Which/Any Study Aides Needed?

There are so many nursing study aides out there! Which are best for the 1st semester, Fundamentals of Nursing/Skills? What role should they play in relation to textbooks? Does anyone skip them and just read, take notes, make study outlines/cards, and study on their owm without buying extra products?

What references are must haves?

[janetrette]

1st semester is tricky!!! i would recommend saunders as an overall reference to study for the later... i brought a nurse test for foundamentals of nursing during my 1st semester to study for the final. it's a book of questions. maybe you should hang out in b&n ask for some help!!! sorry couldn't help much. :balloons:

[Granted Fal]

I think your learning style really comes into play on what you use to study... If you don't learn well using flash cards then choose another style. What worked well for me: I personally got a lot from the index card method because they're portable and you can use them in the car or at work or whatever. Always make the information from general to specific so you're not rewriting the entire text on your notecard. Take tons of notes even if you don't look at them again, the writing helps me engrain the material. Tape the class if the teacher allows and crash with it or listen to it in the car till you're sick of it, or whenever the occasion permits. I would also suggest to just buy the minimum texts for the class and then buy any supplemental books as you see the need arise for them. I got ripped a few times, especially if you take the shrink wrap off and the bookstore guy tells you he can't honor a return since you unwrapped it.... goodbye 50 bucks, hello book you'll probably never use... good luck to you, hoped this helped some....

There are so many nursing study aides out there! Which are best for the 1st semester, Fundamentals of Nursing/Skills? What role should they play in relation to textbooks? Does anyone skip them and just read, take notes, make study outlines/cards, and study on their owm without buying extra products?

What references are must haves?

[truern]

I like to supplement my text with a good NCLEX-RN review book...I've even spotted a question or two directly from some on tests :)

[peds4now, RN]

Thank you for the replies. I think I will play it by ear at first with just the required texts. (I can always order add'l stuff online at 2am if necessary...) You're right about learning style. For me, the act of writing notes and the brainpower involved in creating good flashcards is where I really learn.

I think your learning style really comes into play on what you use to study... If you don't learn well using flash cards then choose another style. What worked well for me: I personally got a lot from the index card method because they're portable and you can use them in the car or at work or whatever. Always make the information from general to specific so you're not rewriting the entire text on your notecard. Take tons of notes even if you don't look at them again, the writing helps me engrain the material. Tape the class if the teacher allows and crash with it or listen to it in the car till you're sick of it, or whenever the occasion permits. I would also suggest to just buy the minimum texts for the class and then buy any supplemental books as you see the need arise for them. I got ripped a few times, especially if you take the shrink wrap off and the bookstore guy tells you he can't honor a return since you unwrapped it.... goodbye 50 bucks, hello book you'll probably never use... good luck to you, hoped this helped some....