What's Realistic?

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

A good rule of thumb to tell my students. For every hour of lecture in class, they need to spend__________ hours per weeks studying. Need your opinion on this one. Don't want to scare them, but want to be realistic about the time needed to really learn the material and to succeed (ours is an ADN program and this is the "roughest" semester). Thanks for your advice/ opinions:kiss

[PJMommy]

I think it depends so much on the class. An estimate of what I spent (and I received good grades):

An hour in lecture = 1-2 hours studying, reading, prep for exams

A full 8 hour clinical day = 5 hours of prep and post-clinical paperwork.

My disclaimer -- I only occasionally read the "required readings" for class. Three hundred pages a week wasn't reasonable so I'd just read those sections where I felt weak or didn't completely understand the material in lecture. Someone who reads everything could easily spend another 1 or 2 hours just reading.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Thanks!

[live4today, RN]

Hi Vicky :)

That's so hard to determine for me since I ate, slept, and breathed textbooks the entire time I was in college. Those books went to bed with me, woke up with me, nearly bathed with me, definitely went to the potty with me, had mealtimes with me, and even went on vacation with me. Wherever I went, the books went. :chuckle

Some students comprehend material better than others and don't need as much out-of-classroom study time, so the amount of time each student needs to study would be dependent on that fact. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about "quick retention" of material as that was not my forte...EVER! :chuckle Unfortunately! (sigh)

For the students who really struggle to stay on top of things, I wouldn't advise studying more than two hours at a time without a break; possibly putting down the books for the night (day). It's one thing to READ material, and a totally different thing to RECALL (retain) what is read. That's a real fact for many students....young and old alike.

I am a visual person. You may have students in your class that are all visual. You have students who are true bookworms and retain everything. Those students pass test well, but the true nature of their learning process comes in application. That is where your "visual students" will come into play. They...like me...learn better when what I've read is finally applied, and then it "clicks"......Yeahhhh...I get it now!

So, when you are trying to give helpful study habits to your students, please keep in mind there is more than one type of student in a class, and possibly speak to them one on one to determine what their study needs are.

One way of getting a good feel for how your students study best is to have a closed box on your desk where each student can place their study habits and needs for assistance in grasping the material better. That way, none of them are embarrassed and the ones struggling the most will be assured of total privacy with this matter between themselves and you (their instructor). (I've taught before...I learned this was a good way to handle it with my former students.) Good luck!

[Keysnurse2008]

I think 3 hours of study is reasonable.this is not a class where they can briefly review lecture and "grasp" some of the content.To be a competent nurse they need to thoroughly understand that it takes time, and dedication to KNOW the content,and if they cant handle it they need to bail NOW before they squeeze by, graduate and become a burden to other competent nurses.Dont be too worried about scaring them with study hours....if they cant handle that how are they going to handle a true crisis with a patient.???

[gaulkari]

I spent two to three hours every night and four to six hours on the weekends all through nursing school. I was a B student.

[Jolie, BSN]

My rule of thumb was to do required reading prior to the lecture so that I at least had some idea of what the lecture would be about, and could ask intelligent questions.

After class, I would re-copy my lecture notes that same day, while the info was fresh in my mind, and I could remember what my "shorthand" meant. That really helped to solidify material in my mind. When test time rolled around, I'd try to review a little bit each night for about a week in advance.

In my experience, success in nursing school had much more to do with motivation and discipline than raw intelligence. I saw some very smart students flunk out and some mediocre ones succeed thru hard work.

[Noney]

There should be no rule of thumb. Evreyone learns different. I personally spent considerably less time studing then want was reccommended one of my friends spent considerably more time. I would say we're about the same now two years later. We work in different parts of the hospital, but we would still make a good team.

Tell your students that they are are all different.

Noney