Struggling to study the right things

[Kaysmom8]

Hello,

I have my last exam on Monday and I need at least a C so I can continue the program. I struggle so bad and i'm so stressed out I'm sick to my stomach over this. They give us 120 powerpoints and only 12 questions will be on that chapter. My test is on ethics and legal issues, skin intergrity woundcare, CAM therapies, development across the lifespan and health wellness.

I sat and made flashcards off the power points and I think I wasted my time because I ended up with like 300 note cards and it doesn't seem to work. I can't find the right strategy for me. In the past note cards were the #1 way I learned.

Please if you have any ideas or tips I would love to hear them....

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

there's nothing like teaching something to make you learn it. get together with a few friends, divide up the list, and teach each other in a group study session. when you have explained one of these topics so that your classmates understand it, you will understand it better yourself.

just reread this: your test is on monday and it's a holiday weekend, so not likely you can get together a study group. do it for next time.

this time, prepare some outline sheets on each topic as if you had to give a 10-minute talk on it. you will find that as you pretend to have to give these brief talks, your learning will increase.

[Staragate, ADN, ASN, RN]

Don't try to memorize everything. Ask yourself "WHY" something is the way it is. You have to understand the process to be able to critically think. Learn the norms and don't worry about memorizing the abnormals. Why? if it's not normal, then it's abnormal... Like the ranges for hypertension or heart rate.