What can an LPN student do to get ahead?

Glenna, LPN · Nov 25, 2011

This is a little hard to give you pointers as to where to start studying without having a syllabus. Although...maybe you could get your hands on an NCLEX-PN (Pearson Cram or Saunders) book and start answering questions. Most of your exams that you will have in school will be in that kind of format. Maybe if you get used to answering questions even if you get them wrong, it will start getting you in the right mindset.

Once you start school and you have that syllabus in your hands, do as much homework as you can. When we would have an extra day off from school or a holiday I would work on as much homework for the term to get them all done. That way weekly you can just focus on reading the chapters then stressing to get all these pages of homework finished. Then when the weeks pass and you sit down to study, you can be like, hey I remember reading this a few weeks ago. I found it taking the edge off study time. That is just me.

Weekly I would try to facter in some sort of stress relier. Mine was going to the gym. Also don't put too much pressure on yourself because you will be under enough stress as it is. If you do fail an exam, that is okay, you will learn from it and do better the next time. It is, what it is. I learned this the hard way. If you studied your chapters you will do fine.

I hope this helps.

Leesha · Nov 26, 2011

I would brush up on math for sure because it is a huge part of what you need to know. I know that with my program in particular they never offered a nursing math class which is unfortunate because many students struggle with it. I also agree with the previous poster with regards to an NCLEX review book so that you can do some practice questions. It never hurts to practice because the questions don't necessarily test you on your knowledge as much as they do on test taking strategies.

Best of luck to you :)

Cuddleswithpuddles · Nov 27, 2011

Being eight years out of school, I'm more than a little intimidated by the prospect of going back, and going back in an intense way -- an accelerated LPN program. It starts in January, and I won't even get my list of textbooks needed for several weeks. In the meantime, I don't want to spend the next month and a half twiddling my thumbs. Is there anything in particular I can be studying, reviewing or getting acquainted with that will aid me in my first few courses? And on that note, what does the first part of an LPN course usually entail? Whatever it is, I definitely want to brush up on it and be as prepared as possible. Failure is not an option!

Hello,

Congratulations for entering a LPN program!

I would email the instructors or talk to someone in the department to get the syllabi and book lists early. Never failed for me. If that does not work, you can ask to get in touch with a current or former student and ask them questions not just about what books will be used in the program but study tips in general.

NCLEX books are mostly geared towards people who have a basic grasp of the material and just need a refresher. Some concepts may be hard to understand with these books' bare bones outlines. Go to a bookstore and browse the nursing section. Find books you connect with and are easy to understand.

Go to Youtube and search for videos of fundamental nursing procedures like transferring patients and catheterizations.

The only caveat I offer is be flexible. Nurses, like all other professionals, have different ways of doing things and different opinions about many matters. Do not hold on tightly to things you learn to get ahead. You may find that the "official" nursing textbooks of your program have slightly different numbers, ranges and details than the ones you've bought for yourself. Most nursing professors recognize that there are many roads that lead to Rome but there are a few who are very strict and particular about how you do a procedure. Do not box yourself in with the knowledge you have acquired in advance.

Good luck!

jimthorp · Nov 27, 2011

I would brush up on math for sure because it is a huge part of what you need to know. I know that with my program in particular they never offered a nursing math class which is unfortunate because many students struggle with it. I also agree with the previous poster with regards to an NCLEX review book so that you can do some practice questions. It never hurts to practice because the questions don't necessarily test you on your knowledge as much as they do on test taking strategies.
Best of luck to you :)

Good advice but I am wondering what "nursing math" is. Med, IV, TF calculations are all just basic algebra. Brush up on your algebra.

To get into the PN program at my school you had to have a certain grade level in math so it's beyond my why so many nursing students struggle with it, yet they do.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

It depends on if your school required prereqs to get into the program. If they did, I'd review your textbooks for those prereqs.

If your *prereqs* are incorporated into the program as coreqs, I'd study medical terminology, basic anatomy, nursing math/unit equations/fractions/basic basic algebra, CNA related stuff on patient care and hygeine/safety.

Maybe read an NCLEX LPN review book to get an idea on what things you will need to leearn in school to pass that test and study things related to those issues.

HTH!

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

Good advice but I am wondering what "nursing math" is. Med, IV, TF calculations are all just basic algebra. Brush up on your algebra.
To get into the PN program at my school you had to have a certain grade level in math so it's beyond my why so many nursing students struggle with it, yet they do.

Don't let med math frighten you. The only algebra you will use is to solve for a missing number. The sticky notes on the various Allnurses websites about med math, pharm, etc. could be very helpful to you. The suggestion that you get a good LVN/LPN NCLEX book is good, but it should be a comprehensive book. This means it has sections for reviewing the nursing material as well as questions/answers and rationales.

The first thing you will need to know is the nursing basics. You may be able to find fundamentals of nursing on Google books. Since it is online, you can review the basics: vitals, moving a pt, making a bed, etc.

AshleyinSTL · Dec 2, 2011

Acid-base balance! That seems to be in all of my classes! And yeah, med math is easy cheese. I'm 10 years out of high school and I was terrible at math in school, and I'm doing just fine. I was just saying in another post that knowing the body systems is really helpful, esp cardiovascular. Good luck!