Note taking tips/help??

mrskrobbins · Mar 5, 2015

Bump.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2015

Good day:

http://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=5188&dataid=10133&FileName=Five_Methods_of_Notetaking.pdf and Note Taking Systems - Academic Skills Center: Study Skills Library - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo might be helpful.

Thank you.

valliloves · Mar 6, 2015

Hey There! I'm a combination of learning styles so I believe I qualify to offer some advice lol

For me, in CNA training, the best way for me to take notes was to actually read each chapter in its entirety. As I went along, any key terms in bold print that I noticed, I wrote them down in the notebook and wrote out the definition. I went to the back of the book to make sure the definitions matched up because sometimes, the chapter contained a cheapened version of the definition.

Also, the book (at least the book I had at the American Red Cross) was designed with pictures, little side bars of scenarios and review questions at the end of the chapter which contained real scenario reflective questioning. I looked at all of the pictures, read and imagined the scenarios, answered the questions at the end of the chapter, and seriously visualized and reflected on the real world scenario questions.

I passed each test in the 90% range and got an honor roll certificate because of it. I really think the books are designed to cater to all learning styles. However, maybe not for verbal, but that's where the instructor comes in.

When you go into the skills lab, rather than taking notes right away (it goes fast so you may not have time to write down all the skills steps), watch the instructor demonstrate the skill. Notice her attention on prep work. Gathering the supplies and placing them down on the barrier in order will help you to know the steps of the skill in order when you go into the patient's room. Also, knowing the skill will help you to remember which supplies you need.

If the instructor gives you a skills steps packet, that would be ideal. We didn't get one so all of my classmates met up for breakfast on the weekend and compared skills steps notes. We all went to Walmart and got index cards. They have packs of blue (personal care station), pink (vital signs and bed pan station) and yellow (bed position station); as this is how your state board exam will be set up. We wrote the skills steps down on their corresponding card.

At state board, you will draw one card from the deck at each station and demonstrate that skill. You don't get to see which one you draw until after you draw it. Anyway, go through each skill as many times as time allows. Don't goof off or the time will quickly pass and before you know it, you'll be in clinicals and everything is different when you get to the facility. State board is done in a very specific way. So, you'll have to learn to balance the two because you won't have but 1-2 days after clinical to practice your mock state boards back at school in the skills lab (that's how it was with the American Red Cross).

I personally was freaking out. I thought I didn't learn the state board steps enough to pass, but I was pleasantly surprised when I watched my classmates demonstrate their skills, I knew everything they missed or what they did wrong. When I got up there to do mine, I croaked but it was because I was nervous lol But the point is, I knew the skills. I just needed to settle the anxiety. I think it was all of the note taking that I did which aided me so much. It appealed to my visual learning side because I could visualize what I wrote down and what I saw everyone demonstrating in the skills lab that helped me memorize.

I also went online and googled CNA practice quizzes and tests. I took as many as I could. I hope this helps.

tomc5555 · Mar 7, 2015

First:

Take the tests at each chapter end. STUDY what you answered incorrectly. The book will be BIG, and you won't be able to read EVERYTHING, study what you don't know.

Good luck!