Study advice for a husband

chevyv, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2009

Can I have you? Seriously, it sounds like your doing everything you can do help her out. Nursing school is so hard. I know alot of people concentrate on grades, but I learned early on not to. I'm in my last semeser of a 2 yr program and had some difficult times, but you get through it. It helped me to go over nclex review type questions when I wasn't overwhelmed with homework. These questions help you work smarter, not harder. Sometimes it's all about learning to read the question and what its really asking. This is the toughest program I've been in. I've just about finished a bachelors degree in health care administration and this 2 yr program makes the other one look like a fun day at the park.

Just be supportive and give her some space. A study group may help. It seems you either like them or you don't. I would meet a few students about 2 hrs before an exam and study that way. It really helped me. The getting together a couple of time a week just turned into a gab fest and I just didn't have the time for that. Encourage her not to hyperfocus on grades. There will be times when she will be ok to pass with minimum. My last theory class I was grateful to squeek by with a 83%. We need at least an 80 to pass. I was thrilled beyond belief. My gpa took a hit, but I learned that I could go on and some didn't make it. She's not alone, send her onto these threads. There is some really good support here. I come here almost everyday and have learned so much and have asked more than my fair share of questions. This is a great site! Good luck and keep us posted.

notthereyet0 · Feb 18, 2009

Wow, I want to second the previous poster and ask if we can clone you...she is a lucky woman to have someone as thoughtful as you. I am sorry to say I don't have any suggestions...but lots of good wishes.

sikesjj · Feb 18, 2009

Reading NCLEX based questions are my best advice. You have to learn to be a critical thinker and this is hard for some people. You are a awesome husband to help her with all of this!!!!... She can also take a test that determines what type of learner she is, usually the academic resource center has this test. I am a hands on learner so I rocked clinicals with A's every semester, but I struggled in class becuase I don't do well in a lecture hall. I would tape my lectures with a tape recorder, also take my lap top to class becuase I can type faster than write. Anyone that she needs to learn, with DNA I turned tennis balls of diffrent colors into parts of DNA. It also helped me when I would have a patient in clinicals I could then relate everything with that disease with a real live person. She may try case studies they could help. Don't let her focus on grades becuase she will go crazy. good luck and thank you for supporting her in this.

mybrowneyedgirl, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2009

You're so supportive. Way to go! :yeah: I'm a bit jealous!

NCLEX questions are truly the best way to learn to "think like a nurse". Half.com has lots of gently used books for cheap. :twocents: I like Kaplan, Saunders and the "made incredibly easy" series

What works for me is to read the chapters and highlight while doing so. I don't do it all in one day or I'll burn out. The next time I'll reread highlighted text and all figures and tables in the chapter. And then the end of chapter questions. I find additional info on the web (see the book's website for supplemental work) or the CD it may have come with. The next step for me is to go over all notes, handouts and powerpoints.

I study anytime I can every day, but not all at once or it won't sink in. I continue to review until the test arrives. This method has really worked for me. I hope it can help her too.

I do agree she should go to the teacher for pointers as well.

good luck!

NurseStudentHusband · Feb 26, 2009

Hi everyone, thanks for all the advice. I'm sorry that sounded a bit desperate, my wife had a really bad night and I was freaked out that day. I spent the whole day just staring at the computer trying to figure out what to do. Anyway, things have gotten better, we will see what happens on the next round of quizzes. If worst come to worse, she drops classes or quits and goes for an LPN, nothing we can do at this point but try to survive. She spoke with the professors and is also going to try studying in a group. I will also try to tutor her as best as I can. I hope the changes in strategdy help.

Thanks for the compliments, btw, but really it isn't a big deal, if you are in a loving relationship, isn't that what you do? My brother had it way worse when he had four kids under the age of 8 (twins, plus 2 others) and was the only parent. I still don't know how he did it. Besides I like to cook although I wish I knew some healthier recipes.

Anyway, I think what we have come away with is that nursing school is a different animal entirely and requires different stragedies/expectations. Also, it would have helped in our case if my wife had earned a CNA or LPN and worked in a hospital before. The overwhelming majority of the class has done this but even then most people are struggling. Take care and thanks again.

missjennmb · Feb 26, 2009

Please dont take this wrong but "going LPN" is not going to make things any easier. LPN is basically the 1st year of the RN program so she'd have the same classes more or less, and it would be just as tough. In my school, there is a specific entrance test for the LPN program, every time they give it, they let 20 people take it and only 1-3 of them pass it. They give it half a dozen or more times every year just to fill the seats, and then over half of those students that DID make it in end up failing out. The work is HARD. Unless you find some place where she can sit on her laurels and get a degree (which I'd love to find but doubt really exists) its not going to be any different.

