Organize your knowledge by body system (cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, etc.). Understand normal anatomy/physiology first, then learn how diseases disrupt normal function and what nursing interventions restore balance.
Don't just memorize symptoms - understand WHY they occur. If you know heart failure causes fluid backup, then monitoring daily weights, I&O, and lung sounds becomes logical rather than random tasks to remember.
Learn what to assess FIRST for each condition. Post-op patients: check airway and breathing. Chest pain: vital signs and pain characteristics. Diabetic: blood glucose and mental status. Priority assessments save lives.
Memorize lab values that require immediate action: K+ <3.0 or >5.0, glucose <70 or >400, Hgb <7, platelets <50,000. Know which values are life-threatening and what nursing actions to take immediately.
Use case studies to practice the nursing process: Assess → Diagnose → Plan → Implement → Evaluate. Think through scenarios: "My patient has these symptoms... what could be wrong... what should I do first?"
💪 Pro Tip: Create "cheat sheets" linking common symptoms to priority nursing actions for quick reference!
