Module 3 Test Anxiety Study Techniques 1

Test Anxiety Learning Styles Study environment Using A&P

Where does it come from?

– Our negative thoughts! “I can’t do this” “It’s too much information” “The teachers never taught this to me, how can I be expected to know it?”

Where does it come from? – Our negative thoughts! “I can’t do this” “It’s too much information” “The teachers never taught this to me, how can I be expected to know it” “I’ll never pass!” “And I’ll never become an RN!”

How does our Test Anxiety influence us?

How much time do you spend on negative thoughts about nursing school? How much time do you spend on positive thoughts about nursing school?

Reduce Test Anxiety using the 3 R’s: – Realize your negative thoughts – Remove your negative thoughts – Replace with positive thoughts

Step 1: Thought Stopping – Rubber band technique Step 2: Thought Replacing – Replace negative thoughts with positive, realistic thoughts

Repeat positive phrase Morning and Night Post-it Notes Mirror Message Lunch Message

Week One – Same number of thoughts, Less time spent on them Week Two – Less number of thoughts, AND Less time spent on them!

Lecture Reading Audio-visual Demonstration Discussion Practice by doing Teach others/Immediate application Beck et al. 2001

5% Lecture 10% Reading 20% Audio-visual 30% Demonstration 50% Discussion 75% Practice by doing 90% Teach others/Immediate application

Tactile (Kinesthetic) Auditory Visual

Tactile (Kinesthetic) – Walking/moving hands while reviewing – Drawing/Modeling – Feeling (on yourself, or a willing friend) Auditory Visual

Tactile (Kinesthetic) Auditory – Vango Notes – Talking out loud (or just moving your lips) – Read textbook (voice in head…) – Recording – Lecture Visual

Tactile (Kinesthetic) Auditory Visual – Draw pictures/diagrams – Read text, look at pictures – Create charts

Environment Distractions Study tools

Environment Distractions Study tools If you Fail to Plan, you Plan to Fail!

Lighting Noise level Comfort Distractions Resources

What gets YOU? – – Texting – Phone calls – Kids – Being tired – Being hungry (or eating too much junk!)

What gets YOU? – – Texting – Phone calls – Kids – Being tired – Being hungry (or eating too much junk!) What can you do about it? – Remember Tyranny of the Urgent?

What do you need to study?

Textbooks – (Anatomy & Physiology) – Medical-Surgical – Maternity – Pediatrics – Psychiatric – Fundamentals – Drug Guide – Medical Dictionary – Nursing Diagnosis Handbook – Manual of Diagnostic and Lab Tests – ONE NCLEX Review Book (not 10!)

Textbooks – (Anatomy & Physiology) – Medical-Surgical – Maternity – Pediatrics – Psychiatric – Fundamentals – Drug Guide – Medical Dictionary – Nursing Diagnosis Handbook – Manual of Diagnostic and Lab Tests – ONE NCLEX Review Book (not 10!)

Textbooks – (Anatomy & Physiology) – Medical-Surgical – Maternity – Pediatrics – Psychiatric – Fundamentals – Drug Guide – Medical Dictionary – Nursing Diagnosis Handbook – Manual of Diagnostic and Lab Tests – ONE NCLEX Review Book (not 10!)

Textbooks – (Anatomy & Physiology) – Medical-Surgical – Maternity – Pediatrics – Psychiatric – Fundamentals – Drug Guide – Medical Dictionary – Nursing Diagnosis Handbook – Manual of Diagnostic and Lab Tests – ONE NCLEX Review Book (not 10!)

Textbooks – (Anatomy & Physiology) – Medical-Surgical – Maternity – Pediatrics – Psychiatric – Fundamentals – Drug Guide – Medical Dictionary – Nursing Diagnosis Handbook – Manual of Diagnostic and Lab Tests – ONE NCLEX Review Book (not 10!)

How do I know if I need to review? When is the best time to review? How much or how long should I review?

How do I know if I need to review? – Can you explain the anatomy to a classmate? How about a non-nursing student? – Are you fuzzy on the secretions of that system? – Has it been a looooong time since you thought about it? – Can you make an educated guess as to what would happen if that organ stopped working?

When is the best time to review? – At the beginning of a new unit During Med-Surg when you cover your first GI disorder When you start GI in Pediatrics – When you come across something you don’t understand OR don’t have an obvious explanation for WHY does that problem cause that symptom? i.e. Why do you see weight loss in Crohn’s disease, but not in Ulcerative Colitis?

How much or how long should I review? – Start with an overview of the system Reminds you of what you don’t know – Identify the functions – Identify secretions (hormones, enzymes, etc) – Spend short amount of time at beginning of each study session (15 minutes) Also refer back while studying disease Continue until you are confident teaching the A&P to someone else!

How to Review – Sketch system “flow” – Identify/label major parts – Explain function of each part – Memorize major secretions (hormones, proteins, enzymes, etc) Memorize their function – Relate organ to multiple systems