methos3838

I just finished a one-year accelerated program. My best advise to you is know A&P and Chemistry (electrolytes). I made the mistake of approaching it as you're considering now as a matter of "rote learning". I did that through most of the year, but I finally figured out after trying to memorize all the S&S of the various diseases that it's not a matter of memorization but if you know the the pathology of the disease/organism and you know the chemistry then it's just a matter of plug and play. You can't remember by "rote learning" at least not for any extended length, if at all. If you like science, then that's all it is, science. If I were you I would get a good study guide on lytes and A&P. In addition, a good reference for patho, pharm, and medical surgical. Get a Iphone and go to skyskape/unbound and get the nursing software. It will help immensely in clinicals and study. Just my two-cents...

Don't feel alone. No one can remember all this stuff. I just took the NCLEX yesterday and studying for it was overwhelming at times. About three weeks before the test after countless hours of study I finally realized that there was no way I could absorb that much information; especially with the piece meal approach I was using. I decided to go back to the basics and learn A&P and better understand the lytes along with some of the disease processes. If you know the basics then you can better understand the disease processes. I never could remember all the various diseases e.g. cushings and it's effects i.e. hypo or hyper on the lytes. But I went back and relearned and in some cases learned what the chemistry of the lytes was and it's effects and then instead of having to remember all the effects, which is impossible otherwise, you can put it together if you know the chemistry. It was the same way with pharm, I put down the flash cards and dusted off my pharmacology book and it helped me better understand the process far better. I only had a short time, and even though I am done I still plan on spending an hour each day reviewing the material, but I do think it helped. If you know the class of drugs and what it does and know the chemistry then it's FAR better to understand versus trying to remember bits and pieces of information. I only had a short time, but I really think it helped. It worked for me, and I think going back to the basics is the way to go. NO ONE, at least none that I know can remember it otherwise. At least that's my opinion, for what it's worth - good luck :)

Congrats!!!!! I am hoping it's accurate as well :)

I just finished taking it as well. My heart was pounding when I hit the button after the 75'th question hoping it would end there - it did :) The test was brutal. With the exception of 1-2 questions most were educated guesses. No math, 1-2 psych, several OB, and a boatload of med questions Most I had no idea of what they were. When I got home I was dying to try the pearson cheat, but it took a couple of hours to work up the courage. I got the pop-up :)