I'm taking statistics this fall along with my first semester nursing classes and everyone I tell this to says, "REALLY? You're taking stats too?!?!?! Good luck with that!!!!"
Can anyone give me a heads up? Math isn't really my favorite subject but I don't exactly struggle with it either. I know the teacher and he comes highly recommended! I have to take the class at some point (for my bachelors) but it's not required for my associates degree.
Thanks so much for any advice! You guys are the best!
Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.
I agree with RN2BDFW....it is cumulative, don't miss a class and DO the homework.
I took Stats for my BSN....flunked it with a big fat "F". I didn't miss a class and I did the homework. I have had trouble with math since the 3rd grade. I also had two other degrees, had a solid GPA 3.0. With Stats you might as well have been teaching me some long lost mongo-mongo dialect.
That "F" dropped my GPA like you wouldn't believe.
I needed just that one class for my BSN. Second time around, I took it with the same teacher....so he knew I was serious and this was a do or die situation. I also had my husband, who incidently couldn't spell or read very well but was a whiz at math and physics, take it with me to help tutor me.
He got an "A" on the final. Me....well, I was so nervous and scared, tachycardia, diarrhea, the whole thing....that the very first question I went blank. TOTALLY blank. I could not think. It was horrible.
But, I passed the class with a "C". I would have been happy even with a "D".
Just pick your battles. Try to keep your grades up as high as possible just in case that one class comes along that you simply don't comprehend and are scared in flunking....it's not dishonorable to pass it with a "D" if that's what it takes in the long run to get your degree.
Over the years, not one employer has asked me, "So, what were your grades in school?"
Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.
I took Statistic through independent study and took the AP Stats exam to get the credit. I had to take the exam at a high school with a bunch of high school kids. If I can learn stats without even a teacher, then you can do it with a teacher. To me, Statistics was no different than Algebra 1. I also found a link at www.learner.org that has a free statistics online course "Against All Odds", with a psychology professor teaching the course. This will help you immensely. Also, find the link to the companion website to this book:
Elementary Statistics:
Picturing the World
Second Edition
by Larson & Farber
There are some Quick Time videos with a teacher working selected problems on an overhead projector. These websites were the only things I used to learn stats and I got a 4 on the AP exam which was high enough for me to get the college credit for the course.
Don't sweat the small stuff-it really is small stuff!
Nothing is bad about stats. I would highly recommend taking a stat for biology students if possible. These classes tend to be more realistic; your problems are based on "experiments" so they are more relateable. Once you get into the problem you forget it's math and solving the problems become second nature. Don't let other people freak you out about it.
I think most of the posts missed the point... Its not stats that is bad but the fact that she/he are taking it with first year nursing classes. Its a requirement for the BSN program after one finishes the ADN so stay focussed on the current goal of completing nursing school and then look ahead to the BSN requirements. I am taking a 1 unit class just to bring my units to 12/full time status.
Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Public Health.
Stats (like most math classes) is more of a time issue to do the homework than true difficulty of the work. I am not a math person at all, but had a really good teacher who even made it fun. You will do fine if you go to class (should be a no-brainer), make the time to do the homework, and keep a spare set of batteries for the calculator, especially for the final. Good luck!
Specializes in HD, Homecare, Med/Surg, Infectious Disease.
Stats has to be the easiest "math" class ever. I cannot understand why anyone would complain about it. As long as you go to class and recognize the formulas, you will be fine. All you do is plug in numbers and the majority of instructors do not require you to remember the formulas because there are so many. It really is very easy and I still cannot understand why people say it's hard. I have always hated math and found it very difficult, but stats to me was easy and actually enjoyable. You really cannot miss class for this one though, but it really is easy.
would you'll recommend taking it online? i'm looking for a online stats course. Everything in my home state of Va reguires a math class prerequisite, so I'm looking outside of Va.
Any recommendations? I need it to complete my MSN-I'm just starting and figured I'd get it out of the way
I took both of my masters level statistics courses online and had no problem with it (not in nursing I should add). At that level they are looking for your ability to apply statistics, not just regurgitate information through a formula. I am no math wiz, I can tell you that. I'd say give it a try. It's a lot of reading and sifting out useless stuff, but I am very comfortable understanding studies now.
My first stats class was rough. It was 4 credits at a major university and I spent more hours on homework in that class than I ever have since. I have since had a couple of other classes in stats and I LOVE STATS! Once you get it, it is fun! If you have a good teacher you will be fine. There are lots of onine resoures now for it too, we did not have those back in the dark ages. : >
I think most of the posts missed the point... Its not stats that is bad but the fact that she/he are taking it with first year nursing classes. Its a requirement for the BSN program after one finishes the ADN so stay focussed on the current goal of completing nursing school and then look ahead to the BSN requirements. I am taking a 1 unit class just to bring my units to 12/full time status.
I agree completely. Stats is very doable and it's extremely relevant to the practice of nursing so that one can understand evidence-based practice. However, the amount of homework required with stats can be daunting if one has a full course load. I took a graduate level stats earlier this year and simply did not have the time to devote to the class because I was taking 12 credits.
I also agree with Black27rhino's advice to not let other people freak you out over stats. I think the worst part of stats is math anxiety, not only yours but that of other students. Math anxiety, unfortunately, seems to be contagious---at least it is in my experience!
I hated statistics in college, too, and I AM a math person! I think it was because none of the problems seemed to relate to anything I knew about (or wanted to know about!). However, statistics is one of the skills I used the most in my nursing practice of community health/population health. So hang in there. Statistics will come in handy when you least expect it!
Also the book can make a big difference- Elementary Statistics by Bluman is the best book I have seen. I don't know why, but some books read like a foreign language and Bluman's is statistics for normal people. Learn the terminology well, if you don't know one tiny term you will goof up a whole problem.
I'd say give it a try. It's a lot of reading and sifting out useless stuff, but I am very comfortable understanding studies now.
Code_VSA
96 Posts
I agree with RN2BDFW....it is cumulative, don't miss a class and DO the homework.
I took Stats for my BSN....flunked it with a big fat "F". I didn't miss a class and I did the homework. I have had trouble with math since the 3rd grade. I also had two other degrees, had a solid GPA 3.0. With Stats you might as well have been teaching me some long lost mongo-mongo dialect.
That "F" dropped my GPA like you wouldn't believe.
I needed just that one class for my BSN. Second time around, I took it with the same teacher....so he knew I was serious and this was a do or die situation. I also had my husband, who incidently couldn't spell or read very well but was a whiz at math and physics, take it with me to help tutor me.
He got an "A" on the final. Me....well, I was so nervous and scared, tachycardia, diarrhea, the whole thing....that the very first question I went blank. TOTALLY blank. I could not think. It was horrible.
But, I passed the class with a "C". I would have been happy even with a "D".
Just pick your battles. Try to keep your grades up as high as possible just in case that one class comes along that you simply don't comprehend and are scared in flunking....it's not dishonorable to pass it with a "D" if that's what it takes in the long run to get your degree.
Over the years, not one employer has asked me, "So, what were your grades in school?"