Newbie Here..!

stpauligirl · Feb 5, 2006

Great site, hopefully it will give me the support I need to become the RN I have always wanted to be. Just a brief intro about myself. I was in Nursing 1 10 years ago and dropped out (yh, I know..) anyway I am going back and doing it again so since my sciences are over 7 years old, I have to take them again. I am in A&P1 now (yh the nightmare course) and having a hard time with my reading comprehension which I have always had a hard time with since high school. The last time I took it I got a low C both in 1@2 It seems as though I read and go back a few pages and can not remember anything that I have read. I am sure this happens to alot of people. Now I cant reread it again because the chapters are 30 plus pages so we are talking about a test that covers like 90 pages or so. Just wondering how you guys do this. I dont work so I have the time, but I just can not read straight and understand it. I am also taking a psyc class which I havent even began to study yet, algebra (YUK!, when are you going to EVER use it) and a concepts of physical wellness class that is only 1/2 credit and should be a 2 credit course (lots of info and work for only 1/2 credit). Now to close I must add that I am driving to another college 1.5 hrs away from my home to take A&P because the college near me was all filled up so I am also paying out of county tuition (ouch!) so to make a long story short, I must get a very good grade in this course!! Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks and good luck to all!

Hi there, I took A&P last semester and no course EVER required more reading and studying. The best readers will struggle with the volume, it's insanely much. This is my recommendation: Read the Chapter study outline first, then read the chapter but split it up into sections....don't try to read it all at once. 15 minutes here and there... Read ahead of the lectures so things won't be so alien when the teacher starts talking about it. Tape the lectures so that you get a good set of notes and go back into the chapter and underline what the teacher emphazised on in lecture. Everything seems like mambo jumbo the first time I read it but as the teacher lectures about it and I go back and re-read and underline the important things it starts to make sense most of the time. Also check with your school about assistance with reading if it is a huge problem for you.

I wish you good luck and the A&P thread here might be helpful to you, you can meet others who are also taken the class

Golden_Clover · Feb 6, 2006

Welcome and good luck with your studies. I admire your persistence in returning to complete your nursing degree.

Clover

NaomieRN · Feb 6, 2006

Hello and welcome to allnurses.

What I would recommend to you:

1. Read the chapter summary before class

2. Tape the lectures and go home redo your notes within 48 hours. I usually dont erase the tapes until after the exams that way I can go back to hear whatever area I did not understand.

3. Go to tutoring

4. Do not try to memorize only instead try to understand. Once you understand a concept, you will remember it.

5. Find two students you can study with

6. Time management (develop a schedule to study and stick with it)

You have to find your method of study. What works for me, may not work for you. Try different ways and stick to the best one.

Good luck to you.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2006

anatomy is mostly memorization, so tend to think in terms of how all these things are organized in the body. here are some anatomy web sites to help you out.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/aplab/index.html - this is a very large site developed by the a&p department of the university of wisconsin to help students to study laboratory materials for practical exams - lots of labeled pictures! click on "table of contents" at the left to link into the massive information on this site. there is also a section of exam questions at the link "ap test home".

http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy/ - lots of pictures to practice labeling. there are links into fun interactive anatomy quizzes designed for freshman anatomy and physiology students presented by the university of minnesota. they are organized by body system and subjects. you can take the quizzes as a single player on your own, against a timed clock, or on line against other students (still under construction). at the left side are links into a group of matching questions and lots of diagrams of anatomical structures to labeling organized by body system.

and then to help make it even easier, here is a web page with lots of links by a high school anatomy teacher. the site is awesome! this guy has put a lot of time and energy into developing this site.

http://www.sirinet.net/~jgjohnso/index.html - home page of the biology teacher at frederick high school in frederick, oklahoma. this instructor teaches a high school class of a&p. although you want to link into the biology ii homepage, i notice that there is information in the biology i homepage to link into that also pertains to some a&p. there are plenty of quizzes and practice exercises scattered throughout this extensive site, but i could not find any answers. presented in a little easier than college level, i thought this was an awesome introduction to a&p!

http://www.perfectdoctors.com/mnemonics.htm - medical mnemonics, all your heart desire