Time management

[>--stethoscope--o]

I'm a second time, first semester BSN student and I'm wondering if any one could give me tips to better manage my time so that I can get enough sleep each night and especially before clinicals. I find my self tired everyday and it makes it hard for me to crack open a book each night to study. How many hours do you all study each night? I can't drink caffiene to wake me up. Any suggestions?....Also for those that get 90's, how do you study? What is it that you do? I know the NCLEX type questions help. I've tried them and I know they help. I want to know what does your schedule look like in terms of studying, reading, reviewing every day or every week. How do you manage your time to study?.....Sorry you guys, I know it's all kinda redundant on here. I wanted to make sure I got my point across on here. LOL. Advice, suggestions, examples, etc will be greatly appreciated. :)

[CBsMommy]

I get A's in pharm because I take the extra time to understand how the different drugs work on the body (which doesn't take too much). This week I am going to be studying probably on the average, 5 hours per day. It usually doesn't take me that long however I have a huge test coming up and have to memorize a little over 200 drugs, their contraindications, therapeutic levels, toxic levels, etc. That adds up to a lot of hours.

Nursing Fundamentals is a little more challenging for me because our tests are really subjective. I've been getting okay grades in that class but I could be doing better. Talking to a few upperclassmen though, they stated that the average grade in Fundamentals last semester was a C. Yes, NCLEX questions are great and understanding the rationales for these types of tests is even better.

In general, I take notes as I read the chapters.

If you like study groups, start one or join one.

NEVER get behind on your reading!

I write notes as a I listen to the instructor (some people record the lecture but that does nothing for me).

That's really all I do. I can put the info. together in pharm because it's so black and white. The grey area in fundamentals is a little more challenging to me though. Good luck to you!

[Delawhere_RN]

We had a retention teacher in our LPN/RN school. I was told, for me, to draw out my info. So, I made asthma attacks in a family tree lay out. Top was green for the allergy/stimulus and each level was another color until I got to the "asthma attack" which was red. I rememeber doing blue bloater as a figure 8 person with a cracked heart in the right hand. Stuff like that. I'm not 18 any more and the whole depending on raw memory doesn't work quite as well LOL.

I wish I learned it a lot earlier. Don't know if that helps any though as I'm not to the BSN program....yet :). So I glanced over the text and notes before class, took notes during, reread the notes that night and then whenever I had a minute, drew out the notes. Did I get alot done? No. But I remember them all. I think I would have done better if i learned about how I learn earlier and got used to the process.