cross-posted from: https://linux.community/post/2267705

I’m a nurse thinking about expanding my job options and knowledge, maybe studying something. I don’t want to work bedside till I’m old enough to cash in my 401k because then I’ll have a broken back and I don’t want to become one of those old angry nurses constantly on edge because she’s angry at life.

To me, the way to achieve this is to learn a lot of things systematically: medicines (not the brand names, but the active components, because doctors where I work use components extensively), diagnoses that are often abbreviated, right anatomical names for bones, muscles and blood vessels…, right ranges for arterial and venous blood gas parameters and clinical chemistry…

It’s tedious and repetitive and I don’t want to take any drugs to study better, but I believe it fits me because I was always an introverted bookworm.

Is there any better way to learn this than the way I just described? It means 3 hours of reading and repeating concepts and ranges after my shift.

  • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
    2·
    21 hours ago

    There’s no “right” answer that works for everyone. For me personally, I know I learn by learning the concepts to the point where I can link it to my existing conceptual knowledge. I’m also visual learner, so if I can attach a vision to what I’m learning (preferably in 3D space, where I can spin it around in my head).

    So if I was trying to learn the name of all the bones. I’d see if I could borrow or buy an anatomically correct mini skeleton. Something like this 19" model for $26. I’d start with just the bones knew which for me are: Femur, Tibia, Fibula, Radius, Ulna , maybe a couple more. I would touch to the bone on the model and say the name out loud, name the bones it attaches, then point to the bone on my own body and say the name again. Then I’d do the same for a second bone, maybe on the opposite end of the body.

    This would give me all kinds of marker memories!

    • The proprioception of where my touching finger is relative to my other hand holding the model.
    • The name of the bone as I thought about it.
    • The name of the bone as I heard myself say it
    • The names of the bones it attaches to
    • The depth of the bone relative to the model in 3D space
    • The positional relationship of other bones near it. Did my finger bump the rib cage near the bone I’m pointing to?
    • The relationship on my own body where that bone is
    • If it was a movable bone, how the joints moved when I touch the model bone

    So when I try to recall the name later, I could easily forget HALF that list, but still be able to recall the name of the bone and where it is on the body. Those along might help me recall another 25% of the list or so. Alternatively, because we’ve attached the concepts, you can also go the other way. You have the name but can’t remember the location. Close your eyes, put your hand out like you’re holding the model. Picture the model in your head as though you’re holding it. Recall the name…where did your remember where your pointing/touching hand went on the model?

    All of the above is what I know works for me because of how I learn. If you’ve gone through 12 years of primary school you should have a decent idea of how your particular mind learns new things. Put those lessons to work in ways that work best specifically for you!