These are the actual notes I created to sail through nursing school with a perfect 4.0 GPA. They are by no means perfect, but they are pretty great! I've included them here for you (typos and all) in the hopes that they inspire you to up your note-taking game...or just save you a little time when things get hectic. If you're looking for complete and updated notes for ten core topics in Med Surg 1, you'll love our Med Surg Success Pack!
Med Surg Level 1
- Cardiovascular: CV CV 2
- Immunity and the body's defense mechanisms: Immunity
- Neuro: Neurology Neuro Assessment
- The renal system: Renal and IV therapy
- How the body responds to illness: Stress & Fatigue
Med Surg Level 2
- Arterial blood gas analysis: ABGs ABGs Table
- Blood: Blood Disorders and Transfusion Reactions
- Burns: Burn Burn Objectives
- Coronary artery disease: Coronary Artery Disease
- Cancer: Cancer Cancer Objectives
- EKG/Dysrythmias: EKG Interpretation Atrial Dysrhythmias Ventricular Dysrythmias
- Electrolytes: Electrolyte Imbalances Table
- Endocrine: Endocrine Disorders
- Hemodynamics: Hemodynamics and Shock
- Immune: Immunity
- Inflammatory heart disease: Inflammatory Heart Disease
- Renal: Renal Impairment
- Hepatic: Liver Liver Pathophysiology Liver Objectives
- Mechanical ventilation: Ventilation PIP Mechanical Ventilation Study Sheet Mechanical Vent Table
- Respiratory: Respiratory Lecture 1, Respiratory Lecture 2 Pulmonary Disorders Table Thoracic Disorders Table
- Spinal cord disorders: Spinal Objectives
Mental Health
- Alcohol withdrawal hour-by-hour: Alcohol Withdrawal
- Bipolar disorder: Bipolar
- Defense mechanisms: Defense Mechanisms
- Delirium and dementia: Delirium:Dementia
- Depression and suicide: Depression
- Dissociative and personality disorders:Personality Disorders Communicate with PD
- Substance abuse: Substance Abuse & Addiction
- Violence: Violence
- Psychopharmacology worksheet: Psych Meds QUESTIONS Psych Meds ANSWERS
- Psychopharmacology study guide: Psychopharmacology
- Psychopharmacology side effects: Psych Side Effects
Women's Health
- Hypertension and pregnancy: Hypertension
- Infection: Neonatal Infections Infections
- RH & ABO: Rh/ABO
- Low risk pregnancy: Low Risk Pregnancy 1 Low Risk Pregnancy 2 Low Risk Pregnancy 3
- Low risk labor & delivery: Low Risk Labor & Delivery
- Low risk postpartum: Low Risk Postpartum
- High risk pregnancy: High Risk Pregnancy
- High risk L & D: High Risk Labor & Delivery 1 High Risk Labor & Delivery 2
- High risk neonate: High Risk Neonate
- High risk special considerations: HR Preg, Anemia, HIV, Heart Disease HR Preg, Substance Abuse & Psych
- High risk adolescent pregnancy: HR Screening & Adolescent
- Pharmacology for OB: OB Meds
- Visual representation of the phases in the reproductive cycle: Reproductive Cycle
Pediatrics
- Central nervous system: CNS
- Cardiac: Pediatric Cardiac
- Child health maintenance, vaccines and health promotion: Child Health Maintenance
- Circulation pathway: Circulation
- Endocrine system: Endocrine Peds
- Fluids balance and electrolytes: Fluids and Electrolytes
- GI disorders: Gastro Intestinal
- Heme/Onc: Hematology & Oncology
- The hospitalized child: Hospitalized Child
- Immunity: Peds Immune
- Meds commonly used: Peds Meds
- Orthopedics and trauma care: Ortho Trauma
- Physical assessment: Physical Assessment
- Respiratory disorders: Respiratory; Respiratory Table
Hi Nurse Mo!
So nursing school has begun… Wow, pretty overwhelming. But fun and interesting. We started Patho. Our instructor recommended that we study it by disease process. I started making notes on each disease but came across a challenge of discerning etiology and pathophysiology. They seem to overlap a lot. Are there any tips on how to differentiate these two?
