So I'm currently taking A&P 2, and I'm on the waiting list for the nursing program at my school. I'm feeling a little frustrated...
I took A&P 1 in a six week semester over the summer. I finished with a B+ which I was really happy with. However, when I started A&P 2, my teacher was recalling things we learned in 1 that I completely couldn't remember. That's when I realized I've just been memorizing, not actually learning.
I believe I will be able to pass A&P 2, however I'm more concerned with the fact that I will just forget everything once I get into the nursing program... Or worse.... When I'm actually working as an RN:dead:
Does anyone have tips on how to retain information? I know I'm a "hands-on" learner so I always study in the lab with the models. Please tell me I'm not the only one who has this problem
As with anything, that which you use you will retain, that which you don't, you will lose.
The key to retention is review. The review can either be in a new topic which uses the original as a foundation or it can simply be direct review.
THIS.
Nursing school concepts are taught on the basis of that one has MASTERED the upper level courses and understand the concepts of A&P and other things (ie Chemisty, Microbiology, Mathematics-most importantly College/Basic Algebra, etc).
The key to understanding concepts is review; if you are forgetting concepts, the best thing is to review and understand the concepts; as a hands-on learner, I utilized drawing concepts in order to understand the who what where and why of my science courses.
For anyone telling you that you are not expected to remember, take it with a huge grain of salt. If you want to be a great student, vs. one that gets by, mastering will matter. For one, when able avoid 6 to 8 week classes when possible as they go so fast there's little chance of mastery let alone memorization. Secondly, contact time matters. I still remember my very first class going back to school after 30+ years of being out where the professor shared those who master things spend a lot of contact time with the subject matter. For me, AP1 & 2 meant going to each lecture, going to each lab, staying until the end in lab even after more than 90% of the class left early, going to the tutoring and learning center several times per week spending hours in the model room as well as asking the tutors present for their tricks of the trade for learning, mastering, remembering. If anything was not understood or it was just fascinating, then going out on the Internet to watch youtube videos, get iTunes University lectures, etc. to see / read / hear the information from another angle.
LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN
8,429 Posts
THIS.
Nursing school concepts are taught on the basis of that one has MASTERED the upper level courses and understand the concepts of A&P and other things (ie Chemisty, Microbiology, Mathematics-most importantly College/Basic Algebra, etc).
The key to understanding concepts is review; if you are forgetting concepts, the best thing is to review and understand the concepts; as a hands-on learner, I utilized drawing concepts in order to understand the who what where and why of my science courses.