how do/did you study in RN school?

mercy20 · Sep 21, 2008

Are you asking about nursing 1-4? Which class/semester are you in?

mashamontago · Sep 21, 2008

i am in the second semester of the RN program, med/surg/ preop post op fractures.. that sort.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2008

I'm in 4th semester (last big theory) and I'm wondering the same thing. How to go about studying. I've pretty much breezed through so far and thought I was doing fine with studying, but this last theory (we call it CHA 2 or complex health alterations 2) is very difficult for me. I realized my study habits are nonexistent. Everything I read (and its a ton, 8 week course) just seems to go in 1 ear and directly out the other. My test scores have never been so low. We need an 80 on each exam (there's 6) and my scores have been 78, 82, 80. I have another exam this Friday and have been reading all weekend. I take a break to come here and I sleep.

Any advice would be helpful. I find my notes are almost as long as the readings. My instructor has power points that are just about word for word out of the book, so really not a big help. I've never not understood the pathophysiology of what I study. Help!!!

truern · Sep 21, 2008

I found I was an audible learner....the more I HEARD it, the more I retained it.

So I taped lectures to listen to in my car....I read aloud....I talked to myself (got lots of stares with that one..hehe)

I also made flash cards and studied them at stoplights, in line at the grocery, etc etc etc

My class also lucked up and had a student that made up tests based on the materials we were studying....and emailed them to the class :) His study quizzes are legendary!!

mercy20 · Sep 21, 2008

I used "med/surg reviews and rationales," by Hogan. Also bought patho reviews and rationales, both under $30- well worth it. They are similar, although med/surg delves more into interventions and patho book into well, patho. They have NCLEX signs next to vital info- 9x/10 this was covered in the exams. As far as studying- my mantra was "my brain can only remember so much." DON'T try to memorize everything. PAY ATTENTION to what the prof emphasizes, and go from there. My study partner and I (large groups didn't work for me due to schedule, plus I found they put too much info out there- remember it's not how much you know- it's knowing the right material) would turn on a good movie, popcorn, snacks- and go through the material. We only went through our notes-used the text as reference, looked up anything we weren't sure about and read that section. We wrote up a reference sheet during the study session, and went through that the morning of exam. Some classmates found Saunder's Qs very helpful- if you have the time, great- if not just make sure you understand the underlying disease process. Hope this helps!

Rabid Response · Sep 22, 2008

I studied alone for the most part. I taped classes and played them back while driving. I studied the test questions on the cds that came with each of my text books. I bought an NCLEX study guide (Saunders) and answered the NCLEX style questions relative to whatever unit I was studying. I made flashcards and brought them everywhere with me to study whenever I had a spare five minute (waiting in lines, etc...). I bought anatomy and physiology coloring books that I would color in whenever I took breaks from my assigned readings. I studied a lot, but I changed my methods often enough that I didn't get as fatigued as I would have if I'd read for hours at a time. I took the NCLEX one week after graduation (barely studied at all that week) and passed after answering 75 questions.

You have to find what works for you. Try every style of study until you find what works best. Even though I taped my classes and listened to them later on, I don't think that I really got much from that. The coloring books were way more useful, since I am a more visual and tactile learner. Also, there is a website called flashcardexchange or something that I used to make flashcards--you have to pay money to print the cards out, but you can study them online for free, and they had programs that you could supposedly download to your pda (I never did). Good luck with your studies. Now that I'm a nurse, I kind of miss school!

ddoosier · Sep 22, 2008

Geez! After reading your initial post, I can tell you that you are over doing it....which is allowing your anxiety to have an effect on your overall success. Find a group of students that are as dedicated as you are. You are in the second semester, so this should have ocurred by now. In the first semester, we initiated a small study group and carpool together and quiz each other on the way to school. Everyone in our group had a different and valued prospective and we were very loyal to one another. If one passed; we all passed. We had special study times if someone was struggling. Our study group (four of us... becareful of too many people) was recognized by the faculty as being the most successful. We had similar grades ect. That was four years ago. All of us work at the same hospital, two of us in the ICU sister units; the other two on the floor. We still keep in touch and care about our successes. We were very loyal to one another and spent more time with one another than we did with our own families. THEY got me through nursing school and brought out the best in me. I care for them and their families deeply and I will never forget the sacrafices that we all made for one another.