Need study tips

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2015

Good morning! Your thread has been moved to the Nursing Student Assistance forum with the goal of amassing responses from those who can offer study tips.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2015

Study more. Study harder. 7 days a week if need be. Personally I went into Animal mode when I was getting my BSN. If you studied 10 hours for the last test then study 25 this time. If you "studied all you could" then you won't pass. More than likely you could do more.

AspiringNurseMW · Jun 18, 2015

I am in the LPN to RN program and took my first test last week and bummed it. The test didn't seem difficult and I actually thought I passed it. Now I'm struggling with a failing grade. I really studied hard for the test and am very disappointed. Does anyone have any study tips???

What did you get wrong, is it a type of question, wrong rationale, similar content. Study different, how were you studying before and incorporate different techniques. Study smarter, not just harder.

rmaddox · Jun 18, 2015

Well, I was thinking I may have over studied. The normal study time is 3-5 hours/day, which is approx 25 -30 hrs of study time. It doesn't seem that bad because it's over 12-14 chapters. I'm working a lot of practice questions now to see if that will help in addition to studying. Hopefully it will get better for me!

MNnurse17 · Jun 19, 2015

Practice questions are great, especially NCLEX style questions. One thing that really helped me was reading my classroom notes out loud. I would get my boyfriend or a friend and "teach" them my notes. They didn't even have to listen, my boyfriend would be playing videogames or cooking while I read my notes. Hearing the notes out loud and explaining them, even if no one is really listening, seems to make it stick in your head.

rmaddox · Jun 20, 2015

Thanks for the advice!!! I ordered the RN NCLEX off Amazon 2 days ago and have been reading a paragraph then explain it to myself to make sure I have. I'm so glad I seem to be on the right track because just as many other nurses have done, I quit my full time job to attend school.I HAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL!! I feel as though ur advice is confirmation that everything will be ok!!! Have a blessed day!!í ½í¸„í ½í¹í ½í±

NamasteN · Jun 22, 2015

I always made index cards and carried them around. Reading out loud helps me too. Another thing I did was watch youtube videos of procedures. Hearing someone else do it out loud helped me. Love the NCLEX RN books as well, Exam Cram and Saunders. I would underline key concepts in my books, them write out those sentences, then break it down to cards. By then I had a good grasp. All I did in school was study, every spare minute. LPN to RN as well :) good luck!

rmaddox · Jun 23, 2015

Thanks, I will start making index cards!í ½í¸„

mjgarcia · Jun 26, 2015

There are a bunch of Youtube videos that really help understanding concepts. Simple nursing and khan academy are two really great ones.

rmaddox · Jun 26, 2015

I never thought about U Tube and haven't heard of Khan academy or simple nursing, Thanks for the tips. I will definitely check it out!!

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Jul 8, 2015

Hi, how did anyone study mental health class? I m in lvn program and asked this in a different forum but wanted to know if anyone completed a mental health course in a lvn program. I practices LOTS of nclex questions and wrote down the wrong answer rationales as well as try to understand why I got it wrong for my med surg test and I did good and passed the test, but mental health is a little different. thanks