What helped *you* keep it all straight?? Endocrine test coming up....

[emptyboxcars]

We have a big test coming up on Endocrine disorders. I have studied like crazy and I still feel overwhelmed with the amount of information. I have made notecards on all the different pathophysiologies...I took an ATI practice test and got a 70%. I was a little bummed about that. I'd love to buy the Med-Surg Success book, but my local bookstores are sold out. Any suggestions/tips? What helped *you* keep it all straight? Thanks so much in advance!

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

Wow. That's like saying, "how is the earth kept on the its' axis?" The endocrine system is so complex. lol "This hormone promotes this hormone to be released which acts on this organ which effects this function" It's difficult to say without knowing what portions of the endocrine system you're studying. However, let's just assume that you are studying all organs and hormones involved. Big assumption. Some hormones are more common than others when it comes to nursing implications. IE insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, glucocorticoids, ADH, Aldosterone, Simvastatin are commonly encountered. I do have some thoughts in regards to keeping it straight. I imagine you have to do concept maps. If you are familiar with them, before you are like "eww, definitely hate those!" Consider how difficult concepts are arranged in A&P text books. For instance, insulin, glucagon, and counter-regulatory mechanisms will be presented in paragraph form and them they'll present a page or half page of the big picture in a flow chart or concept map format. These pictures help us understand the relationships between difficult concepts. Concept maps are another name fore "mind mapping" Mind mapping is a specific type of note taking that's supposed to better mimic how our memory is arranged. We don't think like how lecture notes are presented or how we write them on notebook paper. Our memory is stored like a child in the grocery store, the child being us and the memory being the goodies. The child walks throughout the store picks up this, that, alittle bit of something over there, and finally the stuff on the bottom until satisfaction. Satisfaction being the thought or piece of memory we are trying to retrieve. While writing straight, linear facts on paper works for some people, a fair amount of people, difficult concepts still fall out of memory or never begin to be understood and correlated when writing in a straight, linear way. So, what you could do, is make a miniature concept map of each hormone your covering, put the hormone in the middle, and draw lines to associated organs that it affects and hormones it promotes release. And, as you become to more competent and comfortable, you could combine them in a bigger one, and even bigger one until you have a relatively broad view of the endocrine system. Also, if you haven't already begun doing this, the name of the hormone, specifically, the prefix, middle portion, or suffix gives us an idea of what the hormone does or what organ it's associated with. Renin, glucagon, ADH, angiotensin are good examples of this. Whenever you don't understand something, try to break it down to it's roots, and that should help your understanding. Note cards are good at general memorization but don't really promote deep concept understanding. I'd save those for general hormone function. IE INSULIN, other side, promotes glucose uptake into the ICF, promotes triglyceride synthesis, inhibits gluconeogenesis and glucoglycolysis. Plus, note cards are very time consuming to create. If you have a smart phone or internet access on your phone, create your note cards on a website (search google for note card creating websites) and access via phone, for mobile studying during those times when you can't haul out your big mountain of books and notes. Hope this helps and good luck.

[on eagles wings, ASN, RN]

I second the mind mapping! Search it on youtube to see examples.

I study stuff using youtube. You can search USMLE algorithms and a ton come up.

Here is one: http://www.youtube.com/user/josephmedman#p/u/1/Ve_UqOqeeLI

[mommyof2Tees]

You mentioned your local bookstores being sold out? Have you tried your local library? Also try Amazon.com or Ebay. They may have the book your looking for and you might be able to get it at a much reasonable cost.

[emptyboxcars]

My local library did not carry it. I was actually able to get teh book at my school library. After all that agonizing, I made a 94% on the test. So, not bad. Thanks for all of your ideas.