Med Surg, Help desperately needed!!!!

AprilRNhere · Apr 11, 2008

Seriously...I hate to be negative but what were you thinking? Can you even retake it if you need to? My school you could only retake once..then you were out of the program. What grade do you NEED to pass? I don't care what was going on...you should have made time to study. If nursing school were easy..there would be more nurses. You need to prioritize...if you even have time left to do that.

Seriously- until the end of the semester....study every spare minute. Literally. Make cards...study EVERY minute you have. Wake up and study while you eat, if you go somewhere with someone- let them drive and STUDY. No TV..just study.

good luck

nightshifter415 · Apr 12, 2008

Geez. It's time to get serious...like cut off all social ties, take a leave of absence from work, lock yourself in a room with ear plugs, turn off the tv, log off the internet, and kick your family out of the house kind-of-serious. I was wondering about your program, do they have certain rules about retaking nursing theory classes? Because at my school they tell you that you have to get above a B- the second time around and then if not, that's it...you're gone.

To put it into perspective, there are hundreds of people that wish they could have the opportunity to be in a nursing program like you and can't because of x, y, and z issues. Don't take it for granted. Studying goes along with the territory, you know? Even when there are no tests in sight. Hopefully you can go back to your class objectives and work towards doing better on the 3rd test because you are the only one who can help yourself right now. Write your paper like, today. Get it out of the way. For a broad subject like med-surg, I keep telling the students I tutor, that if you understand the basics...you'll be able to figure the rest out. Go back to your lecture material and start from the system that you have the hardest time understanding. Exhaust ALL your resources. In the end, and only after you've studied and are ready to review, grab ONE person (someone who does well in class) and talk it out. When you verbalize what you're going over, you can retain it better.

Best of luck to you...let us know how it goes...

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2008

nursing school is not just taking college classes. it is job training. the instructors are evaluating you all the time as to how you are going to perform as a prospective nurse and employee. when you graduate the school is the only one who future employers will look to for a reference on how you will be able to handle the job of being an rn because they are the only ones who have been working with you as you are learning the rn job. what do you think they are likely to say about you? do you think they see you are doing your best to learn to be a nurse or that they know you are capable of doing better and let other things interfere with your studying? school is the venue to show where you are learning to get some mastery of personal work behavior. you most likely will be asked about these things (time management, prioritizing work, how you handle tasks you don't like) in a job interview and how you deal with them and so will the instructors providing references for you.

i was a manager who interviewed new graduates for their first nursing job as well as experienced nurses looking for work. here is a list of the behaviors that i was given by one human resource department that they wanted us to use as a guideline in evaluating professional level job applicants. we designed open-ended interview questions to try to reveal if applicants were carelessly or deliberately trying to hide any of these desired qualities which meant potential trouble with work performance and/or behavior problems down the road. we wanted to identify them at a job interview and not make the error of hiring a potential problem.

positive attitude
motivation
initiative
dynamic energy
responsibility
ability to give good customer service
capacity to learn
productivity
flexibility
leadership
team work
ability to tolerate pressure
analytical ability
desire to develop professionally

4rom2bRN · Apr 12, 2008

Nursing school is extremely challenging. Its challenging getting in and challenging through out. You just can't do the "get by" attitude. What will your patients think? You may need to do a self evaluation as to why you want to enter the profession. Is this really what you want to do?

One of my pet peeves with a few of my classmates were the "get by" attitude and I am in it for the money. I worked extra hard, stayed up late hours. I can't remember when I had descent sleep since I started the program. I am taking a break, not by my choice. I will be back into the program by fall.

Please ask yourself if this is really what you want to do. In my opinion, nursing is always opening up a book and wanting to know it. There is no room for "getting by." Nursing is a life time of learning!!!!

The book is never closed!

Good Luck and God Bless!

>--stethoscope--o · Apr 12, 2008

Yesterday, I went through my clinical day right after clinicals and I know I did alot of errors, some my teacher didn't catch. I tried to do some soul searching as to whether I want this or not. I haven't come to a deffinate conclusion, yet. All I know is my motivation isn't in it anymore. Idk whether it's b/c I've been chewed out by my instructors or b/c I see it as impossible for me to get anywhere, from where I'm at at this level.

