Need encouragement and advice

Irene joy · Mar 5, 2009

A&P is hard! I can't imagine trying to take it and get an A along with other difficult classses. I took it all by itself as a requirement to get into the nursing program. Believe me, it felt like a full time job, but I put massive time in and got an A which got me into the program. So, it is worth it, just try not to take on too many classes at the same time.

Neoma · Mar 7, 2009

I don't know which book you're using for A&P. We used the one by Marieb and Hoehn. It's Anatomy and Physiology seventh edition. There was a website from the publisher of the book that had quizzes you could do over each chapter. That helped me. For me, A&P II was harder in some ways than I. I did the quizzes at the end of each chapter also. Vangonotes also carries an audio cliff notes of some of the textbooks. That was available for our book. I would listen to those over and over. Between the quizzes and the audio, it really helped.

HTHs

nurse2b2010 · Mar 7, 2009

Neona, thanks so much for your input. We also use the Marieb book (although I'm not sure which edition without grabbing my textbook at the moment). I will check into the quizzes you are referring to. Any help I can get would be great. Thank you again for the encouragement. I am feeling a little better the last couple of days -- it comes and goes! lol. Again -- stress! This has definitely been one of the hardest classes (actually the whole nursing school experience has been one of the hardest things I've ever done!). But I know that I don't want to give up on nursing although I feel overwhelmed by it many many times!

Thanks again.

I don't know which book you're using for A&P. We used the one by Marieb and Hoehn. It's Anatomy and Physiology seventh edition. There was a website from the publisher of the book that had quizzes you could do over each chapter. That helped me. For me, A&P II was harder in some ways than I. I did the quizzes at the end of each chapter also. Vangonotes also carries an audio cliff notes of some of the textbooks. That was available for our book. I would listen to those over and over. Between the quizzes and the audio, it really helped.
HTHs

NottaSpringChik, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

Yes, you have a lot going on with the illness in your family. Where I live we're required to take A&P prior to starting Nursing school - it would be so hard to take it at the same time. Spending time and learning it well will definately pay off in the long run for you in future Nursing classes; I find anyway - I'm so glad I worked so hard at it. The book I used had outlines/sentences you had to finish writing yourself, which I found very helpful. That and getting your vocabulary down, with prefixes and suffixes, was very helpful. Also, answer all the questions at end of chapters and any others you can get a hold of too. Companion web sites to books can be VERY helpful, but there are others too.

I wanted to say a bit about your comment about the Nurses in clinicals. I have had absolu-tely wonderful experience here (cross fingers). I am older also and expected to get a bit of negativity because my last profession the age-discrimination was very prevasive. I am only in my second semester of Nursing school, but so far the attitude from Nurses has been very positive, helpful and encouraging. Some have been extremely busy and not able to explain too much but have still been very supportive and assist my learning to the best of their abilities at the time. It's just like anything, some days are exceptional and others are not as good; just have to take as much from each hour as possible.

I also want to say the A&P teacher seems to make a HUGE difference. I didn't have any trouble but several students I know had to find the right instructor for them and then went from F to As sometimes. And someone else wouldn't do well with the instructor they got the A from and need the one they got the F from.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

Hello, I am (or should say was most recently) a second year nursing student. I just recently had to drop out of 2nd semester due to family situation (father ill with cancer) and my own personal stress level off the top. I am having so much trouble with A & P II. I barely passed AP I with a C. It was a constant struggle. Now it's only the beginning of the new semester and I'm already struggling with AP II. Failed my first exam. Walked out of class in tears (and believe me I studied!). I am at this point so discouraged I am ready to totally give up on nursing and not reapply next Spring. I have been in tears over the last week, struggling emotionally with my feelings and insecurities about abilities to do this profession. I know . . . . sounds like a big whinny crybaby! But my question is: Should A & P be this much of a struggle for me. Does this mean that I am not smart enough to do this profession.? I realize A & P is generally a difficult subject, but I'm thinking that this much heartache over one subject is not a good sign. I loved doing the clinicals at the hospital and I got good reports from my nurse instructors, but the A & P????? I am still taking A & P II and Math Statistics this semester so I can get them out of the way before reapplying in the Spring 2010. This entire week I've been struggling with whether I should change my major to something else. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I just giving up too easily or being a crybaby? All I know is I feel emotionally and physically drained at this time. The A & P is taking all I've got and I'm not sure how much I have left! Also, I've run into some not so nice RN's while doing the clinicals. Is this typical of how RNs like to treat nursing students? I'm not a spring chicken. Just turned 50 in Jan and I'm thinking I'm getting too old to put up with this crap, but it seems like it tends to be the norm in how students are treated. Why. Weren't they nursing students also at one time? I don't know -- I am really rethinking my decision on pursuing this career. I'm sad and frustrated!!! I know I have a lot going on with my father being ill and school, etc. and this is probably adding to my stress level and feelings right now. I just don't know what to do at the moment. I really didn't perceive this to be so difficult when I began (altough I had heard over and over how hard it was!).

