Learning

[Joelle66]

Just wondering if anyone feels this way also. I often fear talking about this because I find it embarrassing and makes me look dumb but I find that I work so hard to learn something and forget it so fast. I'll spend hours researching things and think I have it down pat and then see or read something at clinical a couple weeks later or what ever it may be and can't remember any of it. I took pharmacology and loved it and then I went a couple weeks without being in clinical and then started my placement and remembered seeing the drug names but couldn't remember what they were for or I was getting them confused. Another example is, I forget where smaller organs are in the body and have to look it up often. It seems a lot of nurses and nursing students around me get things so easily. Can anyone provide me any insight if they feel this way too or am I lone wolf in this matter ? Or if anyone has tips on how to learn something and keep it stored in my brain? Thank-you!

[BBP42]

I look things up every time until it finally sinks in...I remember thinking the meds were difficult to keep straight when I started, now I only really have to look things up if someone has meds for an unusual condition I rarely see or if they are on something new to the market. It will get better! Better to keep reminding yourself of the information by looking it up again than to give a med you are not sure you know without knowing what to watch for afterwards.

[brownbook]

Are you working now? Drugs, concepts, areas of the body, you frequently encounter should come more easily the more you work.

Teaching a concept helps. Pretend you have to teach a class on some concept you can't remember now matter how often you study it. Study it thoroughly then imagine you are standing in front of students and teach it!

If you honestly can't remember some basic drugs or important concepts you deal with daily at your job.....maybe you do have a problem!

However there are things I just can't remember....for some stupid reason I have a hard time remembering the areas of the spine! I have to stop and consciously think....okay cervical.....lumber.....thoracic....(wait no, it's thoracic then lumbar)...I feel so stupid! If it was really necessary for me for my job I would keep a cheat sheet taped to my name tag, which I have done with certain drugs and with interventions for bradycardia.