I remember before getting into nursing school, it was really hard for me. I was the one crying before an A&P exam b/c I was studying the night before, the funny thing is, I always got excellent grades. I managed to pull my self off the ground and focus on my target: getting into nursing school. Now it seems like like the goal has already been met, and I know that it really hasn't cuz my REAL goal is being an excellant Nurse. (not just a nurse)

This semester dispite of my grades I have learned alot. The only reason why my grade is a "C" is the b/c of the last exam I took. I can't really blame any one for that grade, but my self. I guess right now I have things going on with me that it's hard to just focus on school.

Yes, our school only allows us to take a class once and that's it, your out if you fail again. In our school you have to make at least a "C" to pass even if you are retaking a class. As far as what I'm going to do: STUDY my behind off and make it through. I know alot of ppl in my situation would probably give up, but where I'm at now, there is no room for failure or giving up. I never give up, even if the going gets tough.

I've talked to my parents about it and from the begginning my parents kept telling me to give up and get a job flipping hamburgers. So you can imagine how much support and motivation I get from them....Not much. I always told them "No, I'm going to be a nurse, b/c it's what I feel I'm called to do." I'm not in it for the money. I could care less how much a hopital pays me. I don't care if I'm doing my job for free! That's how much I want to do it. It all comes down to motivation with me. With out motivation pushing me to study it just isn't happening.

I thank y'all for giving me insight on what y'all think. Its really opening my eyes and making me get serious about it.

lvnandmomx3 · Apr 12, 2008

You sound like you really want to be a nurse. You need to focus everything you have on school. I'm not sure your age or what else you have going on, but it can be done. Put your mind to it and give it all you have. Don't let your parents determine what you want out of life. Don't take the "chewing out" by your instructors as a negative learn from it and take it a constructive critisism we can only learn from out mistakes and move forward.Good luck.

>--stethoscope--o · Apr 12, 2008

Ok, check this out ppl. I sat down and figured out my grade adding what I could make on this next exam. If I get a 95 I have the lowest possible "B" I could have. SO, that means if I get a higher grade on this exam I'll be closer to a solid "B". So, there is still Hope! I just have to Study! Do y'all know of any books that I could buy to make Med-Surg easier???

>--stethoscope--o · Apr 13, 2008

Ok, update on what's going on... I've got a chapter and a half studied so far. I'm looking at 2 1/2-3 chapters later on today (gotta get some shut eye) so I can be all caught up for class Monday :specs: .

Being on here and reading stuff on forums is really motivating me, thank GOD for All Nurses.com!!!!

Thank you all for your advice y'all have given me thus far. :bow:

AprilRNhere · Apr 17, 2008

Sounds like you're doing well. Keep it up! It's hard work..but well worth it when you're done!

Freedom42 · Apr 17, 2008

So I'm retaking Medsurg this semester and I calculated out my grades and I have a solid "C" in the class. We have 1 more exam left and our final and I'm getting very scared! I had so much going on this week that study time could not be made. I will have a paper to write next week and it's hard to see me studying then. We have 3 weeks left till our 3rd exam and 4 weeks left for our final. I don't even know how I'm suppose to study for our final. It is just SO much information in just so little time. YES!... I have time management issues and desperately need help. I know that if I would put more time into studying I would be a straight "A" student b/c I see my self capable of doing it, if I just organized my self and schedule. The funny thing too is that I'm only taking 2 classes so I have more than enough time. Any suggestions, tips? What would you do?

I suggest making an appointment with a guidance counselor to get information on how to study and how to budget your time -- for this course and for anything you take in the future. A lot of schools have tip sheets and workshops. I'm puzzled that you don't know how to study for a final exam in a course you are taking for the second time. I'd make an appointment with your instructor to talk about how best to study for the test. You might find that you're better prepared than you think you are and that panic is clouding your perception.

Good luck.

amybethf · Apr 17, 2008

Ok, check this out ppl. I sat down and figured out my grade adding what I could make on this next exam. If I get a 95 I have the lowest possible "B" I could have. SO, that means if I get a higher grade on this exam I'll be closer to a solid "B". So, there is still Hope! I just have to Study! Do y'all know of any books that I could buy to make Med-Surg easier???

If you don't already have an NCLEX book, I would buy one like yesterday!!!!!

It sounds like you are truly motivated now and if you really want this, you can attain it. It's up to you!

Good luck!