Home run

I was in a similar situation the first year and freaked out too. Then I began studying as a "nurse" rather than to pass the test. Ask yourself, "how does this material relate to my ability to take care of a patient?" Rather than just trying to memorize. For example, if the topic is about a disease process, I make notes into the following categories: 1) BRIEF A&P behind the disease process 2) signs/symptoms/clinical manifestations, including labs/diagnostics 3) interventions/meds 4) teaching/prevention. It helps put everything into "big picture" perspective. Sometimes it might help to use the "ADPIE" method of note taking too. Example, in CHF, 1) the heart pumps in effectively, therefore blood doesn't circulate well and fluids back up. 2)Because of this, I would expect to see edema, and SOB and likely hear rhonchi. BNP may be elevated because fluid overload stretches the LV, and ejection fraction on echo may be low. 3) To fix this, I could expect an order to diurese the patient with Lasix and sometimes fluid restrictions. 4)I would want my patient to eat a low salt diet to minimize fluid retention and would tell the patient to monitor weight daily. Hang in there, once you get into your groove it will come easier...