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What is a challenge you faced when studying nursing?
Well right now, I'm a Junior in high school and trying to get more advice over nursing.
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Sandra’s Answer
Hi Stephanie,
The main challenge I faced while studying as a nurse was finding a study group; however, knowing your strengths and weaknesses is the key attribute to your nursing school journey and survival; knowing myself as an independent person, as my strength for surviving nursing school, is what got me through it. It is important to be prepared to adjust accordingly to what you lack or address your weakness/s and use the strengths you have such as in my case, independence and self-efficiency, without the need of a study group to succeed in nursing school.
The main challenge I faced while studying as a nurse was finding a study group; however, knowing your strengths and weaknesses is the key attribute to your nursing school journey and survival; knowing myself as an independent person, as my strength for surviving nursing school, is what got me through it. It is important to be prepared to adjust accordingly to what you lack or address your weakness/s and use the strengths you have such as in my case, independence and self-efficiency, without the need of a study group to succeed in nursing school.
Updated
Savannah’s Answer
Hello Stephanie!
The best advice, that I would've given to myself before entering college, is to learn HOW you study best. The sooner you learn that, the better. Some people do better by recording lectures and re-listening later on, some by typing up really good notes during lectures, some by writing notes by hand, etc. Some do really well studying in big groups, while others can get distracted. I learned quickly that I was a slow writer, and thus I needed to type my notes. My professors allowed me to record notes, so I would go home and re-listen to topics that maybe I didn't understand the first time or didn't type quick enough in my notes. It really helps to have examples for everything! Sometimes I would use catchy phrases or mnemonics to help me remember as well. You just have to learn what works best for yourself.
That being said, it is also important that you find balance. Nursing school can easily take over your life, but it is difficult to be successful if you're ignoring your mental health, or even your physical health. Find time to spend with family, enjoy hobbies that you love, and exercise, because it will help you in the long run.
Never be scared to go talk to professors. They might seem scary in a big class with others, but they will genuinely appreciate you taking the time understand content. More than likely, this will also help you with the material as well.
The best advice, that I would've given to myself before entering college, is to learn HOW you study best. The sooner you learn that, the better. Some people do better by recording lectures and re-listening later on, some by typing up really good notes during lectures, some by writing notes by hand, etc. Some do really well studying in big groups, while others can get distracted. I learned quickly that I was a slow writer, and thus I needed to type my notes. My professors allowed me to record notes, so I would go home and re-listen to topics that maybe I didn't understand the first time or didn't type quick enough in my notes. It really helps to have examples for everything! Sometimes I would use catchy phrases or mnemonics to help me remember as well. You just have to learn what works best for yourself.
That being said, it is also important that you find balance. Nursing school can easily take over your life, but it is difficult to be successful if you're ignoring your mental health, or even your physical health. Find time to spend with family, enjoy hobbies that you love, and exercise, because it will help you in the long run.
Never be scared to go talk to professors. They might seem scary in a big class with others, but they will genuinely appreciate you taking the time understand content. More than likely, this will also help you with the material as well.
Updated
Kimberly’s Answer
Nursing school was hard for me because of the way I think. What do I mean by that? I consider myself a straightforward, logical person. When training for the healthcare field, you take several science classes and math classes. When it comes to learning and taking tests, there are definitive answers. Answers are either right or wrong. In nursing school, you will find that this dichotomy does not exist. There are a lot of grey areas, and most of your answers start with the qualifier "Well, it depends." It took me a long time to realize that. However, once I figured that out, I became a better student.
For example, suppose a patient has trouble breathing, and their oxygen saturation is 85% out of 100%. Your instinct tells you to grab the oxygen tank and tubing and turn it to the max. However, if the patient has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), that is probably not the best answer. You can end up doing more harm than good. The best solution depends on the health history of the patient and the answer choices. In this scenario, we would set the oxygen rate at 2 Liters per minute and give a rescue inhaler such as albuterol. I hope this helps. ---Kimberly S, RN
For example, suppose a patient has trouble breathing, and their oxygen saturation is 85% out of 100%. Your instinct tells you to grab the oxygen tank and tubing and turn it to the max. However, if the patient has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), that is probably not the best answer. You can end up doing more harm than good. The best solution depends on the health history of the patient and the answer choices. In this scenario, we would set the oxygen rate at 2 Liters per minute and give a rescue inhaler such as albuterol. I hope this helps. ---Kimberly S, RN
Updated
Warda’s Answer
The hardest part about nursing school is the required time that you need to study and complete your studies and homeworks. I was working through nursing school and had a child which made it hard for me sometimes to keep up with all the required studying time. I was also going through some rough patch in my marriage which made things even harder. my advice to you is to find the best study group and do as many practice exams as you can.
Updated
Jacinda’s Answer
The hardest part of nursing school is the time it requires. You need time to complete class studies, papers, skills labs, and clinical. It can be done. I did it with two very young children and commuting five days a week around 125 miles round trip. If you can shadow a nurse at work, significant exposure to the career would be great. Most nurses are passionate about the nursing field and are more than happy to provide exposure to a young person interested in becoming a nurse.
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