Study?

rtaz315 · Nov 23, 2005

This may seem remedial but it works for me. I made descent grades in highschool but have returned to college 22 years later and it has been a whole new world in the education department. I record lectures when premitted which enables me to reference back to the instuctors actual wording when needed. I also make flash cards for studying alone but repetition, repetition, and repetition has been the key for me. The more I review the more I remember. I am also fortunate to have great classmates that enjoy studying together. We make a game of it when we can, such as jeapordy or a thing we do in which on student plays instructor to the rest and gives a patient scenario that relates to what we are studying. Score is keep by who can answer AND give the rational for the answer first. Winning really doesn't matter because no prizes are won, but It allows for fun social time as well as study time and some of the stories and rationals people give will defintely help you remember the material. My best advise would be....HANG IN THERE! Everyone studies and learns differently, keep trying different things and you will find the nitch that works for you.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2005

the more times you review information the more likely it is that you will retain it. repetition, repetition, repetition. it is also a good idea to work with several textbooks or supplemental texts to read about the same information written by another author from a different perspective. then, each different reading is fresh and different. the information eventually sinks in the more you are exposed to it. check out the index at the back of your textbooks to find more information on a particular subject that is listed elsewhere in the book. one of the reasons nursing students have clinicals and the instructors try to match you with patients having the same disorders you are studying in nursing classes is that it gives you yet another perspective to observe a disease and it's treatment at work. we tend to retain information that has an emotional component to it. taking care of a patient who may be suffering tweaks that emotionally component in us that helps make that memory connection. a patient is also a learning tool that you can touch, listen to and look at. this also helps ingrain information into the memory.

no cramming the night before a test in nursing school. it's the fastest way to flunking the state board exam.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/history/keller/accditg/ssindex.htm

try this link. it was put together to help students learn how to study.

Rosa2Little · Nov 24, 2005

Here's my strategy:

1. Prior to lecture, skim the material. This means do not read for understanding, simply -- what are the concepts, what are the tables and graphs in the book looking to convey?

2. Attend the lecture and take good notes. Record it on a digital recorder if that works for you (for some classes this helped me).

3. Read the concepts that your professor covered more in-depth after class. Read for understanding this time.

4. Use the book, and the web for sites that explain the same information in an alternate way. For me, sometimes no matter how many times I read the text, I didn't get it. All it took was a different perspective.

5. Take advantage of the professor's office hours. And don't be afraid to ask the professor what is expected of you for the exams and/or practicals. No, it's not asking to be spoon-fed, it's finding the best way to organize & prioritize your time! If you ask and it's beyond what they want to tell you, they can always say no, but you never know unless you ask!

6. Read, read and read again your notes from class -- and not just before the exam! You need to make the terminology and concepts less foreign to you. The more you review, the sooner this happens.

7. Form a study group to review prior to exams.

Best Wishes!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2005

This thread on studying is also currently running.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/help-130475.html

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 28, 2005

Well, for one, I rewrite each day's lecture notes. That way I can find mistakes I made while writing them originally (if something doesn't make sense, or I seem to be missing something, I can find the info in the text or handouts or whatever). Then I can write the notes complete, and easy to understand. Also I sometimes change the order of the notes as I'm rewriting so that I can read them more easily later when reviewing for test.

When it comes to the actual studying time, I find my attention span isn't what I'd like it to be so I make the best of that: I study for 15 or 20 minutes, then get up and get a drink, potty, or throw in a load of dirty clothes. Back to the books for another 15 or 20, then allow myself a distraction chore (unload dishes?) for five minutes, then back to books. Not only do I focus more intently during the study sessions, but I get my housework done, too! :)

Best of luck to you!

OhioMTCRN07 · Nov 29, 2005

I'm in my 1st quarter, 1st year RN program. I found the best way to study for me is to review the notes, do the questions at the end of the chapter in our Perry and Potter book and also work on questions in the book called "Testing Success" by Nugent and Vitale. You can overstudy the notes and not know how to apply that information to possible questions asked on exams. I found the "Testing Success" book a great help. Others are studying from the NCLEX testing book but I've found that it has too much information in it that we haven't covered yet. Maybe I'll do that second year. I'm off to the final for NU101 right now! My motto -- Shoot for a B - pray for an A! Good luck to you. :)

dgclough · Nov 30, 2005

I was wondering about this too as I start my first semester of nursing school in Jan. I already have a bachelors degree (150 some hours completed) and finished all of the pre-req classes for nursing so all I need now are the actual nursing classes and very few of the classes did I have to 'really' study for...Even anatomy/physiology/micro maybe a hour total (reveiw my notes prior to next class and a few minutes each day...) but nursing school scares me! Everyone I talk to says it's a whole new game...How different are the nursing classes from anat/phy/micro???:uhoh21:

Soon-to-be-NurseJess · Nov 30, 2005

Everyone I talk to says it's a whole new game...How different are the nursing classes from anat/phy/micro???:uhoh21:

It is a whole new game when you first start. Its not necessarily the classes themselves, but the tests are totally different. You can't just memorize the information, you have to learn it and put it in long term memory. Questions are set up for you to apply the information you learned, not just spit back the information written straight out of the book. The questions are not always 1 right answer questions...all of the answers may be correct but it asks for the priority or the first.

Regarding study time...I personally go to class and take good notes (my instructors wouldn't allow recorders) then go home and read the book and write my own outline of the chapters. It can be time consuming if the information is hard to understand, but at least then I have my own notes without pieces of information I don't feel necessary, plus I can rephrase statements so they make more sense to me. Just before the test, I review my information and write very simple practice questions so I can review without rereading my notes.

Good luck to all those in nursing programs or about to begin a nursing program...I'm almost done, so I know its a real challenge:nurse:

liljulz0613 · Dec 1, 2005

I had my first test tonight. Your definitly right about how you have to actually APPLY the information to the questions being asked and not just spit out facts. I got a B though so I'm pretty happy. All of your suggestions were awesome!

cn2007rn · Dec 1, 2005

Hi,

For me the best way to study is not all at once, I have to look at the material everyday even if it's not for a long time, just 20-30 minutes, maybe an hour. I have a short attention span, so I take a lot of breaks.

It also helps me to make up index cards of the materials, I find rewriting the info makes it sink into my head. I also do the end of the chapter question and sometimes find them helpful.

Good luck! :wink2: