Skull Help - AP 1

queserasera, RN · Sep 27, 2013

The skull was my first taste of practical exams in A&P! I know it can feel overwhelming and confusing, but just break everything down. Don't look at it as one crazy undertaking.

Learn the major bones first, don't worry about the little one and features yet. Once you get the major ones down then learn the features of those. Don't move on to the next major bone until you cold know all the features of the last. Work in small amounts of time and don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Try and get creative to remember things. Example, I remembered the coronal suture because if someone hit me in the head with a corona beer bottle, that's where it would get me.

These websites helped me since I couldn't spend time in the lab (the hours didn't fit my schedule)

Skull Anatomy Tutorial

Bones of the Body

Good luck to you and remember, one thing at a time!

Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2013

The skull was my first taste of practical exams in A&P! I know it can feel overwhelming and confusing, but just break everything down. Don't look at it as one crazy undertaking.
Learn the major bones first, don't worry about the little one and features yet. Once you get the major ones down then learn the features of those. Don't move on to the next major bone until you cold know all the features of the last. Work in small amounts of time and don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Try and get creative to remember things. Example, I remembered the coronal suture because if someone hit me in the head with a corona beer bottle, that's where it would get me.
These websites helped me since I couldn't spend time in the lab (the hours didn't fit my schedule)
Skull Anatomy Tutorial
Bones of the Body
Good luck to you and remember, one thing at a time!

Thank you! It's my first practical as well, and I'm terrified. I'm doing so well so far, and I'm scared this will mess me up. Like I said, I have the mandible down, and some random things around that. But let's hope this works!

Marsha238612 · Sep 27, 2013

I know it'll sound silly but open your book on the page where it has the pics of the skull and go on youtube. There are some awesome videos showing step by step the name of every bone of the skull.

It helped me :)

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2013

That doesn't sound silly at all! lol. Would you happen to know which vids? There's a bunch.

professionalgirl80 · Sep 27, 2013

What helped me learned the skull well were mneumonics. The mneumonics I used were the PEST OF 6.

P-Parietal bone

E-Ethmoid bone

S-Sphenoid bone

T-Temporal bone

O-Occipital bone

F-Frontal bone

Hope this helps. Good luck!

HammockBound · Sep 27, 2013

I just labeled diagrams and then drew my own at least 3 times. I ended up studying in 20 min. bursts...and did great. It is just repetition. Maybe learn all the face first then the outer, then switch to inner view..etc.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2013

Good day:

For the skeletal system, including the skull, if your college has a model room where you can pick up, feel, move your hands around, etc. the types of models they will use in the test, then it would be best to spend as much time as you can in such a room. Part of the reason I did well on the skull and the rest of the skeleton is that I was able to spend a minimum of two hours per week in the model room. Also, if the class lab time provides a time to spend with models, spend all of the time with the models. Don't leave early, but stay the entire lab time.

If you have access to other books, use them. For the skeleton, I was using the class text book but also Mader's Human Anatomy and Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy. Look up the meaning of the bone marking names; and that may help as well.

As you study the skull, as well as other parts of the skeleton, try to find key landmarks that you can quickly find and identify; then use that landmark as a positional tool for the other bones you are trying to study.

For some bones, I've found that using funny pictures helps. I.e. Crista Galli and the related Ethmoid bone parts -- chicken on a plate held up by a stick or pole. If you have time, learn the purpose of the bones as that may also help. I.e. Crista Galli does what for the brain?

Thank you.

__patiently_waiting · Sep 27, 2013

Ok, so I've learned something over the last 48 hours - the skull and I are NOT friends.
The mandible, I'm doing pretty good, I've got all those marks down. However, the orbital, and the inside of the skull(realizing what's outside is inside)...not so much
So I'm curious, how did you do it? I need any help I can get, as I'm just..so lost.. I mean, I know if I spend gobs of hours on it maybe..but I keep forgetting the way I'm doing it.
Help? :)

All you have is the skull on your first practical? I'm working on the skull now as well and honestly just studying the models that you will be tested on is the best way to get it. I spend 4 hours minimum per week in lab just studying the models. As far as the skull goes, so far so good. I thought it was impossible for me to remember every bone, etc. in the skull, but now I pretty much have almost all of it down.

Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2013

All you have is the skull on your first practical? I'm working on the skull now as well and honestly just studying the models that you will be tested on is the best way to get it. I spend 4 hours minimum per week in lab just studying the models. As far as the skull goes so far so good. I thought it was impossible for me to remember every bone, etc. in the skull, but now I pretty much have almost all of it down.[/quote']
Oh no. We have the appendicular and axial skeleton on our first practical. However the skull is where I'm having issues.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2013

I went to youtube and searched for videos on the body system we were working on. Many times I found videos that were using the exact same lab models as we had in class. Also, many times there were little simple way to remember things given by the student/teacher who was doing the video

Worked great for me, I was able to have 'lab' at home and see the same models we would use and it was 3D as opposed to the flat 1D a picuture of the model was and the little ways people would say to remember really helped out.

GaGeek · Sep 30, 2013

I drew it! You don't have to be an artist. But taking the time to draw the skull with the sutures and fissures and foramen really helped me to remember what I was looking at.

Our library has full skeletons that we can check out for an hour at a time. Does your school have something like that? I also took photos of the skull from different angles so that when I didn't have one in my hands, I could still see the pictures to quiz myself.