What do I
need to know?
What do I
need to know?
“What do I need to study?”
• This is one of the more popular questions as
you all settle in and start to look around.
• So, let’s see if this slide show will help.
Make Friends
• First of all, we recommend study groups.
Several heads are better than one, and
practicing, rehearsing, and reviewing the
materials is easier in a group.
• Snacks don’t hurt either, as long as they’re
healthy.
“Where can I find helpful
information?”
• Course pages in evolve
• http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/winstah
• http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mccabes/facult
y%20course%20page%202007.htm
• Course documents, paperwork, hints and
announcements.
• All those packets that you got at the
bookstore.
NUR 133 STUDY GUIDELINES
putting the pieces together…
Wondering
• You are staring at all the resources in front of
you and wondering…
• “What is MOST Important? Where do I start?”
• Right?
First
• Your first best resource is that lab manual that
you were invited to download at the
beginning of the semester. It has the reading
lists for lecture and lab.
• The reading lists give you the topics for each
week, along with links to help you prepare for
the lessons, AND textbook chapter readings.
• There are also links to videos that illustrate
topics and skills for all you visual learners.
• Yes, the course exams include the material
from lab and clinical, too.
Iggy
• The textbook: This is your second resource.
• Reading the assignments before lecture will
absolutely help.
• Use the content maps to help you outline the topics
– keep reading this ppt. for more information about
this.
• Use the study guide to help you reinforce the
information and start to apply it. Plus, it has practice
questions with the answers.
• Bring your textbook to lecture, lab, and clinical. Gee,
bring it everywhere.
Packets from the Bookstore
• Lecture Notes: This has copies of some of the
handouts/files that are posted in Evolve. Yes, there is
a lot of duplication, but we have to provide the
materials in the bookstore. Look here for some
powerpoints and handy algorithms.
• Addendum: This has a copy of almost every piece of
paper that you will need for lab and clinical.
• LAB NOTES: By now you are getting used to using the
lab notes to guide your lab experience. If any of you
would like to review with us, individually or in small
groups, please make an appointment or come visit
during our office hours.
One more lab info slide
• The labs are new and different. We are expecting you
to prepare BEFORE you come to lab so that you can
participate and practice.
• Think through the scenario, look up the terms that
you don’t know, watch the videos of the skills you
will need to learn, work on the calculations in Pickar,
etc.
• Notice all of the action verbs above – this is called
active learning and we are prodding you to
participate.
• You will use all of your resources in lab.
Here fishy, fishy
• This is not about feeding you fish, this is about
teaching you to fish so that you can feed
yourselves.
• In academic terms, we are teaching you how
to find and evaluate your resources, use them
to your benefit, and become lifelong learners.
• No worms.
• These are essential nursing skills.
More equipment:
• References that should be readily
available when reading the college
text:
–Dictionary
–Drug guide
–Nursing diagnosis book
–These could all be in a PDA or iPhone
Why?
• Nursing and medicine are new languages and
these resources will help you translate until
you become more fluent.
• If you don’t look up the words that you don’t
know, what are the odds that those are the
ones that will be on the test?
• Or, the diagnosis of the patient that you need
to care for?
EVOLVE Website
• This course site provides us with a place to put
announcements and course materials that
shelter them from the WWW. However, we
still need to post some things on the web, so
that is why there are materials in both places.
• Within the next few semesters, more of your
courses will have web components, so this is
your chance to get used to it.
• Using the web and a course management
system, like EVOLVE, are important skills for
nurses.
Why?
• An example: a sweet relative of mine will be
having a CABG (yes, look it up) this week. He is
over 75, and his surgeon gave him a website
to view that describes his surgery in detail,
offers him suggestions on how he can prepare
for it and manage post-operatively, and gives
him a link to a support group. If he didn’t
know how to maneuver around, I’d be the one
to show him – because I’m the nurse!
ATI
• The ATI package offers study materials and learning
reinforcements (my term). Early in the semester, we
recommend looking up the key disorder topics as
another way of reviewing the material.
• Use the DVD’s to view the lab skills. See one, do one,
teach one.
• We will be giving you codes for practice assessments
later in the semester – an opportunity to do more
questions.
• The ATI assessment (test) that you will take in the lab
later in the semester is worth 5% of your grade.
