So I'm entering my fourth and final semester and I STILL do not have a solid study technique. I guess I've gotten this far (with pretty decent grades, somehow) on God's will and what little I've soaked up from lecture and my current haphazard study habits. I worry about this because this is only the first small step in my plan to become a nurse practitioner; I'm not so naive to think ill be able to make it any further without developing a concrete study method. Granted, I know that everyone studies differently as there are different types of learners but, I thought maybe if quite a few people bounce their habits off one another I could possibly put together a style of my own. So far, I've gathered that I need to first understand the anatomy/normal physiology of the system of the body being discussed THEN focus on what has gone wrong to cause this illness. After I understand these two things, I can then add in nursing dx, medications, interventions, procedures, etc. What can you all tell me from here? Is this along the same lines as what you are doing? Anything to add or even something you do totally different? All responses appreciated.
I like to use the socratic method to know about disease processes and basic information. I take a topic hyponatremia for example and think of everything I can about that; normal lab value (approx), signs and symptoms, physiological process, how sodium relates to potassium and water, priorities for treatment, etc. After I think of everything I can, I look at my notes to see what I've forgotten. I try to make time every week to study that weeks material which helps learn things as I go. Also, I really like the Lippincott "made incredibly easy" series. It explains everything really well, using pictures and mnemonics Highly recommended. Good luck![/quote']
Rebel6678
18 Posts