LPN nursing student feeling very discouraged

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Hello,

I am beginning to wonder if being a nurse is just not for me. I currently work as a CNA and do enjoy my job even at an understaffed LTC facility. I've wanted to go nursing school for quite some time now and finally decided to take the plunge. I decided to start at the bottom and work my way up the ladder starting as a CNA, then working up to an LPN, and keep going from there.

I've been in school for a while (only going part time). I only have two more quarters of generals left to take then its clinicals the rest of the way. I wasn't discouraged up until this quarter. I am finding anatomy and physiology very difficult. I am only on my first A&P classes with two more A&P classes left. Our instructor wants us to learn every part of the body. I am talking EVERY part. What each layer of skin is called, each and every part of the brain, every section of the kidney,etc. I explained to her I was having trouble and asked if there was any DVDs or anything to help me study. She told me to go to the library and reminded me that I still had two more A&P classes and they only get harder from here on out. I am barely passing. Getting an 82% and anything below an 80% is failing.

I am also taking a charting class. I took one with my CNA course to learn the basics. This class is more advanced. Our instructor gave us paper with close to 2000 acronyms that she says we will need to know. I am also barely passing this class.

How do you guys that have already become nurses remember all of this info? How do you remember every body part beside the basic ones? Do you ever forget acronyms? If I am having this much trouble now will it only get worse?

Thanks for any advice!

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Sorry to hear you're having a hard time. When I took A&P @ my community college for LPN school, we didn't have to know every single body part. We just had to learn the basic parts of the heart, brain, eyes, etc. We learned most of the bones & all parts of the skull, but didn't have to know every single part. That seems a bit extreme. I know each professor teaches differently though... Are there any study groups you could maybe study with at your school? Hope it gets better.

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Specializes in Agency, LTC, School, Home Health.

Its like that in my class as well. I don't have any great advice for you, but there are sites that help a bit, I'm told, and flash cards help a lot of people. One person suggested this site, though I have not looked at it yet myself...

www.anatomyarcade.com If I find more, I'll post for you. Good luck!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How do you guys that have already become nurses remember all of this info? How do you remember every body part beside the basic ones? Do you ever forget acronyms? If I am having this much trouble now will it only get worse?
I attended an LVN program in 2005 and an RN completion program in '09/'10, and I do not recall my schooling being as stringent as what you are describing. The only advice I can offer is to hang in there. Good luck to you!
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Specializes in CNA/LPN.

I know how you feel! I'm currently in my last semester of pre-requisites for the LPN program at my CC. A&P has been my biggest struggle. I've breezed through the other required pre-reqs with A's and one B....A&P on the other hand, that's a lot of material! I'm actually at 82% myself as well and have to have no less than an 80 or must retake it in order to be able to opt in on the selection process, so it's tough!

My instructor goes over about 3 chapters/weekly and then we have a test the following week on all 3 chapters! It's very stressful, but it can be done! You can find numerous sites online by googling the titles of your current chapters of study or notes from lecture and get a bigger/clearer picture on everything you're going over. I've found it to be a lot of help by typing in the title of the chapter and searching for interactive learning activities.

If you're having any distractions that are keeping you from studying the ample amount of time you need to learn the material, I'd suggest maybe spending time in a local library specifically for studying A&P and utilize your computer access as well. Maybe you can merge into a study group amongst some of your peers or have a family member help you study.

I bury myself in note cards when it comes to A&P, but that's how I learn...maybe you could set a goal to make 20 index cards a day until you have all you need to learn on them, then go over them every chance you get.

A&P is tough, but you seem to have so much passion for caring for others! Don't let that go down the drain from discouragement! I wish you the best of luck in A&P and the rest of your nursing journey! When you look back on it all, the struggles and fails will be worth it all if you have the strength to keep chugging along. :)

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I understand where you are coming from. I took A&P before I got into my LPN program. Now that was a year of hell for me. My theme song was REM's, "It's the end of the world." Learning every part in deep detail, I had no idea how I was going to do this. Some how I found the courge inside of me to learn what I needed to learn. Stop fighting with yourself.

Do you know what your learning style is? Do you learn best by reading, working in a group, or taking notes? Mine was just sittind down and writing info out over and over again. Along with taking a picture of whatever part we were learning covering up the names with sticky notes and writing out what the info was under the sticky notes from memory.I know that sounds like a lot of work but that was how I learned.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you learning at the moment? What are you focusing on? I have some old powerpoints that maybe helpful that break info down, if you like?

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I also agree that A & P is very difficult but it is also true that school gets MUCH harder than that. There are many different resources that can be found on-line as far as diagrams and practice activities that consist of labeling and matching. I agree with the previous poster as far as knowing what your learning style is. I have had study groups throughout my program and without them I honestly don't know how I would have made it this far. I actually just failed my 4th semester by 3 questions. It's devastating and I am trying to find the strength to go on. I wish you the best of luck :)

Leesha

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Specializes in NICU( RN), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.

Hi,

I was having trouble with a&p I as well. I picked up a book called "Anatomy&Physiology for Dummies" and helped me out tremendously.

As far as medical acronym's, my Webster's Medical Dictionary has about ten pages located in the back with a list. Try going to your local bookstore and look at the back of the dictionarys to see if they contain them, then purchase one, there is Steadmans medical abbrev and accronym book too. Hope you get your grades up!

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