Published May 13, 2013
sheirry, BSN, RN
23 Posts
I came to the rn program at Cuyahoga Community College with a 3.8 GPA. Once in the program I could barely make C's. Unfortunately I failed 1600. I would like to hear from current students or recent new grads of the program who's making /made A's and B's and ask what your study methods are/were?
-Listening to the breezes didn't help me.
-Briefly writing a description from the book of each power point didn't seem to work (especially when it came to Fluid & Electrolytes.) Sometimes we would get 10 chapter tests!!
-Working the review/study guide books became too overwhelming when studying from numerous books/power points/ hand outs (test banks)
-The tutor was a joke!
-I got a nclex review book and used that for the final but failed.
I'm just trying to find a new study method that I may not of heard of. Any advice will help. Thanks
floater2014
11 Posts
Got a's and b's at lccc. ask instructor what matters. Visit upcoming classes make friends ask some one who has went thru the course to copy thier notes. read chapter ahead. before the lecture tape the class, re listen to the class Live breath and eat the subject.
Go to you tube look for videos on tough topics concepts pull in outside resourse material (maybee your book sucks). My micro bio teacher sucked. I went to you tube for a lot of lab concepts. Pair up with smart students who sit in front row. Ask for any extra credit you can. What kind of learner are you.
simple tests on line available. If you are audio modality listen to lectures. if you are a visual watch videos on topic try different tutors If one sucks. Go to other instructors for hints. Try to scope out instructor reputation ratemyprofessor.com talk to student who are getting thru ask them how they do it. Sit in front row become known to the instructor. Pick instructors brain off class hours. 1 x a week asking for a quick snyopsis ask this question at the end of each class. What is the take home message.
determine if it is recall or getting it in your head. One instructor published pod casts of his class. last years were archived Id listen to his post cast from last year on the this years topic before I went to class. GEt a study group together. teach others the topic you are studying.. make flash cards keep a master note book so you can study the final. Ultimately Student have undergound study guides that have been passed down from semester to semester (not test answers) These study guides help drastically. When you finish pass on a copy to someone after you. I found out My anp instructor has not changed her class notes and "speach in 5 years" even the jokes were simular. I previewed her lectures before I went to class. I was able to answer questions she threw out there and she would ask how did you get that. I was on top of a n p . If you are artistic make a poster . Total immersion. don't miss any days. Turn you phone off allow no distractions the net the tv or any adult friends and family interfere till this semister is over. Tell them you fell off the face of the earth. be back soon. If you can tutor the stuff to your class mates you should be able to get b's on a tough teachers test. Learn how to take multiple choice tests. here is a sceince. read a book called how to beat the act" there are strategies to removing 2 disstractors. even google this topic. (look as a prior education student I had to learn to make multiple choice test) If you know how to make multiple choice test you can get it down to 2 choices (example all of the above is a good choice, line out any obvious wrong answer) (look for the answer with the longest most precice answer thats probably the one) condense that chapter down in to cliff notes make acronyms then come to school 1 hour prior to test hide out in the stairwell where no one will find you. Saturate your mind with you cliff notes.
the second you sit down in the margin of your answer paper brain dump you acromyms on you answer sheet pull from these while taking the test. after graded test is given back take note of what concept you missed on. You will see it again on the final. ask to preview your tests before the findal make a list on conceptual areas you missed view silly mistakes you made come to the final having this knowledge learn from your tests. If you were sucked into answering a question and missed it find out why its right were you went wrong. do every thing extra credit you can. While riding to work listen to lectures on mp3 or burned to cd listen in your car. At work during lunch while you are in your bath play the lecture 1 more time you recorded. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN YOU CAN, IF YOU BELIEVE YOU CANT YOU CANT. you will dream about the subject at night if you totally emerse
Thank you so much for you detailed answer. Quick question: were you in the lpn or rn program at LCC? I ask that because I know that study methods are quite different for those two.
Also, as an update, I just completed my retake of the second semester and got 85%. I'm moving on to the final two semesters which are the hardest.
A lot of your suggested methods I did while I was taking prerequisites and I did get straight A's (only a B in micro) But a lot of those methods are unrealistic to use at tri-c rn program. Many try to study for nursing the same way they study for the general ed classes, and fail. I'm a witness to it.
barachi
50 Posts
I recently read up in this stuff but its mainly how to choose priority. First look maslows hierarchy of needs. phiosological first. (Breathing, circulation, nutrition) second is safety (protection of body, a job, pain) safety according to his theory can also be psychological. Then the rest are important when these are not presented. If there are two of a physiological need then you look for abc.. which one is the one most needed for the moment? Some questions also involve assessments and interventions.. the first thing you do is assess so you pick the one that involves assessing before interventions to be taken.. you will see a pt gasping for air before you give oxygen. Or pt looks like hes having a hypoglycemic episode do you give him dextrose, call the physician or check his glucose levels? Check glucose levels because thats data collected.
Good advice for nursing exams. But my initial question was about study methods.
So, were you in the LPN or RN program?
There's a difference in study methods between the nursing programs.