Keeping up with the Reading?

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Hey all, So I am in my first term in my BSN program (its actually considered an accelerated BSN program), I'm taking Fundamentals of Nursing and Intro to Professional Nursing classes.

we use the Potter and Perry book, and for both classes we use the same book but they assign about a total of 7 or 8 chapters a week for us to read! I was wondering how you guys kept up with the reading? I'm a bit of a slow reader, and the Powerpoints don't do much for me, they seem too vague and not that helpful, I end up just staring at them and not getting much. Ive been using the fill in Study Guide that came with the book, that helps a lot but its still very time consuming

another thing is, My time management skills just plain suck! especially since I have ADD its an ongoing struggle, on top of that I work (which I am working on cutting down my hours a bit)

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Specializes in Tele/Med Surg/Psych.

We used the same book as well, and most of us (myself included) did not have time to read. Nursing, and especially fundamentals, is about assessments, interventions, and the whole picture of your patient. What should you look for? What signs and symptoms do they have? What is the BEST answer? Don't do that study guide, it only fills in vocabulary words and parts of the reading, when you should be doing practice NCLEX questions, those are what your tests are based on! When I got to med surg, I ditched the main parts of the reading and focused on the nursing intervention and assessments, and just answered NCLEX questions based on what we were learning (fluid and electrolytes, preoperative nursing, etc). Quit the job if you do not have time management skills (if you have the help of course) or prioritize. I had to quit my job just to get better grades. Answer NCLEX questions based on fundamentals to study, I feel that will help you a lot more. Most students do not have time to read every little thing, you really just have to read the main material, fill in your notes with the powerpoint info, and THINK LIKE A NURSE! :)

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I as well suffer and am medicated for the same attention disorder. It took me a long, brutal emotional roller coaster ride to see the light. The previous writer gave great advice, don't focus on quantitative but qualitative. What are your school's outcome criteria for the chapters? Try to stay on task of nursing process. Most of all, go get help at student support for disabilities to accommodate testing for you! It is a must. Good Luck!

Oh, and I worked full time PLUS, raised my son during entire nursing school, being a single mother I had no choice.

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

I am also a slow reader and I don't like how the texts books beat around the main point but you just have to make the time. For complex stuff I normally use lots of youtube videos to help better understand the topic. Also try ways to make reading as interactive as possible be it creating your own notes, making your own slides or writing and explaining topics via mind maps on a white board. Make use of Elsevier student resources and questions. The more you read the easier it will become.

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I only read what is covered in class. This keeps me focused and I do not waste time reading through things my professor does not cover.

No suggestions for the ADD. Maybe see a specialist who can advise you on how to concentrate?

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As someone who is ADD myself, I found the amount of reading I had to do overwhelming to say the least. I would skim through chapters, and pay close attention to those boxes in them. I also used our course objectives, and such to know what I needed to concentrate more heavily on. Then I used my resources, study guide, and the evolve website being the biggies! I found I read more, and retained it better when I was looking up answers. Then I made it a point to read all the rationales to questions on those resources, even if I got it right. I also study more frequently but for shorter periods of time, I find this helps me stay focused better!

Doing this my GPA has actually gone up since I've started nursing school, so it must be working. (And I'm graduating in May!)

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I just had my first big nursing test for Fundamentals and was one of a few who got an A! (And like most programs, our grading scale is 93+ = an A.) We had it over 22 chapters from the same book as yours, and when we asked our teacher to narrow down what to study, she said everything was equally important and to read everything. :eek: So when studying I skimmed the chapters focusing on the bolded words and charts, and then at the end of each chapter read over the yellow pages (the skills and nursing interventions). Then I did the quizzes that are at the end of each chapter and read through all the rationals. If you go to the Elsevier website (the publisher of the book) they have the free online resource for the book and it has the quizzes online, so you actually get the rationals, unlike the physical book. Finally, I did hundreds of NCLEX review questions from the CD that came with the Fundamentals Success (Davis's Success series) book! I think that was the biggest help because I was able to understand NCLEX style questions easier. I ignored the power points from my teacher because they were also very vague and a waste of time. Hope this helps!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I really can only skim, and focus in on some of the harder stuff. I've learned to do some of my reading while walking slowly on the treadmill, because it helps me focus. I make note cards where I can. I really have to devote a lot of time to reading, and I carry books with me everywhere.

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Specializes in Hospice.

We get chapter objectives to go off of for our reading assignments. But I still try to read the chapters, it really helps me.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
I really can only skim, and focus in on some of the harder stuff.

This. Even my professors will tell us to not read "just to read," but to skim through prior to lecture, and then go back and re-read for clarification. Otherwise, depending on how many chapters you've been assigned to read, you'll never finish because it's too much.

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I use that book as well. I typically sit down with the pwpt. my teacher lectured over and the book and skim. They usually go together so I read parts for clarification and understanding. The best part is the questions at the end of each chapter to practice. Those can be more helpful that the actual reading.

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I'm in Funds II and we don't even get a lecture for theory class anymore...it's a 1 hour class where we need to have a "ticket to class", 2 NCLEX style questions we make up from the assigned reading in order to attend class each time , expected to know/read the material prior to class, do a quick review for the first 45 mins and take a quiz at the last 15 mins...having to read a ton of material for a 10-15 question quiz that you need to avg a 76%...it certainty is a challenge. I'm trying to come up with a better plan myself instead of stressing myself out.

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