Studying less and less as the program goes on

Nursing Students General Students

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When I started the pre-reqs 3 years ago, I had to have all A's, so I studied all day everyday, even when I knew the information. I went at it just to make sure it wouldn't seep out of my brain.

Fast forward to Fall 2011. Nursing school started for me, and I did the same: Even if I already knew the info, I read and re-read all day long and stressed myself out. Sometimes I would still end up only barely passing with a B- while others around me studying half the time or less than that, would get the same or higher.

Well now it's 3rd semester and I'm tired. I have OB which contains a ridiculous amount of reading (so I skim that sucker). I studied my ass off for the first exam and still only passed by the skin of my teeth. I'm done. For the past two weeks I've been doing about half of what I used to. I read a little, then review, get my assignments done, and then toss my work aside to have fun (if it's not also a clinical day). Now I make much more time for myself and my family and things I like to do, because I am legit about to go stir crazy. If I'm gonna bust my butt and make sub-par grades, might as well make the same grades in half the time.

Over it.

Anyone else become like this? Did you grades suffer? Improve? Stay the same?

Specializes in Trauma.

Maddiem...Your statement is obviously coming from a student. Actually what you learn in nursing school is how not to kill someone or recognize when they are getting worse and it is appropriate to call the Dr. in the middle of the night. You learn how to nurse after you graduate and start working. Why do you think EVERY new nurse is as lost as a ball in high weeds for the first few months on the job? Yep, even the straight A students. I know enough nurses to know even with several years of experience, you can take a L&D, or Med-Surg nurse and throw them in a Trauma ICU, ED or especially a NICU, and they will be more lost than a recent grad that has only been in one of those depts. for 6-9 months.

A person can graduate nursing school with a 4.0 and still freak out or freeze up the first time they have a pt code. Nursing school is so difficult because you are having to learn many aspects of nursing. Once you start working you will learn your job in-depth, it does not matter if you graduated with an A or a C.

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As a new student in LVN program what advice would u have for me if I had not been in school in along time at least the math part of it I think that will be my hardest struggle thus far.

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As a new student in LVN program what advice would u have for me if I had not been in school in along time at least the math part of it I think that will be my hardest struggle thus far.

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If you are going for a graduate nurse internship, grades may well be very important. I applied for two critical care internships at the end of my last semester. Both had minimum 3.5 GPA requirements, and most candidates who were actually hired had 3.8 or higher. Grades also can be important if you want to go to a well respected grad school.

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I was the same way when I started nursing school. However that quickly stopped. I studied less than the majority of my friends and started doing a lot better than I was when i was studying a lot. I also learned when I was taking my tests that I either know the answer or i dont, so i wouldnt sit and stare at it hoping the answer would come to me. I would pick the one that i thought was right first and move on. Don't worry about the GPA, C means continue in nursing school!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
as a new student in lvn program what advice would u have for me if i had not been in school in along time at least the math part of it i think that will be my hardest struggle thus far.

this may help.....dosagehelp.com - helping nursing students learn dosage calculations - dosage question steps

[color=#660099]drug dose calculations - dave's ems

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Over studying is a real thing and it doesn't help. Study with more focus for shorter amounts of time and then relax your brain.

And remember to sleep. You can't remember anything if you don't sleep.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

iluvpatho: I have a much needed break at the end of next month thru Sept.

3 1/2 weeks!

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Specializes in Neuroscience.
Over studying is a real thing and it doesn't help. Study with more focus for shorter amounts of time and then relax your brain.

And remember to sleep. You can't remember anything if you don't sleep.

Yeah that's what I've been trying to do this past weekend and today (you said it better than I did though!).

I used to study all day with many breaks, but that just made me feel trapped, so now I'm going for shorter spurts, but more focused. I like studying this way better. Let's just hope it works!

For the record if people were wondering, I'm not 'barely getting by' I pull around a B+ to A- average, and my last semester cumulative was a 3.7. I should have specified that in my OP.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.
When we become RN's people's lives are in our hands and everything we learn in nursing school is preparing us for that.

I disagree with this comment (respectfully). In my experience (Nurse Intern at a large metro hospital) nursing school prepares us to pass the NCLEX, then we enter the world of nursing and relearn everything! Since I have been in this position I have been blown away with how much we learn in school and how much can actually be applied in the field, not much! While the framework of nursing has been essential the rest is to prepare for the exam! After taking this job I now feel more unprepared for nursing than ever, the job itself is helping with that but seeing what RN's do vs. what we learn in school, no wonder new grads cry all the time!

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I disagree with this comment (respectfully). In my experience (Nurse Intern at a large metro hospital) nursing school prepares us to pass the NCLEX, then we enter the world of nursing and relearn everything! Since I have been in this position I have been blown away with how much we learn in school and how much can actually be applied in the field, not much! While the framework of nursing has been essential the rest is to prepare for the exam! After taking this job I now feel more unprepared for nursing than ever, the job itself is helping with that but seeing what RN's do vs. what we learn in school, no wonder new grads cry all the time!

That wasn't my experience at all. While I still had a lot to learn after graduation, MUCH of my education was directly applicable.

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Brain and Stroke.
That wasn't my experience at all. While I still had a lot to learn after graduation, MUCH of my education was directly applicable.

I truly wish I had the same experience you have had, I graduate in December and I couldn't be more grateful for the internship so that I can fill in everything that has been left out of my education.

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