Many thanks,
Irina
Oh yes…I remember this conundrum well! And you are right to say they overlap…they are very similar! Etiology (by definition) refers to the cause/origin of the disease or condition. While pathology (or pathophysiology) refers to the behavior of the disease…what it does in the body to disturb homeostasis. Let’s use an example since that makes it easier for me 🙂
For example, let’s talk about influenza (Happy Flu Season, everyone!). When thinking about the etiology of the flu think: pathogens, risk factors, genetic predisposition, gender, lifestyle…things that lead to the cause of the disease. In this example the etiology includes time of year, age of the individual, smoking history, genetic predisposition for weak lungs (maybe a premie?), immunocompromised status, the virus itself and how it spreads (mechanism of infection), etc…
Pathology has to do with what the disease does to the body. For example, influenza causes cellular dysfunction and degeneration once it is within its host cells. This leads to the release of inflammatory mediators and all the havoc that creates (respiratory symptoms, fever, aches, etc…)
In the most simple terms…etiology more or less refers to what CAUSES the disease, and patho refers to what the disease DOES to the individual.
I hope that helps!
WoW! You DID make it easier for me! Thank you!
One more question about Patho. We use Porth textbook which is not easy to digest and it focuses on too many details that are good to know/read when you have tons of time. It takes tremendous effort from me to see the bigger/overall picture right away. Do you have any book in mind that summarizes the concepts (apart from Incredibly Easy series) and could be used to supplement the course textbook?
Irina
Hi! I use the NCLEX review book to help break down chapters from my patho book. You can look up “Bronchitis” and its right there in more simple terms. Also, Kahn Academy online is so great! they have videos that go over just about everything and practice questions. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the tips, Harlee! Hope school is going well!
What is the Nclex review book and where can I find it?
Hi Marie, I always recommend the ones by Saunders 🙂 Good luck to you!
Any tips on how to revise and obtain new information besides doing practise quizes and using flash cards?
Hi Emma…I go into this in a lot more detail in my book (https://straightanursingstudent.com/study-aids/thrive-guide/), but you can also check out this post here: https://straightanursingstudent.com/develop-a-study-method-that-works/.
Hope that helps! Hang in there…you’ll get it and everything will click!!!
I would like to see the notes of nursing
They’re right here on this page 🙂
Hypnosis works very well for smoking cessation.
Thanks for the tip, Jewel!
Nurse Mo,
First off all, a million and a half thank yous for these fabulously constructed overviews you’ve provided. I am currently studying for my second med surg exam and an extremely nervous because I failed the first one. Before finding your site, I made a write up for myself with questions about clinical manifestations, meds, therapies, diagnostic procedures etc. but the common issues I’ve had with test taking are questions like “what is the nurses priority intervention?”, “what should the nurse do first?”…and even with making a write up I’m not sure as to how to practice for questions like that…any advice?
Again, thank you so much. These notes are EXTREMELY helpful and straight to the point (I have issues seeding out “fluffy” facts). Hope to hear back from you!
Adriana
Hi Adriana,
My book has a whole section on test-taking strategies…and check out my post here about NCLEX style questions (just use the search function that’s in the right sidebar. Hope that helps! You got this!!!
Im a readmit nursing student .. trying to go harder this time.. that was the problem i thought i was going out all the way , studying, reading .. still failed .. my problem is fluids n electrolytes..how to simplify this .. and any study methods ? ..i literally read word for word, idk how to make my life easier .. help plz
I can wholeheartedly recommend this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Nursing-Survival-Guide-Electrolytes/dp/141602879X
And this might help, too!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/518972347/electrolytes-bundle-colorful?ref=shop_home_feat_2
I am JUST ABOUT to write a blog post on this topic! I hope this helps 🙂
If you purchase the study guides from here do you have unlimited access to them or can you only view them a certain amount of times like the free study guides?
Hi Jess,
Once you purchase them you are able to download them immediately to use however you like:-) Note that your download link is only active for three days and three total downloads…but once you download, they’re yours!
Nurse Mo,
Just wondering if you had any tips on note taking in nursing school. Handwriting vs typing? Handwriting takes a long time and with 5 classes there’s not always time left for review. Do you have any tips for typing and long term retention or perhaps ways handwriting could go faster?
Thank you! Hope to hear back
Hi Ashley,
This post has some great tips! I personally typed my notes in most classes 🙂 https://straightanursingstudent.com/taking-notes/
Nurse Mo! What can I say!!!! Since the pandemic, doing online class is not my cup of tea. I feel like I don’t know anything. But with your notes and podcast, I felt like I am in the class room. Thank you very much for these. Your stuff is very organize and easy to understand. Thank GOD I found you thru Facebook. You are my life saver Nurse Mo.
So happy to help, Gloria! I’m glad you are doing ok…this is hard on all of us right now. Hang in there!
Thanks this was very much help full for, hope God give you the courage to teach me more, I will let to read some exam questions.
Regard
Bernice
Good Evening Nurse Mo!
