A&P is making no sense at all!

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I just found out that on my lab quiz, i made a 36%. It will definitely be impossible to bring that up to an A by how hard that class is. It is based off of tests and quizzes only. No homework assignments to help the grade come up. The quizzes confuse me since they are all fill-in the blank questions. No single multiple choice question. I have tried making flashcards, but they do not help. I forget everything as soon as I'm given the actual quiz in class. It is hard to remember lab information and lecture information since they are separate. I feel like I will not make it to nursing school if I can't even pass this science course. It's my first actual science course and I am a sophomore. It's so hard to manage studying since I have 4 other classes to study for. I feel overwhelmed. That feeling makes me not even want to try and as a result, I procrastinate and regret it and I cannot bring myself to trying as hard as I should since when I actually do try, I notice that it is not interesting information and I end up either daydreaming or getting on my phone. That's for every class, not just A&P. Issue is that A&P requires more time and I don't know how to manage the time and also retain the information for that class, lab, and my other courses since it is so much even just for one chapter. Lab, the TA does not even do anything other than tell us what we will be looking at from the slides. Makes me mad how all she has to do is give us tests and quizzes and do a 5 minute presentation before we start over what we will be doing. I'm just tired of when I actually try and still end up failing.

It is upsetting to do poorly on a quiz or test. Give yourself a little time to cry or vent.

Second, after that, focus on achieving your objective. Talk to your instructors. Get mad! Tell yourself you are not going to let A&P beat you!

Now, reading your post, there are some concerns. You say A&P is your first actual science course? Biology is a prereq for A&P. And if you want to be a nurse, you must enjoy science and find it interesting.

You admit you have poor study habits - procrastination and not focusing on your studies. You must address this issue and learn good study skills.

Many people have to take A&P, Chem, Micro more than once. I did. I have a friend who is a scientist and she had to take Calculus 7 times! She went to on to go to the best schools and have a very distinguished career.

And here is some tough talk: if you don't like science, you will not make it as a nurse. Perhaps you need to re evaluate your career plans.

My advisor never told me that I would have to take Bio as a prereq. I noticed that most people in my lab have taken Chemistry as a prereq and I'm starting to wish I did, but so many other issues prevented me from doing that in the summer.

I do not enjoy just reading things from science books. I'm more of a hands-on person which is why I'm interested in nursing school when we will actually do things instead of just reading textbooks or looking at slides through a microscope. I also fear that I will not get to graduate in the traditional four years and I don't want to let my family down by not doing so and having to take longer to graduate and also wasting money by failing classes since they are already not cheap even with financial aid.

I have been out of school since 1999. In 2017 I decided to take my prerequisites for nursing school. I started with two classes at first just to test the waters.I took statistics and ap 1 in my first semester. I procrastinated and I got 30% on my first a&p quizz. I spoke to my instructor and she recommended that I drop the class and take biology first. I couldn't accept to be defeated so I start to study a&p two hours a day including weekends. I finished with an A in both stats and a&p 1 and now I am taking a&p2, microbiology, psychology, and another two classes. So far I got 100% on my exams. The key to be academically successful is hard work and study, study, and study. Don't give up you can do it. I had no background of chemistry nor biology and yet I made it.

My advisor never told me that I would have to take Bio as a prereq. I noticed that most people in my lab have taken Chemistry as a prereq and I'm starting to wish I did, but so many other issues prevented me from doing that in the summer.

I do not enjoy just reading things from science books. I'm more of a hands-on person which is why I'm interested in nursing school when we will actually do things instead of just reading textbooks or looking at slides through a microscope. I also fear that I will not get to graduate in the traditional four years and I don't want to let my family down by not doing so and having to take longer to graduate and also wasting money by failing classes since they are already not cheap even with financial aid.

Nursing school is not all hands on. You have to be able to read A LOT and quickly, too. If you don't want to read a lot, and you're not interested in science, then nursing is not for you.

Specializes in Rehab, Ortho-Spine, Med-Surg, & Psych.

If you are not willing/able to put in the effort, nursing is not for you.

Bio was not a prereq for me for a and p either.

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
It is upsetting to do poorly on a quiz or test. Give yourself a little time to cry or vent.

Second, after that, focus on achieving your objective. Talk to your instructors. Get mad! Tell yourself you are not going to let A&P beat you!

Now, reading your post, there are some concerns. You say A&P is your first actual science course? Biology is a prereq for A&P. And if you want to be a nurse, you must enjoy science and find it interesting.

You admit you have poor study habits - procrastination and not focusing on your studies. You must address this issue and learn good study skills.

Many people have to take A&P, Chem, Micro more than once. I did. I have a friend who is a scientist and she had to take Calculus 7 times! She went to on to go to the best schools and have a very distinguished career.

And here is some tough talk: if you don't like science, you will not make it as a nurse. Perhaps you need to re evaluate your career plans.[/QUOTE]

I have to respectfully disagree with this last thought. I've always hated science with a passion, ALWAYS. Still do. Yet I've been in nursing over 30 years now, with my most recent attempt at A&P being in November 2009 during my ASN pursuit.

