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Welcome to study tips. I hope you find information here that will help you in your journey through nursing school. I also hope that in time, you will add to this blog, in a way that will enrich others academically.

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Sunday, January 17, 2010

1 comments:

Crystal said...

I have used some of these study books as well.

#4 - Study Guide to accompany Lewis Med-Surg Nursing. It is helpful that the material coincides with the chapters that you are studying in the book. Study questions and rationales are beneficial. I found the multiple choice questions were more helpful than the crossword puzzles, matching, case studies, and fill-in-the-blank questions.

#5 - Med-surg sucess - I found these questions were helpful at times. You have to search for the topic areas that you are covering for a test (which can be time consuming). I like how this book gives you the rationale for each answer choice. The rationales not only explain the correct answer, but they explain the reason why the other choices are not the best answer.

I also used "Illustrated Study Guide for the NCLEX-RN Exam" by JoAnn Zerwekh and Jo Carol Claborn. I did not buy this book until the end of the semester, but I found it very helpful. It simplifies the material (breaks it down into an outline form). The book contains some pictures that I found beneficial. There are study questions to follow each section. There are not a lot of study questions for each section, but the book comes with a CD-ROM that has additional questions. The rationales do not always tell you why the other answers are wrong.

I know that some other students have enjoyed the "Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination". This book also provides an outline view of the topics which simplifies the information and points out important information. These study questions are VERY helpful.

Good luck studying! :)

Crystal Webster
GBANS President

Monday, January 11, 2010

Assesing your learning style

ASSESSING YOUR LEARNING STYLE
Activity
Column 1-visual
Column 2- auditory
Column 3-tactile/kinesthetic

1. While I try to concentrate…
C1) I grow distracted by clutter or movement, and I notice things in my visual field that other
people don't
C2) I get distracted by sounds, and I prefer to control the amount, and type of noise around me.
C3) I become distracted by commotion, and I tend to retreat inside myself.

2. While I am visualizing…
C1)I see vivid, detailed pictures in my thoughts.
C2)I think in voices and sounds.
C3)I see images in my thoughts that involve movement.

3. When I talk to someone…
C1)I dislike listening for very long.
C2)I enjoy listening, or I may get impatient to talk.
C3)I gesture and use expressive movements.

4. When I contact people…
C1) I prefer face-to-face meetings.
C2) I prefer speaking by telephone for intense conversations.
C3) I prefer to interact while walking or participating in some activity.

5. When I see an acquaintance…
C1) I tend to forget names but usually remember faces, and I can usually remember where we
met
C2) I tend to remember people’s names and can usually remember what we discussed.
C3) I tend to remember what we did together and may almost “feel” our time together.

6. When I am relaxing…
C1) I prefer to watch TV, see a play, or go to a movie.
C2) I prefer to listen to the radio, play music, read, or talk with a friend.
C3) I prefer to play sports, make crafts, or build something with my hands.

7. While I am reading…
C1) I like descriptive scenes and may pause to imagine the action.
C2) I enjoy the dialogue most and can “hear” the characters talking.
C3) I prefer action stories, but I rarely read for pleasure.

8. When I am spelling…
C1) I try to see the word in my mind or imagine what it would look like on paper.
C2) I sound out the word, sometimes aloud, and tend to recall rules about letter order.
C3) I get a feel for the word by writing it out or pretending to type it.

9. When I do something new…
C1) I seek out demonstrations, pictures or diagrams.
C2) I like verbal and written instructions and talking it over with someone else.
C3) I prefer to jump right in to try it, and I will keep trying and try different ways.

10. When I assemble something…
C1) I look at the picture first and then, maybe, read the directions.
C2) I like to read the directions, or I talk aloud as I work.
C3)I usually ignore the directions and figure it out as I go along.

11. When I am interpreting someone’s mood…
C1) I mostly look at his or her facial expression.
C2) I listen to the tone of the voice.
C3) I watch body language.

12. When I teach others how to do something…
C1) I prefer to show them how to do it.
C2) I prefer to tell them or write out how to do it.
C3) I demonstrate how it is done and ask them to try.

TOTAL
Visual:

______________
Auditory:

_______________
Tactile/Kinesthetic:

________________



Visual Learners

You rely heavily on visual cues. You notice your teacher’s mannerisms, expressions, gestures, and body language. Seeing these cues is especially helpful, so sit at the front of the classroom, close to the teacher. You tend to think in pictures and learn well from visual aids such as diagrams, illustrations, tables, videos and hand-outs.

Some Tips:

· In class, take detailed notes and make sketches.

· When studying on your own, draw pictures that relate to the information, make flow charts and concept maps, use flash cards, focus on illustrations and tables in your textbook, and read the captions that accompany them.

