in the end!

So this is why I am kinda worried. I don't know if I should just eat the whole book during my "break" (10 days lol) or just concentrate on certain disease and interventions?

The other day I saw her and asked her about EKGs she admitted she didn't really want to go into that too much(even though its on our syllabus....) and she didn't really tell us anything about strips lol But I am on a Tele floor in clinical and our clinical instructor can tell we have *plenty* of deficits....

So should I just cram this week and read my book or something? I have Reviews and Rationales, should I stick to that? Honestly what is the most important stuff I should have gotten from Medsurg? I feel like a pro about arthritis and diabetes but cancer she touched lightly upon and basically stuff like cardio, respiratory etc. :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in none.

Study the whole book. Med/Surg anywhere is hard. Good Luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SDU, Tele.

Yep I figured. I got Brunner's. I like the book a lot, actually.

Where do I start? I guess whatever the syllabus says, huh? =/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

yes, stick to the syllabus. You will have plenty to learn from that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are lots of good lectures that teachers have recorded and put online, too. I can't remember exactly what they were called, but if I'm confused about something I google it and see what comes up. That could be another good way to catch up on subjects you're unfamiliar with.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SDU, Tele.

hm... i've had such a hard time finding good ones. youtube has a couple of nice medical lectures but i was shocked to see such few nursing ones. if you have any please let me know... :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I haven't looked myself, but try iTunes University. There may be some good lectures there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Cardiac and Respiratory is important, many older people will have issues like COPD or CHF and such, even if that's not what they're in the hospital for. Know the basics, not everything. The rest you will learn in clinical. I found I was given TOO much information in my med/surg class and didn't absorb it all, but as I went through clinical I learned more and more. Hope that helps.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.

https://deimos.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/BrowsePrivately/mc.maricopa.edu

Click on Nursing

Click on Pathophysiology 104

Great set of lectures for med surg understanding.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.

You can look on you tube for some EKG strips. They are pretty informative! I would suggest you know A-fib, V-Fib, V-tach, SVT, Brady, tachy, PAC, PVC, normal of course. I feel like Im skipping something. I wouldn't focus on the AV blocks.

Did you learn cardiac diseases, signs/symptoms of them, meds for them? Side effects of those meds? What about endocrine? You need to go pretty in depth on these things, this will bite you in the butt later on during NCLEX and later courses when you need this background!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion