study- cram or everynight

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I study every night and every test I get the same grade 84. Sometimes I will get a A here and there but not a solid all the way through. I do all the readings,take notes,go over stuff every night. Then I here people say that they studied the night before a test and score a 96 or 98. It is getting kind of frustrating. I used to try to not worry about it and only worry about myself but its getting more and more difficult.

What do you all do studying- cram or every night?

Specializes in Telemetry.
For the most part you are not discussing cramming. Most professions and professionals who learn information in a short amount of time do so by breaking the information up over time and through repetition. This IS NOT the same as cramming.

As far as not having enough clinical experience, unlike most of you (not you necessarily) I have WORKED in clinical settings before nursing school. I have been required to critically think and work under very stressful conditions for years. So, again, I do not need to be a 4th semester student to have a clue. In fact, the only thing I am learning to do different now is to think as a nurse (go through the nursing process). That is new to me, but learning how to critically think is not.

It seems that you are missing how judgemental your post comes off as. To me its as if you are saying that YOU have actually learned it where as people with study habits that are different than yours haven't. Thats a pretty insulting thing to say to anyone who is working their butt off like all of us have to in nursing school. And I'd have to disagree with you about you knowing what its all about already because you have additional degrees and have worked in clinical settings. This is hard enough with out having our study habits judged. As you get further along in your program I think you will find that alot of times successfully getting through the program requires alot of improvisation of study skills. By this I mean there will be times that most of us have no choice but to cram, and times where we can do our studying each night. For me lately I have so much to do that I can only focus on immediate tasks- which means alot more cramming than I like, but I'd still say that I'm learning it all just as well as if I had studied daily. We are all in the same boat more or less, right? Why not be supportive instead of critical?;)

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Specializes in HCA, Physch, WC, Management.

Am I the only one who does BOTH? I study and review materials every evening and then the couple of nights before a test I study hardcore. I have a hard time finding the right method of studying for each subject or topic so I do a little of everything. Flashcards, notes, reading extra articles, teaching things by telling or reading them to others, drawing pictures... whatever. Any new kind of method I will try. Anything that helps me remember something LONG TERM is what I am shooting for!

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Specializes in Home Health Care.
Am I the only one who does BOTH? I study and review materials every evening and then the couple of nights before a test I study hardcore. I have a hard time finding the right method of studying for each subject or topic so I do a little of everything. Flashcards, notes, reading extra articles, teaching things by telling or reading them to others, drawing pictures... whatever. Any new kind of method I will try. Anything that helps me remember something LONG TERM is what I am shooting for!

No, you are not the only one!!! I have the same study system as you. In fact I could have written your post almost word for word! ;)

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Specializes in Med/ Surg and Orthopedics.

I cram and study at least an hour every day. I find that the types of questions we are given is what I need to work on. I tend ot overanalyze the question when I already know what the answer is! I am working on this, it would boost my gpa from a B to an A!

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Specializes in OB.
For the most part you are not discussing cramming. Most professions and professionals who learn information in a short amount of time do so by breaking the information up over time and through repetition. This IS NOT the same as cramming.

As far as not having enough clinical experience, unlike most of you (not you necessarily) I have WORKED in clinical settings before nursing school. I have been required to critically think and work under very stressful conditions for years. So, again, I do not need to be a 4th semester student to have a clue. In fact, the only thing I am learning to do different now is to think as a nurse (go through the nursing process). That is new to me, but learning how to critically think is not.

glad you are so far ahead of everyone else :)

Better work on your communication skills tho, because you wont get far with your attitude, no matter how many degrees you have or your clinical experience. Nurses must communicate effectively, say things respectfully,therapeutically, and not impose judement on people

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Am I the only one who does BOTH? I study and review materials every evening and then the couple of nights before a test I study hardcore. I have a hard time finding the right method of studying for each subject or topic so I do a little of everything. Flashcards, notes, reading extra articles, teaching things by telling or reading them to others, drawing pictures... whatever. Any new kind of method I will try. Anything that helps me remember something LONG TERM is what I am shooting for!

