Tips for motivating self to study

xxstarrynitesxx · Jun 29, 2017

Ashley Adkins, RN, Nurse Bass, and Nurse Nacole. I really like those three quite a bit. I would recommend though figuring out how you study best. As you have already taken the course, you can identify where you went "wrong". Take some time to really think about what you struggled on, why you struggled on it, and what you could do differently. Try talking to someone who successfully passed the course. They may be able to give you some tips for that instructor specifically.

One thing I do to motivate myself is to remind myself why I want to become a nurse, well pursue a career in the medical field in general. If you do not have a strong reason why, then take a look at your school's policy. How many times are you allowed to repeat a course? How many classes can you fail before getting kicked out? What options do you have if you can't be a nurse? You have to be your own motivation at times. If you truly want to succeed, then you will do everything in your power to do so. You are not the same person you were a year ago so light the fire underneath you, grab the old syllabus, and start making things happen.

verene, MSN · Jun 29, 2017

I'd also recommend reaching out to the instructor for the course. Let them know that you aren't coming directly from med-surg 1 with the rest of the cohort. Confirm that they actually are having an exam over med-surg 1 material and ask what topics they would recommend brushing up on before entering med-surg 2 given the gap since you took med-surg 1.

Samm06, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Thank you for the advice! I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

Samm06, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Thank you for the advice. I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

Ashley Adkins, RN, Nurse Bass, and Nurse Nacole. I really like those three quite a bit. I would recommend though figuring out how you study best. As you have already taken the course, you can identify where you went "wrong". Take some time to really think about what you struggled on, why you struggled on it, and what you could do differently. Try talking to someone who successfully passed the course. They may be able to give you some tips for that instructor specifically.
One thing I do to motivate myself is to remind myself why I want to become a nurse, well pursue a career in the medical field in general. If you do not have a strong reason why, then take a look at your school's policy. How many times are you allowed to repeat a course? How many classes can you fail before getting kicked out? What options do you have if you can't be a nurse? You have to be your own motivation at times. If you truly want to succeed, then you will do everything in your power to do so. You are not the same person you were a year ago so light the fire underneath you, grab the old syllabus, and start making things happen.

Samm06, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

I worked close with the instructor during the first time I took the class. I also had to go through remediation for every exam except for one. We actually have two different instructors depending on the topic we are learning. Switching between instructors really throws me off so it was hard to study one way and then have to change it up again two weeks later. But no excuse! I am going to strive to do better this time around. Thank you for the advice. I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

I'd also recommend reaching out to the instructor for the course. Let them know that you aren't coming directly from med-surg 1 with the rest of the cohort. Confirm that they actually are having an exam over med-surg 1 material and ask what topics they would recommend brushing up on before entering med-surg 2 given the gap since you took med-surg 1.

xxstarrynitesxx · Jul 3, 2017

Switching up how you study every couple of weeks sounds tough! I took a course that switched professors halfway through. The course was only eight weeks long, but I had heard these two professors did the same thing for students in the nursing program.

I am not sure if these will help as well, but did you have a good study group the first time around? I know that other students can present things in a different way that can help.

May I also ask, aside from having two professors swapping back and forth, is there anything you struggled with? It sounds like you got through your first semester successfully. I'm not sure of the difference between 1 and 2, but it may help to make sure the info from 1 is solid so you have a strong foundation. You may also want to take a test to figure out how you learn best and get a NCLEX review book to work out of at the same time (if you haven't already one each).

I think reaching out on here is definitely the first step. Keep working hard!

Samm06, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

In the program that I attend is a 7 semester program (4-year standard college program), where you start clinical is your freshman spring semester if you're accepted in the freshman fall semester.

So the classes go: a special topics class called Nursing World (or something like that) (Freshman Fall Semester), you take the TEAS and pass and get accepted into the program, and then you do a nursing 101 kind of class (like a basic CNA class in the freshman spring semester), and then we take Foundations in the Sophomore fall semester and then Med Surg 1 in the Sophomore Spring semester. Med Surg 2 (the class i failed the first time around) is in the Junior Fall semester and then Med Surg 3 is the Junior Spring Semester. So the textbook we are required to use is just split three ways for each class. The same topic isn't taught twice. So for med surg 2 we learned the rest of the GI system (one unit-instructor 1) (as a continuation from Med-Surg 1), then go to respiratory (one unit-instructor 2), then urinary system (one unit- instructor 1), then cardiac (which was two units-instructor 2 for both units), and finally altered peripheral tissue perfusion (one unit-instructor 1).

So this going back and forth literally every other unit just hurt me!!! and honestly I just think i have test-taking anxiety and can't focus when I am trying to study for an exam. I know I am a visual learner. I've taken several tests and each time it tells me I'm visual. I tried some youtube videos a few times but I plan on using them a lot more this time around and try to take notes as I watch them. I take a lot of notes in class too. And I bought some of the Demystified series books, and I recently was gifted the Davis Med-Surg success workbook. So hopefully all these resources will be helpful.

Switching up how you study every couple of weeks sounds tough! I took a course that switched professors halfway through. The course was only eight weeks long, but I had heard these two professors did the same thing for students in the nursing program.
I am not sure if these will help as well, but did you have a good study group the first time around? I know that other students can present things in a different way that can help.
May I also ask, aside from having two professors swapping back and forth, is there anything you struggled with? It sounds like you got through your first semester successfully. I'm not sure of the difference between 1 and 2, but it may help to make sure the info from 1 is solid so you have a strong foundation. You may also want to take a test to figure out how you learn best and get a NCLEX review book to work out of at the same time (if you haven't already one each).
I think reaching out on here is definitely the first step. Keep working hard!

Samm06, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

*another question*

I did reach out to the instructor who will be teaching the first unit because my friend who just took her class mentioned there will be an exam/quiz during the first week of classes on the last unit they learned in Med-surg 1. I asked the instructor if there is anything they can give me to study and she mentioned that she will be sending out questions to study. So my question is, should I reread the chapters they learned or wait for the specific questions that I will be tested on?