I know you are trying to help, but other than just giving her time, I don't think there is a whole lot you can do without knowing the information. I would encourage her to find a study buddy from school, someone who gets good grades, who she can review for tests with/quiz eachother/ect.

My grades have mostly been low 90s since school started other than my current semester, and I've gotta tell ya, my critical thinking skills are right on the money and I still struggle, because of the simple quantity of information we need to know. There's nothing you can do about that, except find a way to absorb it that works for you, because its not going to get any easier. If its anything it will get much tougher. Our courseload increases every semester, as does our workload per course

morte, LPN, LVN · Feb 26, 2009

believe it or not, it was a math prof that had this suggestion......either 2 or 3 students group together, and only one takes notes....the other two sit and LISTEN..... and then they get together and the listeners fill in info the notetaker missed. then the notes get copied for the two listeners......you may have to try with different persons in the note taker role, to see who fits best.....good luck

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2009

she needs to speak with her instructors during their office hours and ask them what she needs to be doing to improve. they, more than anyone here, know better what her capabilities are because they have been observing her. it is also part of their job.

i am very suspicious of husbands who post about problems their nursing student wives are having with school. especially when you say things like she is an excellent student but needs to find a more effective study method, you don't have a tv (huh?) and you say she is either trying to absorb too much material or focusing on the wrong stuff or something. how would you know if you are not a nurse? what really bothered me is when you said that she got a 95 and 98 on her clinicals. . .how can it be impossible? (meaning how is it she can't do better than get a 55% on a quiz?) it sounds to me like you are putting pressure on her to do a lot better and that is probably why she is crying herself to sleep.

how come she can't go by herself to the hospital? are you with her 24 hours a day? if you're a catatonic zombie worring about this i can just imagine what she feels like having to deal with school and a clingy husband.

NurseJeanB · Feb 27, 2009

Hello concerned husband, my husband also wants me to do well and is very supportive which I am very grateful for. There is some pressure to succeed, but it is what I put on myself because I don't want to disappoint him and I have a son that I want to be a good example for. In nursing school there are a lot of ups and downs and I have had many a day when I have felt like crying. I also have spent several nights in a row studying non stop, but usually I come to find that it didn't make a whole lot of difference. You are right in saying that nursing tests are critical thinking tests and more specifically they are "nurse's thinking" tests. There are a lot of books that are useful in teaching that way of thinking. I had a book called Test Success( I am not exactly sure of the whole title I think it went on to say Test taking Techniques/Strategies for the Student Nurse. I lent it to a fellow student and never got it back.) It was a quick read, but I was able to get straight A's my first year. I also second the earlier poster that said to pick up some NCLEX study guides. The NCLEX is the RN licensing exam and most nursing schools are preparing you to take the NCLEX so they start right away with NCLEX style questions. I have Saunders and it has been a good guide.

One last thing, is your wife able to record lectures? I recorded mine and then played them on my IPOD whenever I was driving to school, cleaning house, cooking dinner etc.

You know I think it is admirable that you want to help your wife, but nursing school is all about finding the initiative and drive within yourself. She needs to be the one to seek help in improving her study skills. Nursing process is to assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate and if she wants to think like a nurse, she is going to have to apply the process to her own problems.

Best regards,

Jean

MrazFan · Feb 27, 2009

Nursing school is an entirely different animal than anything your wife has likely ever experienced before. It is intense. She may just be having a hard time making the adjustment. Or she could just have a hard time with tests. All of the instructors at my school tell us to do this: all test questions (at least this semester) are multiple choice, except for the math exam (for obvious reasons). Cover up the answer choices BEFORE you even read the question. Read the question, decide how YOU would answer the question, and then look to see if any of the choices match your response. I know that has helped some of my classmates.

At any rate, I wish your wife luck. I agree with the pp who said she needs to speak with her instructor(s), as they will be able to tell her exactly where she needs to improve. And also, give her some space. I know you are probably just trying to be supportive and a good husband, but really, you could be compounding issues because she might feel like you're putting too much pressure on her. She's already under enough pressure, believe me, so just give her a little space. She'll either figure out what works for her and she'll get through this, or she won't. The worst case scenario is that she needs to re-think her career choice. It's not the end of the world.