What works for you with studying

Soo after realizing that studying straight from powerpoints and 1 NCLEX-RN book (Saunders, even) wasn't getting me more than C+s on exams, I took a different approach and I felt like it worked. I highlighted the crap out of my book, made flashcards, and used the course website. I took tons of practice questions and read through several online study guides both geared towards patients and health professionals. Yesterday was the day before my exam and instead of studying all day, including right after clinicals, I took a nap, got all of the non-productiveness out of my system and started really focusing on what I didn't know. I went through my patho notes from last semester (this exam was med-surg, focused on GI, diabetes, and obesity) and studyed up until 0300 this morning. I slept in until 0800 and just now took my exam. The past two exams I took, it felt like I hadn't retained any information and didn't understand the big picture. This morning I had clarity and even if I didn't quite know the right answer to the question, I was able to knock out the poor choices or the ones that sounded similar. They also threw some delegation questions at us, which was new. Just thought I'd let y'all know something you probably already know: study however you work best and if something doesn't work, there's always time to try something new. Also...caffeine is my new best friend. Here's to fellow night owls!

[tachybradyRN]

As a general point of view for me, study groups have helped immeasurably. Not only am I focusing on what I need to know, but I'm helping my friends get down what they need to know, and teaching them what I know is a great way to cement it down for myself. Also helps me keep focused and a little laughter lightens things up. I'm in a group of 4-7 students (depending on who's available) and we meet once a week (sometimes twice if it's a test week) at libraries, Barnes and Nobles, Starbucks, etc... I've really learned a lot from working with them. But then again, I'm a social learner and a group studier, and this technique wouldn't work for someone who requires absolute quiet and concentration to learn.

[pinkiepie_RN]

So of course it's my luck that exam scores are in and although I definitely thought I knew the material well enough to get a B, I got a 78% which is the same score I got on the last exam.

Anyone have ideas as to how studying for an "A" is different than studying for a "C+"? I feel like I'm putting in alot of time studying and my grade is actually the same as the class average, but I'm not seeing results. I was alot happier and more confident taking this exam but I've got a sick feeling that alot of the questions I got wrong were when I had to narrow down two potential options.

[tachybradyRN]

Are you understanding the way the questions are being asked? A lot of our questions are almost designed to trip us up. If you're having problems with the format of the questions or grasping the material, why not ask your professor if he/she would offer some extra help sessions for the class?

[pinkiepie_RN]

Are you understanding the way the questions are being asked? A lot of our questions are almost designed to trip us up. If you're having problems with the format of the questions or grasping the material, why not ask your professor if he/she would offer some extra help sessions for the class?

They actually started doing study sessions before exams but the last one was a bust because the majority of the time was spent analyzing poorly written questions that my instructor pulled out of the test bank and didn't realize that they were misleading until we started the study session. We've got three different lecturers covering material and they all have their own teaching style. The previous exam was focused primarily on tx of disorders and this one was more vague. I think it may be the format of the questions that keeps tripping me up. I have 1 NCLEX book though and the questions in there don't trip me up at all. *scratches head*

[MB37]

I spend a lot of time studying, but I do get As. I don't have a laptop, so I take notes by hand on my powerpoints. At some point between the lecture and the exam, I take the powerpoint and send it to outline format in word. Then I go through it, playing the lecture back again if I have time, and condense it like crazy. I eliminate everything I already know and all the repetitive crap, and add in all the notes I took that I still think are relevant. I also add in anything else they may have mentioned in lecture (i.e. "know each class of meds for disorder X", or "refer to your Fundamentals notes on Y"). For each exam, I get an inch of powerpoints down to 15-20 pages. That's my first step, and it's a really good review for me. Then I do questions. I have 14 NCLEX books, and I use them all, although not for every single exam. Some are specific to one course, others I just don't like as much now that I have better ones. I do about 1000 questions for every single exam, and I'm so used to them and so fast at them that I can do that many in one long day of studying. If that's all the time I have, I'll read through my packet a few more times and then it's off to bed. Everyone really does need to find their own method though, someone else might get straight Fs doing things my way.

[pinkiepie_RN]

I spend a lot of time studying, but I do get As. I don't have a laptop, so I take notes by hand on my powerpoints. At some point between the lecture and the exam, I take the powerpoint and send it to outline format in word. Then I go through it, playing the lecture back again if I have time, and condense it like crazy. I eliminate everything I already know and all the repetitive crap, and add in all the notes I took that I still think are relevant. I also add in anything else they may have mentioned in lecture (i.e. "know each class of meds for disorder X", or "refer to your Fundamentals notes on Y"). For each exam, I get an inch of powerpoints down to 15-20 pages. That's my first step, and it's a really good review for me. Then I do questions. I have 14 NCLEX books, and I use them all, although not for every single exam. Some are specific to one course, others I just don't like as much now that I have better ones. I do about 1000 questions for every single exam, and I'm so used to them and so fast at them that I can do that many in one long day of studying. If that's all the time I have, I'll read through my packet a few more times and then it's off to bed. Everyone really does need to find their own method though, someone else might get straight Fs doing things my way.

How did/can you afford that many NCLEX books?

[MB37]

I've been in nursing school for 12 months. One NCLEX book was bound with my first semester texts and another was highly recommended if you planned on passing our required HESI exams each semester. I've taken two elective NCLEX strategies classes, and the book lists had 5 more on them. The rest I've picked up at a rate of maybe 1 every other month, which really isn't that cost-prohibitive. I think of them as textbooks, and I budget accordingly. If they average $50/book (and I think that's a high estimate, especially if you look online), I've spent $700 on them. Many were required, I use them all, and I get straight As. To me, that's worth it. I bring my own lunch and a big thermos of coffee everyday, so I save at least $20/wk over most of my classmates on those two items alone. School is my top priority at the moment, so it's where my energies and money are focused...

[zilla704]

I write out notes in class and then I type them at home. I used the book and the notes together to make really thorough notes. That helps a ton. Then I have one study partner. We've been together since school started. We follow the same routine, meet at the same place, etc. I find that if we get off of our routine, it messes me up. I can't study in large groups either. It gets me off track and way over stimulated. I never stay up late to study the night before. I've found that a good nights sleep is just as good for me as pulling an all-nighter. Lastly, I never study just before a test i.e., in the morning in the last minutes before. It never fails to confuse me. I'm sure my methods wouldn't work for everybody, but they do for me (I'm a straight A student). The key is to try different things until you find what works best. We do a lot of NCLEX questions as well. We work out of the Saunders book and the Prentice Hall book.

[futurecnm]

I do alll the readings, taking notes while I'm reading. I then study the powerpoints which have my handwritten notes. I go through everything once (my notes and class notes) then I start again and write down everything that I feel that I need to study more. Then I have a condensed version to study from. I go through that many times in the days leading up. I then also do all the Saunders NCLEX questions pertaining to the material, and do the online questions from the book website. I never stay up late to study, midnight at the latest. I have never stayed up late the night before and I very rarely study the day of the exam. It seems to be too much overload for me, I tend to do other things. I may briefly look over notes. I always start studying many days in advance so I dont' feel rushed. I get A's on most of the tests. A couple B's but overall A's in class.