Memory & Nursing Stufff

[cynt77]

O.k. how should I word this.....this has been going through my head for a while and I have been wondering about retaining information. Sometimes I feel like an idiot. If someone says something to me or asks me a question about something that I have learned I understand fully what they are saying but sometimes I can't regurgitate the information. But if I see it on paper in question format I can pick the answer. I guess what I am asking is how much information do you guys retain after graduation? I know that we are not expected to know every lab value or s/s but geesh. I guess I am just getting a bit nervous because I am a senior now and I still feel as if I know nothing Is it normal to feel this way or am I just being over dramatic?

[jmgrn65, RN]

I think you are thinking too much you aren 't expected to remember everything and you will continue to learn in nursing all thru your career, you will learn something new everday... yes I know it sounds like a cliche but it is true, so don't worry.

[mabel u.k]

I have a terrible memory so from when I first qualified I kept a little pocket sized note book in which I wrote down things that I found importants like normal values, calculations, (drug doses - when I worked in paediatrics), I have details about A and P specific to the specialities I have worked, ALS (I think you call it ACLS) guidlines, peri arrest guidence and anything else I felt important at the time. I have been qualified 18 years now and have 3 of these little books, I rarely use them but the most up to date one is always in my pocket just in case. I find by writing it down I remember it more and then if I forget I don't have to worry because it is in my little book.

Every now and then I get a little confidence crisis and feel as if I know nothing, but this is normal as you progress within your carreer, it is also safe because the minute you believe you no everything is when you become an unsafe practitioner.

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

Well...I looked deeply into HOW I learn, and basically I had to take extra time to translate things into easy small bits. Once I did that...wow connections to things came much easier and pretty soon I was not only remembering...but thinking big time! I also tried very hard to do much more hands on, since I learn best that way. Find how you learn best and try to facilitate that to the best!

Also...LOL...I had a habit of making up little songs about things...some quite hillarous and I even cracked up during a few tests remembering them..LOL! I had a great partner too and we were pros at making these up...and other students started asking us to write them down so they could remember this way too...it worked!!!!!

Also for me, the "Nursing Made Incredibly Easy" series of books was a great investment! I would read those and really understand! They are simple, and humorous at times...helped me big time!

One other important thing I did was to take whatever I was studying as far as disease processes and search for a website by a PATIENT suffering from it. Personal home pages that talked about their disease and what it is like to live with it! That not only gave me an insider look, and point out what is important to patients, but a picture in my mind of that person to remember when I was being tested. I would remember their stories and be able to answer direct questions by what I had read, or at least have enough info to formulate an answer! GOOD thing to do...and there are pleanty of personal web pages out there about people inflicted with various conditions.

Don't stress too much if you can help it, but that energy into use by being proactive in learning in your own personal style. I did...and it paid off big time! (second in my class...guess who was first...my partner!!!!).