Organizing Class Work, Handouts, and Binders

2bEQNurse14 · Jun 18, 2013

Good day:
I'll find out starting tomorrow if my thought process for organization will work.
I intend to use Amazon.com: Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder, 1.5-Inch, Orange (72871): Office Products (Flex Binders) with one per class.
For human biology, I have it divided in several parts using the plastic dividers. One part for my own type written notes and study aids, one for lab material, and the other for paper I will use for hand written notes.
Thank you.

I use these. Couldn't keep everything together without them!

DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2013

I use separate binders, but a different kind... the electronic kind! Microsoft OneNote is the most underused, underrated computer program that is out there. One note sets up different binders (I separate by semester), then you have different tabs for each class. Within the class you can create a page for each class day. It is very easy to switch between lecture days (you do not know have to open another document). Within each page, you can highlight, add check boxes, hyperlinks etc.

Whenever I have a paper document, I will scan it and attach it to the OneNote lecture page. If there is a Power-point to go with the lecture, I save it on my hard drive and link to in on the OneNote page. on Everything is on one screen, and it is so convenient. The best part.... via the cloud... your OneNote files are available on your phone, ipod, tablet ANYWHERE. So if I find myself waiting for my oil change to be finished, I can log in on my phone and review my notes! It was tough going paperless at first, but I can not imagine living any other way.

Here is a demo from the Microsoft site that will visually help you see what I am explaining.

Demo: Take OneNote to class - OneNote - Office.com

zoe92 · Jun 18, 2013

I am old fashioned & use binders. I get a binder for each class & divide it by tests, with the syllabus in the front. If I run out of room, I move the old material into another binder that I keep at home & save for the final.

jnc0713 · Jun 18, 2013

I use separate binders, but a different kind... the electronic kind! Microsoft OneNote is the most underused, underrated computer program that is out there. One note sets up different binders (I separate by semester), then you have different tabs for each class. Within the class you can create a page for each class day. It is very easy to switch between lecture days (you do not know have to open another document). Within each page, you can highlight, add check boxes, hyperlinks etc.
Whenever I have a paper document, I will scan it and attach it to the OneNote lecture page. If there is a Power-point to go with the lecture, I save it on my hard drive and link to in on the OneNote page. on Everything is on one screen, and it is so convenient. The best part.... via the cloud... your OneNote files are available on your phone, ipod, tablet ANYWHERE. So if I find myself waiting for my oil change to be finished, I can log in on my phone and review my notes! It was tough going paperless at first, but I can not imagine living any other way.
Here is a demo from the Microsoft site that will visually help you see what I am explaining.
Demo: Take OneNote to class - OneNote - Office.com

I think super note is like that also

allycat77, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2013

I am in week 5 of my 1st semester. All of my profs so far use PowerPoints, no handouts. I convert the PPs to PDFs, and annotate (take notes directly) on my tablet. That way I am not looking at a bunch of different sources, just my PDFs with notes directly on them and my books. Out of our class of 36, probably 10 take paper notes, 10 use tablets, and 16? use a laptop and take notes directly on the PPs. I use a Flex binder too, but it kind of sucks. 1st if you actually use the notebook often, regular paper rips out easily, and the special, reinforced paper is expensive. Also if you do fill the binder, the rings will sometimes pop open. Cool idea but poor execution, def not heay-duty. I bring along the one binder in case we end up doing something where paper is required.

Everyone learns differently, but I have been successful in other semesters using technology this way.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2013

Good day:

So far the Flex binder is working out; hopefully I will not run into the paper issue.

It's good to hear about the laptop / tablet methodologies; I'm tempted to head that route in the future.

Right now, as soon as possible (when I get home from classes), I re-write my notes using Word, print those out (I separate my hand written notes, and the printed notes where I use only the printed notes for review; but I could always go back to hand written in case I think I made a mistake with re-writing). I also put the Word copy (as pure text) into Evernote so I could review when I don't have my Flex binder with me.

Thank you.

mcbtny9 · Jun 24, 2013

I am in week 5 of my 1st semester. All of my profs so far use PowerPoints, no handouts. I convert the PPs to PDFs, and annotate (take notes directly) on my tablet. That way I am not looking at a bunch of different sources, just my PDFs with notes directly on them and my books. Out of our class of 36, probably 10 take paper notes, 10 use tablets, and 16? use a laptop and take notes directly on the PPs. I use a Flex binder too, but it kind of sucks. 1st if you actually use the notebook often, regular paper rips out easily, and the special, reinforced paper is expensive. Also if you do fill the binder, the rings will sometimes pop open. Cool idea but poor execution, def not heay-duty. I bring along the one binder in case we end up doing something where paper is required.
Everyone learns differently, but I have been successful in other semesters using technology this way.

How to you convert them to PDF format for your iPad? I have an app called notability and If I could convert my PP to PDF that would help a lot.

Hockey Lover · Jun 25, 2013

Don't forget a section, within each chapter grouping, for practice NCLEX questions, and one more for listing your "What the Hell?!?" Areas from your tests...then when you review for you comprehensive final, you will already have questions to review, and weak areas to pay a little more attention to...and for after senior year before your NCLEX.

Good luck!

Nursestudent14 · Jun 25, 2013

I do something kind of different. I have a binder for each class and divide them by class for the speciality classes (psych, peds) as then specific binders for each body system (neuro, gastro, cardiac). Then in there I keep class notes me my own notes and then can divide them by patho commonly used medications, and specific diseases or whatever. I think that this worked out great for me cuz then when studying for a final I get to see a little review but then everything I need to know.

allycat77, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2013

@mcbnty9

If you have a Mac, you can save your PP as a PDF by going in to print, and there will be a PDF button on lower left, click on it and you can save as a PDF. Also I think if you have a PC, you can save the PP as a PDF simply by changing the extension. Not a 100% sure on this since I have a Mac.

If you look in the app store, there is likely an app to convert to PDF.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 30, 2013

I have my binder broken into the sections we are covering for class. In each section I have the PP from class, any notes I've made, a list of meds/lab values I need to know for that section and my NCLEX review. I have an Ebooks copy of all my Review and Rationale books. So for example, Post partum care. I printed off the two chapters from the Ebook that relates to post partum care, I hole punch them, and put them in that section of my notebook. It may make the notebook a little bigger but it also prevents me from having to carry around the book.