DOWNLOADS
• Iggy and Jarvis both have
audio (mp3) files that can
be downloaded to your computer,
mp3 player, or iPod/iPhone.
• These include heart & lung sounds,
assessments and chapter summaries.
• There are some animations, too.
READING STRATEGIES
Knowledge and comprehension
Preparation before class
– Study timeline
» Schedule daily study periods onto reading
list
» Know how you learn best
• Learner style and limitations
• meet with faculty to discuss
strategies
• Rewriting the text as written is
not effective use of time
Approach to reading
» scan headings and subheadings before the start
of reading session
• a heading when turned into a question is
answered by the list of subheadings
» starting the reading session
• turn the heading into a question
• read the passage to answer the question
• highlight only information that answers
the question
• repeat for each heading and subheading
» review your reading
• reread the highlighted information
• reading aloud
• reading into a tape recorder
• allows for review at a later time
Content map for med/surg topics
Use these to help you outline
– definition
– pathophysiology
– incidence and etiology
– clinical manifestations
– lab/diagnostics used to confirm the disease/disorder
– collaborative care
» procedures/surgical interventions
» lifestyle modifications
• diet, activity etc
» medications
– Nursing diagnoses/collaborative problems
– nursing interventions
– evaluation of outcomes
Managing information that is not understood
• use of faculty resources
• appointment during office hours
• use of other resources
• patient resources
• learn topics from a patient
perspective
• written in simpler language
• education sheets and online
information from HON sites
• nursing references
• learn topics from other
professional sources
• current med/surg nursing texts
• nursing journal articles
• participation in class
– review handouts prior to class
– seek clarification of information not understood
» submit a question in writing to professor
• debriefment after class
– review of lecture material
» compare lecture material to written references
• approach it slide by slide
• find reference in text book that
correlates to lecture information
• helps to make connections
• develops use of multiple references
PREPARING FOR EXAMS
Confirm your comprehension of material through
content maps for med/surg topics, procedures or
skills, and medications.
Make up your own questions or use the practice
questions in your resources.
Content Map for procedures/skills
Focus on the client education for the procedure,
before, during and after
-- definition
– indications
– preparation
– procedural steps
– complications
– evaluation of client response
Use content map as a tool to measure recall of
information that you can explain in your own
words.
• practice explaining it to a patient
• practice explaining it to a health care
professional
Content map for Medications
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What are the indications?
What is the therapeutic effect?
What are the side effects?
What are the contraindications?
What are the patient teaching points/nursing
considerations?
THINK…
• What does the nurse need to know to safely
and competently give a medication?
• What does the nursing student need to say to
the client about the medication that makes
the client feel comfortable taking the
medication?
Medications:
• Study them by drug classification:
Review the charts in Iggy & Study Guide,
Lilley, too.
Be familiar with the medications used in the
case studies.
Know your test-taking skills
• Test taking strategy software in lab,
in the study tips folder in evolve, &
ATI resources.
• NCLEX – style questions in Iggy
resources.
• Test taking tips chapter in NCLEX
review books.
Evaluation of preparation
• Answering practice questions
– Practice question sources
» Website for text
• Self assessment quizzes organized
according to chapter
» NCLEX review books organized according
topic
» NCLEX software in computer lab
» ATI practice questions
– take care of yourself
» rest, diet, exercise, relaxation techniques
What are the exams like?
In 75 minutes
• ~ 50 multiple-choice questions
• Some are information-based questions…
• Many are scenario-based questions…
[Asking you to apply the information you’ve
learned.]
There are usually some calculation questions, too.
TIME
“This seems like it will take a lot of
time.”
• This is TRUE. Studying Nursing takes a lot of
time, effort, energy, commitment, and
practice. You are investing in your future and
the lives of your patients. Please give yourself
the time that you need to become a good
nursing student who can then become a great
registered nurse.
The Faculty
• Your lecturers, lab instructors, and clinical instructors
are all here to help.
• Make appointments, ask questions, email, or come
during our office hours.
• Wednesday afternoons, Prof W. is usually around &
willing to come down to the lab.
• Thursday afternoons, we can be available with prior
notice because of faculty meetings.
• Once the snow thaws, if there is interest, we can
open the lab for a few Saturday mornings for skills
practice.
If it was easy, it wouldn’t be nursing!
•