Failing is part of learning

This is my fifth attempt at blogging.  Previous blogging attempts were on different subjects, but I wanted to create a place where I could show how my brain works--not because my brain is particularly amazing or anything, but because I have a hard time learning concepts, and I've always thought to myself: if someone would just teach it to me this way, then maybe I wouldn't be so lost in class.  Think of the time when you asked a question and that professor responded with: "Don't worry, you don't need to know that."  But you can't "not worry" because you just need to know to get what's going on in class, right?  How in the world can you memorize all the facts in nursing without comprehension?  I've heard there are people who can do that.  I can't.

Take for example, conventional antipsychotics.  The treatment for EPS caused by taking conventional antipsychotics is:

1) administering anticholinergics
2) administering beta-blockers
3) administering benzodiazepines

Do you know why?  (More on this in another post that I will link here when I write it, because I'm actually supposed to be studying for an OB test tomorrow.  Clearly, I'm procrastinating.)

I'm hoping this will help you with the things you don't technically need to know, but really kind of do. Learning is hard, and it's even harder when you're given impossible amounts of information to learn in much too little time (like 12 chapters in 3 days followed by an exam the day after you cover 3 new chapters), so I'll try to link you up with materials I stumble across in hopes that it'll help you.

Here's my disclaimer:

• I do not claim to know the real answers.  These are just my notes from class, my own musings, and conversations with other students and healthcare practitioners.  I do not claim to always be right.  I do not claim that the conversations and conclusions we come to are correct (although, I hope they are).  In fact, it would be awesome if you can tell me when I'm wrong--but follow it up with evidence (or at least a credible textbook), please, because ain't nobody got time for conjectures presented as fact.
• I repeat: These are just my study notes, not primary sources vetted by peer reviews.
• I will try my best to provide a reference list at the end of posts, but I may or may not follow a specific citation format.  Sometimes, I'll be lazy and just throw up a URL.  Deal.
• I sometimes lose my shit (usually during finals).  There will be occasional venting--especially when my textbook (seemingly) contradicts itself.  There might also be anecdotes from my life. Patients names are always changed.  Everybody needs a mental health break once in a while. 
• I might disappear for a while, cause, you know, work, and nursing school, and life.
• I really hate moderating, so, this is an "on-your-honor" blog.  If you comment, be nice.  If you take information from somewhere else, provide a reference.  We all fail from time to time--we fail to edit, we fail to understand a concept, we fail a test.  This is a place to try to help each other pass the next time, not to flame each other.
• I will occasionally be putting up concepts that I don't know in hopes someone else will be able to help edify me.
• I welcome your input.  No.  Really.  One day we'll all be working together as a team, in a hospital, a nursing home, on panels, in research offices, as teachers--I want to be the best nurse I can be, and I certainly want you to be the best nurse you can be so that when we're part of a team I can trust you.  

Now, this is the most important part:

Write in the comment box.  Share your knowledge, take a picture of your notes, give a tip, ask questions, compel me to think, because I guarantee you know something I don't know, and I want to know it.  And even if I've learned it before, I'll probably need to relearn it later.  This is the most important part of this blog.  If you're learn something from these posts, or even if you're just more confused, write something.  Write about something you learned, write about what doesn't make sense, write about what you wish would change in class, in the workforce, in legislature--experientially, conceptually--it doesn't matter.  Any epiphanies.  Please help.  Please.
Thanks,
Future RN