nursing program troubles? Am I alone on this?

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

C=RN. C is not a bad grade, it is passing.

The reading can be daunting. Sometimes it's hard to tackle a med-surg or patho book, one thing I like to do is look up the things I'm studying on google and read patient education about the disease. After I get a good understanding of what a patient with the disease might need to know, it makes it easier to read the articles and books about what a nurse caring for a patient with that disease needs to know. Also youtube videos can be helpful if you take them with a grain of salt and reinforce/fact check what they say with what your textbook say.

Also I'm a huge fan of Pub Med and Medline. Also medscape.org is really good for looking up fictional case studies and then answering questions about them.

If you have any say-so at all about what kind of patients you get during clincials, try to pick the hardest most complicated patients. The experience with them will pay off big time because when you're reading about a disease process and can relate it to an actual experience you've had it will make more sense.

mttzakr87 · Nov 16, 2011

Bruce, how much do you rely on powerpoints/ lectures in class as opposed to the book?

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

Bruce, how much do you rely on powerpoints/ lectures in class as opposed to the book?

I rely on power points very little. Power points print outs are a poor way to study, imo. I take notes during lecture and then after lecture I go in and clean up my notes using the Cornell note taking method.

Since you mention it, I have thought before how weird it is that some people actively encourage people to use power points to study. Power points aren't designed for studying, they're designed to be a supplement to a lecture. They're the whip cream on top of the pie, the pie is the main attraction but the whip cream makes it better. You'd never sit down and have a nice bowl of whip cream would you? I hope not .

mttzakr87 · Nov 16, 2011

Well my instructor has powerpoint notes set up to follow the book, nicely, and usually all you have to do for her is re-write them w/ the book.... and the funny thing is bruce, with my instructors, the questions come more from the notes than the book, and the book supplements the lecture, and plus....very vew actually can read the book's assigned readings of 10 chapters in time for every exam. And often my exams reading doesnt help here.... there will be 2-3 answers that could be right....you gotta choose the better one, and often its what the instructors think is the better answer, and we cant argue or dispute questions at all.

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

Also you can practice application questions. There are many NCLEX review books with application questions and rationals. It is good to look at those and then read the rational behind them. If you do enough questions and read enough rationals you start to see what is important and what is less important.

Somethings you just have to learn and see a few times before they stick in your mind.

I'd recommend spending most of your time studying ways to apply your knowledge vs memorizing what the book says.

If you know the nursing processes, the patho, and you've already read several application question rationals you can probably reason your way through most questions.

And again don't be upset by making a C. A C is a GOOD grade and is what you should expect unless you're doing exceptionally well. In other classes/majors a C might not seem good but in nursing it is good.

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

there will be 2-3 answers that could be right....you gotta choose the better one, and often its what the instructors think is the better answer, and we cant argue or dispute questions at all.

The reason they do that is because that's the way the NCLEX is set up. There are NCLEX questions where every answer is correct but only one answer is the most correct. They're trying to get you ready for that.

I think they should be more forthcoming with their rationals, do you have no way seeing or finding out the ratationals?

In my school test questions are presented to a committee for peer review and the rational is examined by all the nurses in the program. After a test you can do a test review a few days later and read the rational. If you disagree with the rational and can find 3 scholarly sources that discredit it the you can petition to have the question over turned. That rarely happens however, although some questions have been over turned but it's mostly the teachers finding the problems themselves vs a student having to petition.

Al.ginger · Nov 16, 2011

I don't see a lot of problems in your program. May be you need to study more???

Skills labs we get a couple hours on mon-wed-fri and no evening hours, so if your an evening student good luck. - We have lub open from 0800 to 1600 but we on our own. No instractors to be found what so ever.

"maybe you should buy a book" or "critically think and read" - First of all, did you read??? Beacuse you should.

97% is an A here , 95% A- 91% B+ 88 B and basically a lot of room for B- C+ and C's - very typical for nursing school. In my school A ends at 92%

We have a large amount of reading - once again, it is typical. YOu gotta read those books!

I suggest you stop complaining and go study.

allnurses Guide · Nov 16, 2011

Pretty much what the above posters said. That's nursing school darlin'. Almost no nursing schools offer lab hours in the evening - they are full time DAY programs. The huge amount of reading - typical. The tough questions with more than one right answer? Yup. Be glad - it will prepare you for the NCLEX. And giving rationales? They should, absolutely, but in my program they won't do it either.

Nursing school is hard. Very hard. You have had your moment to register the shock of that, but now it is time to just accept it and do what you have to do.

mttzakr87 · Nov 16, 2011

Um not to sound rude to the above readers, but yes, i am reading, and thats whats frustrating....and it really has not made a difference, I will literarly do everything asked....Including reading 12 chapters, which is the norm in RN school ...and no one retains all that information. and im sorry but If you can: you are definetly in the wrong major and you should probably consider medical school because well, you're doing yourself an injustice......As far as the rationales, thats the thing that sets me off the most is we dont get any at all....as far as the questions, yes i know that thats why they are set that way for the boards.....but, the thing that i didnt really emphasize the most in my original post is NO Rationales, given during exam review.... I wanna see why i got that certain answer wrong......and thats huge for learning for nursing school

But congrats to the above posters that you guys can do it^^^ i really dont know how you do it, ...but i think at this point im just going to dropout, and leave the field, do something else, and accept im not cut out for this no matter how hard I work....

mttzakr87 · Nov 16, 2011

thank you for the above advice !!

mttzakr87 · Nov 16, 2011

I don't see a lot of problems in your program. May be you need to study more???
Skills labs we get a couple hours on mon-wed-fri and no evening hours, so if your an evening student good luck. - We have lub open from 0800 to 1600 but we on our own. No instractors to be found what so ever.
"maybe you should buy a book" or "critically think and read" - First of all, did you read??? Beacuse you should.
97% is an A here , 95% A- 91% B+ 88 B and basically a lot of room for B- C+ and C's - very typical for nursing school. In my school A ends at 92%
We have a large amount of reading - once again, it is typical. YOu gotta read those books!
I suggest you stop complaining and go study.

Nope, I know that and I agree with you, but, there are people who literarly do everything that is asked, they read, they listen to lectures, come to the skills lab and practice regularly, they go above and beyond, and study a lot, but still yet end up having trouble applying the information with the application questions which kill students, and still end up with C's and no better and hey thats me...and btw I am passing, with a B- C+ if i continue at my current pace, but im sorry I just cant work that hard and know that the end result will be no better....to study for 40+ hours a week and up with that for a result, that kills me and you know wat, I should thank you because you made me realize I am not cut out for nursing...., and some people whether it is because they work in the field or because they are just that smart....just nail the exams..... but thats not me, and RN is not cut out for me..... give up,....but im really glad you found away to get it all done, kudos and respect.....i just go finish my original X-Ray tech lisence, (18cr hrs away)..and take less money.