Just Frustrated and Want to Vent

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Hi all,

I'm new to this forum...actually never really post to forums. BUt I'm wondering if anyone can help. Its my first semester and I'm going into my pharm final with a 73, Iroinically need the same number to pass. Last test I thought I did really well on and got a 70. I'm studying my butt off, taking TONS of notes, doing online stuff. I cut my hours back and at this point without actually sleeping with my books they are always with me.

So what am I doing wrong???

Any advice on NCLEX taking would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks in advance to all.

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What part of the tests are you having trouble with?

Names (brand vs generic) - flash cards

Actions- flash cards

Side Effects- flash cards

Etc....:)

If it's dosage calculations, work on the formulas, and slow down to think them through.

If you can narrow down more specific issues, it would help folks here help you :)

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Hi,

It seems like I'm having problems with the wording of the tests. I am going into my final with a 73.3 average (I need a 73 to pass). I seem to be studying and studying and just not getting it.

The worst part is...I've been in the medical world for quite some time and have heard the "buzz words" about meds and am familiar with some, yet I still can't seem to wrap my head around the questions.

As for the math, I sort of get it.

How do you read the questions?

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Oh and thx for replying : ))

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Hello there,

It is obvious you are working hard but it is hard to diagnose exactly what the issue is without seeing your thinking style and your teachers' tests.

I am just going to throw out a few things. They may or may not apply to you.

1. SLEEP. OK, so this does apply to you lol. Adequate sleep during nursing school might as well be the chupacabra or the Loch Ness monster but, seriously, you need at least a few hours. I truly believe that adequate rest is important for absorbing and connecting information. Time away from the books is just as important as time spent with the books. You have stuffed your brain full of information but without sleep you will have little mental energy to retrieve it.

2. Do you feel that your note taking is helping you? Do you feel like you understand concepts better after writing them down? I used to tutor and I see so many people write pages upon pages but get no real understanding from them. The stack of notes may even *distract* people and make them think that they've accomplished a lot when, in reality, they have not effectively absorbed much.

The way you take notes may also take your focus away from the big picture. A lot of people take incredibly detailed notes but forget the main points that they wrote 2 hours before they got into the subpoints and footnotes. If you like to outline your material, make a big, broad outline first. You may feel like you are missing a lot of information but this is like building a skeleton. This outline is sporifice, has many open spaces but once it is done you can "hang" more information on it, much like the empty spaces between bones are filled with muscles, fascia and organs.

3. Have you tried to study from other textbooks? All the "official" pharmacology textbooks I have had are just awful. It was not until I sought out other textbooks that things made sense to me.

I hope this helps somewhat!

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Good luck! You can do it! I wish I only had to have a 73%. I have to have a 80% in order to pass. I have finals next week!

(((((((((((((((((((((((Sending good testing vibes your way!))))))))))))))))

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