No, your not. I wrote a dissertation on my method a few posts up. However, I don't consider my pre-test preparations as CRAMMING, in the traditional slacker sense because I have been slowly preparing for the test in advance.

BouBou

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Specializes in OB.
I don't think you have enough clinical experience to make such generalizations no matter how many degrees you have. You will soon find out that some of the brightest and the best, espeically in very high stress areas like the ER, ICU, trauma, etc are crammers and work better under pressure, some of us thrive under pressure.

A LOT of health care (especially in certain fields) is all about how much you can in learn in a very short period of time....some people are great at that (me!), some people are not and that is ok.

thank you

my point exactly. :yeah:

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This is Nursing School, not High School. The Crammers get weeded out eventually. Maybe not in first semester, but usually before the end. He/she is not learning anything. Eventually cramming will not be enough to do well on a test and professors will be tired of his/her lazy ways.

On the other hand, you probably comprehend the material because you actually learn the information. So, stop comparing yourself to other people. Continue to strive to learn the information and you will be fine.

By the way, I am told that B's in Nursing School are outstanding grades!! I am a 4.0 so far but I have long resolved that if I get a few B's in Nursing School I should not be ashamed. Besides, Registered Nurses say "C's = RN" so how bad are B's? :D

I was just re-reading MBA2RN's original message. Frankly, I feel that her post was meant to uplift and reassure Momx4. MBA made no reference to any other poster. If cramming the night before works for you fine, if it doesn't fine. However, it is not necessary to hi-jack someones thread for these debates. I can tell from past experience on this board that this thread is coming precariously close to being shut down. If there is really something that you want to say, why not pm each other and call it a day.

BouBou

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Specializes in OB.

I believe we all intended to tell momx4 how we, personally studied. I supplemented that with advise for her to sit down with her advisor and go over test strategies. I agree, MBA's first post was not insulting, it was her follow up to my reply to momx4 stating that if I want to be a substandard, lazy ill-educated crammer, it was fine, but SHE was not going to lower her standards such as I have done.

Cramming works for you if it works for you, if it doesnt groovy. everyone has to find their own way to make it thru school. Saying because you cram you will be weeded out is simply not true

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Specializes in RN, Cardiac Step Down/Tele Unit.

I don't think you can generalize and say that cramming is bad, all crammers will fail, etc. Some people who you would categorize as crammers based on their study habits are actually people with great retention who just need to look over the material for a reminder before the exam.

In my accelerated program you pretty much have to be a crammer - there is not time to study on a daily basis! I pay close attention in class and take good notes, plus recording the lectures and typing what the prof says pretty much verbatim. For tests, I study the night before and the morning of the exam. When I start studying it is pretty much "Oh, yeah, I remember that". And obviously retention is not a problem for me since I made a 99.9% on the HESI with no studying, which is the NCLEX predictor exam.

Obviously this approach does not work for everyone, but it is not fair to say that because I do not study every day I do not retain or "really learn" the material. My grades and test scores say otherwise.

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glad you are so far ahead of everyone else :)

Better work on your communication skills tho, because you wont get far with your attitude, no matter how many degrees you have or your clinical experience. Nurses must communicate effectively, say things respectfully,therapeutically, and not impose judement on people

Well said, I don't think anyone could have said it better or in a nicer way!:saint:

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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

I think the overall theme here is that you have to find what works best for you. I have always been a so so studier, finding that I don't concentrate til at least 1 week or so before the actual test. I was this way through my BA and even in grad school and now that I'm going for nursing I still am the same way...very odd.

I am trying this semester to read early and study notes later. My general approach is to take notes of the important concepts and a week before the test (or sooner) I review all of my notes, power points, etc. over and over and over and over again LOL!

It is just how I do it and it works but I need to step it up a bit, I'm in my final semester of nursing school and I got an 84 on the last test, I'd like to step it up a bit.

I think everyone here has offered some really great study tips! I agree though I concentrate MORE when I am under pressure but I still try to start early.

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