I purchased your bootcamp prior to starting my nursing program, which due to Covid related delays, was some time ago. Can you remind me how to access the Med-Surg pack that was included? Also…although I knew your nursing school notes were available, I for some reason had never looked at them until now…HOLY MOLY, WHAT GREATNESS..lol!! Am I correct in that if I have the med-surg I and I purchase med-surg II.. I will have all of your available notes?? Or are they two different things?
Thank you soo much for all you do..you are an inspiration! I tell fellow nursing students about Straight A Nursing any chance I get ?.
Just a quick shout out to all, like myself, that started nursing school in their 40’s…or 50’s..lol. I started at 49 and as stressful as it is at times…I CAN’T BELIEVE finals are here ALREADY ?
Hi Amee…please send me an email so we can get you sorted!
I just read your post Amee and I am 51 and starting my ADN program in the fall. I am so nervous because I had my AP classes almost two years ago and it is really hard to retain that info. At least for me it was. I repeated AP II and Micro to get a B only. It has been really hard, not having any math or science classes before but mostly gen ed and business courses.
SO any tips for us older folks lol. I’d appreciate it, if you have time.
Thanks!
Karen
Hi Nurse Mo!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing all of your information with us. I am in my second semester of nursing school, getting ready to take my mental health final and your notes have been an awesome study tool, especially since mental health is my biggest challenge. I really appreciate all your time, and your podcasts. The one on psychopharmacology was a life saver and i will be listening to it again on my way to school tomorrow. Thank you again for being such a great teacher, and keeping me company on my long commute to school!
So glad it’s helpful for you Erica!
Hi Mo!! I love all of your outlines, they have helped me thus far through nursing school. I was wondering if you had a Nutrition outline for different diets following medical diagnoses. Thank you for all of your help in taking a great amount of information and condensing to retain the important concepts.
I don’t, but that’s a great idea!
hi Mo, any bootcamp i should get before starting the program? im starting on spring 2021, trying to get as READY as possible!!!!
Hi there…Crucial Concepts Bootcamp is the Bootcamp for you if you’re starting school soon 🙂 Watch for our Black Friday sale!
Thank you so much !!!! so informative and organized !! such a great resource you are appreciated 🙂
Thank you, Nina!
Hello Nurse Mo. Your notes, and podcasts, are an absolute god send. Thank you, so so much. I am a first year nursing student and am struggling to wrap my head around the pathophysiology of asthma…in my own mind, I need to understand the physiology to explain the pathophysiology well. Would you recommend I look deeper into the respiratory system and immune system physiology? The human body is so complex and I am struggling to know where to begin for my deeper learning…
Hi Hannah! I think it’s great you want to understand physiology – it’s truly the backbone of everything you’re learning! So yes…if you feel you need to review that physiology then it will definitely help you 🙂
Hi, Nurse Mo
Can I study these notes for LNP 2nd semester?
I’m looking for any to study over the summer break. Thank you!
Absolutely 🙂
Hello Nurse Mo ,
After struggling through 2 years of RN nursing school and failing my second class , I am just now discovering you and your amazing resources . I wish I would’ve known about you since day 1. Although I’m in my last semester , I’m still struggling to find a study method that works best for me ? Any suggestions ?
I have a workshop that covers this (and other ways nursing students struggle). You can register for it here: https://learn.straightanursingstudent.com/5-ways-aw
Good luck!!!
Nurse Mo,
You are amazing! I have been using your website as a resource more and more as I get deeper into your program, and I have started using the Latte Method. I started color coding my notes this summer, and adding Latte to the mix has really helped because my missing link was that I didn’t think about how my patient was looking! Now, I do! It was a small shift, but it made all the difference when I start actually putting signs and symptoms onto a visual of a human. I can’t believe how many wonderful free resources you share with us. I love reading your notes along with listening to your podcast. I bought the power guides knowing that I will use them all eventually even if they aren’t related to my course load that week. I am in my 3rd semester of the ASN program, and it’s been very difficult, but I am slogging through. Side note, I am 54 years old and this is my second career. Thanks again:) Shannon
Thank you so much for your kind words, Shannon! It’s great to see non-traditional students thriving and I’m happy to be a part of it with you 🙂 Also, thanks for hopping on to the Power Guides train…I love them so much and am THRILLED they help you!
Is there any chance that you will post notes for Neonatal for a healthy newborn? Or where I could find some helpful information? I absolutely love your podcasts BTW!
Hi Chelsea, if they’re not here then I didn’t save them 🙁
Best of luck to you!
Mo