· Use mental visualization of the material you are studying and imagine you acting out process.

Auditory Learners

You learn well from traditional lectures and discussion. You listen carefully to your teacher’s vocal pitch, tone, speed, and mannerisms. Material that you struggle with while reading becomes clearer when you hear it.

Some Tips:

· Read the textbook and your notes out loud.

· Tape record the lectures so you can listen to them later. Taping lectures also allows you to listen during class instead of focusing on writing, which is less beneficial for you.

· Work in a study group and discuss material with your teacher and friends.

Tactile Learners

You learn best by actively participating and doing hands-on activities. You may become bored easily in class from sitting still too long and start fidgeting or doodling. You need to do something physical while studying and learning.


Some Tips:

· Try using a marker to highlight important information while you are reading.

· Write out your own notes in class and while reading the textbook. Later, transfer your notes to another book or type them into your computer.

· Draw pictures of appropriate material as you read.

· Build models of anatomical structures using clay or other materials.

· Hold your book and walk while reading.

· Make and use your own flash cards

· Keep your hands and your mind busy together.



Source

Garrett, L.K. (2007). Get Ready for A&P. Study Skills (p5-10). San Fransisco: CA: Pearson Bejamin Cummings.

1
Dear Mentees,

Happy New Year to you all. I wanted to send you an email before you start the Spring semester. I've complied a list of books that have been helpful to previous nursing students, see the list below. I've attached a Learning Style form to help determine what type of learner best suites you and how you can use this information to help you retain what you are learning. Please do not hesitate to email me with any questions or suggestions that would benefit others. I hope you had a wonderful break and see you all in school on Monday.

Sincerely,
Tamara Attis
GBANS - BTN Director
tamara.attis@gamil.com


Helpful Books

Med-surg Success: A Course Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking by Kathryn Cadenhead Colgrove and Judy Callicoatt

Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Success: A Course Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Success) by Cathy Melfi Curtis, MSN, RN-BC, and Audra Baker Fegley

Fundamentals Success: A Course Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking, Second edition (Davis's Success) by Patricia M. Nugent and Barbara A. Vitale

Pharmacology Success: A Course Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Success) by Ray A. Hargrove-Huttel and Kathryn Cadenhead Colgrove

Nursing Student Success Made Incredibly Easy! (Incredibly Easy! Series) by Springhouse

Nursing Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy! (Incredibly Easy! Series) by Springhouse

Pathophysiology Made Incredibly Easy! (Incredibly Easy! Series) by Springhouse

Hurst Reviews Pathophysiology Review by Marlene Hurst

Hurst Reviews NCLEX-RN Review by Marlene Hurst

Medical-Surgical Nursing: Reviews and Rationales (Prentice Hall Nursing Reviews & Rationales Series) by Mary Ann Hogan and Tomas Madayag

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN (R) Examination Full Color Reprint by Linda Anne Silvestri MSN RN

Prentice Hall's Reviews & Rationales: Comprehensive NCLEX-RN(R) Review by Mary Ann Hogan

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Book reviews Med surg I &II

Book That helped with my study
Medsurg: Adult health I

1) Kaplan NCLEX RN 2010 with CD
PROS:
great step by step test taking skills
two comprehensive NCLEx style exams

CONS:
Not grouped into nursing topics
Time consuming
Not a comprehensive review

2) NCLEX 4000 software

PROS:
excellent comprehensive review
over 4000 questions
grouped into categories or patient care
test taking in study mode( with rationals) and test mode(without rationales)
DO not need CD every time you use it.

CON:
Needs about 100MB space

3) AACN certification and Core review for high acuity and critical care

PROS:
multiple trauma questions that need critical thinking and prioritization
Contains 3 separate exams in one book
Answers with rationales

CONS:
Questions are not sorted out according to topics
Some questions are of a higher level of understanding for a nursing student
The CD that comes with it does not have a study mode setting for the exams


4) Study Guide to accompany Lewis medical surgical nursing 7th

PROS:
Great study questions
Rationales have reference pages from the Text book
Can be time consuming

CONS:
Some questions are more patho than nursing application

5)Medsurg Success
PROS:
Good knowledge based questions
Questions are grouped into sub categories per nursing topics
Answers have rationales

CONS:
Questions are too easy,definitely does not develop ones critical thinking skills

Hope this helps
Ojong Klages
GBANS Webmaster

Spring 2010

Hello everyone
Welcome to study tips.This a forum created by GBANS webmaster where students can log on, ask questions, share study tips and test taking skills. Please email me with any questions and I will be glad to answer them.
To post on this blog, please remember to include you student email account as proof. I will not post any comment that is not from a GBCN student.

sincerely
Ojong KLages
Webmaster