New nursing student in desperate need for a study plan

Locamochamom · Jan 21, 2017

Hi Amber20194

I just started my first semester too! There is a lot of material to cover! I've been reading the book and taking my own notes from the book according to what the teacher emphasize. I also go over the power points. I have recently started looking at the end of the chapters and read the chapter reviews as well as doing the practice questions. It's a lot of work but I'm just trying to cover different ways of studying. I have heard a lot of former students say to look up nclex style questions pertaining to your subject and to practice with them. I think I'll start incorporating that method maybe 3 days before the test. Good luck with studying, I hope these ideas help you .

Amber20194 · Jan 21, 2017

Thank you so much! I'm going to try all of it! Where are you going to school at?

Locamochamom · Jan 22, 2017

I'm in central California ðŸ˜Š

provider1 · Jan 22, 2017

yes it seems overwhelming, but the studies must be done one step at a time, and think positive.

afowler77 · Jan 23, 2017

First of all, it is 100% completely normal to feel like you are behind and overwhelmed, even right in the beginning. I felt the same way in the beginning. One of the senior students took the time to talk to me and told me my feelings were normal. Just hearing that helped.

I just graduated in December and I am taking my NCLEX this Tuesday. If you can hang tight for a few more days, I can share some of my study strategies and tips for getting organized, so you know what to focus on and when. Can you please send me a private message so I don't forget?

I just need to get through the NCLEX and then I can help! I had lots of help and guidance as I was going through school and now it is my turn to give in return. We have to look out for each other.

Take a few deep breaths and I will talk to you on Wednesday.

vampiregirl, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2017

Have you explored the "articles" tab at the top of the page, just under the golden "allnurses" banner?

There was a recent contest with lots of submissions about study tips/ plans - lots of great ideas there in the different articles.

Good luck! Establishing good study habits early is so important, but it does take some time and experimentation to figure out what works best for each individual:)

Henserson79 · Jan 23, 2017

Hi Amber20194
I just started my first semester too! There is a lot of material to cover! I've been reading the book and taking my own notes from the book according to what the teacher emphasize. I also go over the power points. I have recently started looking at the end of the chapters and read the chapter reviews as well as doing the practice questions. It's a lot of work but I'm just trying to cover different ways of studying. I have heard a lot of former students say to look up nclex style questions pertaining to your subject and to practice with them. I think I'll start incorporating that method maybe 3 days before the test. Good luck with studying, I hope these ideas help you .

Thank you. I am going to implement those strategies which you shared

Venurs · Jan 24, 2017

Best of luck to you :)

tjmnurse · Jan 24, 2017

I used my laptop to take notes at the bottom of the powerpoint in the notes section because I could get more info down quickly. Don't proofread until after class, and then take a minute to read back over your notes while you're tidying them up. I printed my powerpoints and type-written notes and made additional notes from the book, Success Book (look up the Fundamentals Success Book on Amazon if you don't have one - there's one for MedSurg, Peds, Maternity, and they're SUPER helpful), along with any normal values.

Honestly, I didn't read a ton in Nursing school. We were in an accelerated BSN, and there just wasn't time to read everything, and I don't learn that way. So, ALWAYS read the boxes, charts, figures, tables in your book. Skim for any numbers, normal values, or critical values in the paragraphs.

I tried to get as many practice questions in as possible from the back of the chapters, if my book came with a CD, online resources, and the Success Books. For the questions that I got wrong, I always wrote/typed out a summarized version of 'question - answer - why' so that I could read over that the gist of the question, the answer, and rationale when I studied.

Finally, I would try to get ALL of my notes together and read over them 3-4x total before the exam. Then, I would sit down with a friend or 2 (not many more than that), and we would talk it out the night before or we would meet at 7am before a 9am exam. Basically, we would just point out info that sounded like a good test question (especially SATA), and we would talk out the why. Talking it out is really helpful.

SRN2018 · Jan 25, 2017

I am in my second semester of nursing school! I haven't been in THAT long but I found that printing the lecture and taking notes during class on that really helps! Then when I am studying, I have found making charts that have a column for the disease, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, pt teaching, meds (including side effects and doses), labs that we would expect to have and then nursing considerations (i.e. what should I be watching for? or what can I do for my patient as far as nursing scope).

Good Luck! I have found it does get easier!

shortjm52 · Jan 26, 2017

I am a nontraditional student and have been out of school for sometime now. I color coat everything when I study. I read my power-point, than read my book, than color coat my power-point to my book one color and then teacher notes in another color. It helps me. I re-write my notes which helps me retain more information easier. I also feel I am always behind, but at our school we formed a study group and share information and ideas