One does not have to like something to "make it". However, at some point, the OP will have to find a way to understand and deal with the major factors of nursing. As one of my Algebra professors once stated (yes, I dropped that course several times, too), "sometimes, it's not yet your moment in time".;)

When it finally was the 'right time', I passed both courses with a B at the age of 40++++. How I managed to pass it during my LPN program way back when (1980s), I'll never know. Younger brain cells, I guess...or maybe even a few lucky guesses. I do credit my finally passing that course in '09 to years of exposure to disease processes, lab results, etc., as a med/surg LPN.

One thing that I have not read from the OP or any of the members so far is the suggestion that the more difficult classes be taken by themselves (or paired with one other 'student-friendly' course for the purpose of financial aid), unless I missed that point in the initial thread. One poster did mention a two-course load, which I agree is the best bet.

Trying to take four other courses with A&P and passing them all is not an easy feat to accomplish. If it's not too late to drop the course, that is my suggestion; and then pick it up later with a much lighter load. If it is too late to drop, just do the best you can without stressing too much, realizing that you always have the option to repeat the course.

By the way, I did not have to take biology as a prerequisite to my A&P course, either. Had I taken it, it could have gone one of two ways: made A&P easier to get through; or added to my academic agony since I struggled with that and chemistry in high school. I am just not a science person. Like the OP, I, too, am a hands-on learner. Unfortunately, you have to get through a "book stuff" at least once before being allowed to get in on the all that action known as nursing.:sarcastic:

OP, if you want to forego the reading and studying and reading and reading and reading, you are definitely pursuing the wrong career. How do you plan to educate your patients on health maintenance? You won't be able to present to them that which you have no knowledge of. What's gospel in nursing today will most likely be gossip in nursing tomorrow. Healthcare evolves as quickly as diseases mutate. You have to read and research in order to remain current in the care and education that you'll deliver.

Now, I have to say that I don't think your issue is a science issue. You stated that your mind wanders in all of your classes. So it may be that you are not yet ready for college. And this 4-year, self-imposed graduation deadline when you're not even mentally prepared for 4 months of studying, is not going to happen without some major revamping:bookworm:.

Maybe it's time to sit down and have a conversation with your family, given the fact that you are really concerned about their thoughts regarding your decisions. To me, it seems more like you are trying to fulfill their goals and deadlines for your life.:down:

Search this forum and you will read many stories from students who completely blew their first experience with college (funding, GPA, time, etc.) because they were not ready to take 'this whole college thing' seriously; it was being attempted for other reasons and not necessarily the right ones (the infamous college parties, expectations of others, desires to be out on ones own, etc.). Four years, or longer, is a long time to be doing something that you cannot even pretend to want to do.

What you should do is turn off your phone when you're in class. Yeah, it's tempting to leave it on and check Facebook, but Facebook will be there after class. If you find yourself daydreaming, then get up and leave the classroom. Go to the bathroom, wash your face, and get a drink of water. Walk around for a minute and go back to the classroom to your seat. They won't solve your problems 100%, but they might help a little.

Also I'm guessing you're taking this class at a college/university? Do you live close to a vocational school? Perhaps it will be easier for you to go that route and become an LPN first? You will have to learn A&P, but it is less in depth. You will learn a lot, and there is a lot of reading, memorization, and critical thinking that will be involved, but if you want to be a nurse, you will make it work.

If you don't want to do this, then have you tried sites like Khan Academy or youtube videos?

I'm 39 and taking the prereq classes to apply for nursing school too. I took A&P as a single course 10 years ago and am retaking it now along with Chem 1 (taking it for the 3rd time, last time was 11 years ago), Nutrition and Medical Terminology. I've seen a bunch of student behavior that doesn't really help with learning. Now, I'm NOT AT ALL saying you're doing this, but if you recognize any of these things maybe rethink what's going on...

- Sleeping during class- Yes, I get that it can be dull, particularly if you don't know the basics of what's being discussed or it's early or late or before or after lunch or you were up late doing whatever (working, studying, partying, caring for a child, whatever). However, the professors aren't just up there for their health, they are there to impart the details that may have been tedious or difficult to work out on your own.

- Playing on you phone during class - yeah I see that. See above, except that there's literally no excuse for it. Put it away, it's just disrespectful.

- Skipping class or leaving half way through - I get that stuff comes up. I'm not talking about that. If you can't be in class - physically AND mentally - you can't expect to learn what you need to know.

- Not asking questions - ASK!! If you don't get it, ask. If something is unclear, ask. If you think you need more help on something, ASK!

So now that that's out of the way, here's some stuff I've found helpful when I'm studying:

Before class - read the chapter! Make sure you have a basic understanding of what's going to be discussed. If there are parts you need more details/explanation on, make notes of those so you can ask in class. Also helpful if you get them in advance - read the notes!! If you find your attention wandering (it happens), read out loud! It works, seriously.

During class - go, stay awake, don't play on your phone - aka Pay Attention! Write down as much as you can, but your number 1 goal is to listen and absorb what they are trying to tell you.

After class - rewrite the concepts in your own words. Draw diagrams. Explain it to someone else (even your dog will do).

If you're having trouble, seek out tutors, seek out study groups, visit the professor during office hours. I'm not sure that taking Bio or even Chemistry will help in A&P entirely. Yes, there are some overlapping concepts, but not as many as people make it seem.

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