First, I am really sorry you are feeling this way, all those cliche saying, "that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger" "this to shall pass" as corny as they sound they are absolutely true. If you studied a lot and still struggled bad it sounds like you need a new way of studying that works for you. I know in HS I never had to study, hell I never even did HW but I still passed with good grades because I did well on my tests, In college when taking Psych and Sociology I got 4.0 and did most of my assignments the night before. When I started my sciences, WOW what a smack in the face, Chemistry, A&P I struggled with and struggled bad. I had NO IDEA how to study, it was foreign to me. I would read and get so bored. I couldn't focus, add to that I was under a unbelievable amount of stress at home. I was ready to just give up and I figured school just wasn't for me and I was going to prove my family right and amount to nothing. I also took them twice, not because I had to, but because being wait listed I had nothing but time and I knew that I barely passes *like literally in A*P by 2 points*, that way I could get a better understanding of it.

BUT I had MANY MANY MANY good crys, I got it all out, I set goals, I stood up and put on my big girl panties and stopped feeling sorry for myself and decided what I was doing wasn't working but I was not going to give up. I still struggle with my science classes, but I have found a method of studying that works for me and I am doing so much better. If nursing is something you feel inside you WANT to do, than keep that goal in your head and take it one step at a time.

Does your school offer free tutoring?? Colleges have a lot of resources many students don't realize and you pay for it every semester with your fees, they have people that can help you learn study techniqes that work for you. They have tutoring and usually if you need one on one tutoring you can get a form from your professor stating so (by your struggling grades) and they will accomidate that. Every college is different but I would imagine much of that stuff is the same. I just found out about mine and I go to a local community college. The resources are there, you just have to ask them for help. The fact that you are 51 years old and took the steps to go back to college is HUGE and says a lot about your character. Not many people your age would have that kind of courage. If this is what you want, as in the end result of being a nurse and you are this close to getting there, do not give up. Come here and use us for support. That is what this forum was created for and what we are here for. You CAN do this!

MissGwen · Mar 7, 2009

Oh my! You have A&P and stats at the same time! Now, that is scary! LOL

When I got my bachelors (psych), those were the without a doubt the hardest classes I had. I had 3 stats classes and they were nothing but insanity! I start my nursing program next month and once again A&P and I will introduce ourselves to each other. I feel like telling her a thing or two. LOL

I think the tip about doing the online quizzes,etc. is good advice. I have heard that The Anatomy Coloring Book is supposed to be very helpful. As a matter of fact, I plan on getting one this time around. I think there are several of them, but one of them is supposed to be better than the others. Maybe someone else knows which one.

The problem may be related to how you are studying, too. I am not sure. I do remember when I took cognitive psych we discussed study methods. Memorizing things is ok, but the real key is to think about what you are reading, learning,etc. and making connections with what you are taking in. You need to understand what you are reading, not just memorizing it. Doing so enables you to increase your chances of recalling things from memory. I am pretty sure that is what we learned. Check out this link:

http://cstep.morrisville.edu/resources/sq3r_unlockingtextbooks.pdf

http://cstep.morrisville.edu/resources/vark_learningstyles.pdf

Don't you give up! You have put too much time into this to quit! You can do it!

:)

g

NottaSpringChik, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

I know some people really love those coloring books and you can probably find old discussions about them on this board. I bought one and it was fun for a while but it wasn't my learning style, which surprised me. I think one of the most helpful things was an assignment our instructor gave us in A&P I, which was to make a suffix/prefix dictionary. What I learned doing that has helped me immensely in Nursing school. You can just look at a word and know what physiology/pathology is being addressed. It's just one step in learning you have down and don't have to stress on.

nurse2b2010 · Mar 8, 2009

Hi all, I truly appreciate everyone's encouragement and advice. I know deep down in my heart I don't want to give up on nursing. So, I am going to keep trying, utilize as many resources as I can from where ever I can get help, and keep telling myself that I can do this. And I agree with a comment made from Miss Gwen . . . I have invested too much time, energy, and money into pursuing my nursing career. It would be foolish for me to give up now! Hopefully, I can get the degree before I'm 60 though! LOL. Thank you again and God Bless!