Best Drug Manual??!

Nursing Students General Students

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I begin my ADN program in August! Yay!

I should be receiving my book bundle for the first semster soon. Though, it will not include a drug book and a medical terminology book. The program director said it is because there are so many different kinds, and it's best for a student to choose the one that is best for their own preferences.

So now I have to go out and purchase them! I tried reviewing some, but like she said, there are so many!!

Figured, who would know better than Allnurses?!! So which do you guys think is a great drug book and has served you well and is easy to understand [...well, I am sure easy and pharmacology shouldn't belong in the same sentence]? The director also said that there are some books with pictures of medication, which I feel like that'd benefit me.

Medical terminology?'

TIA

Specializes in CNA.
I used "Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses" when I was in Nursing School. I LOVED it! It came with a CD and it also had an iPhone app that you can download, which were both convenient. I still use the book religiously and really like the detail it has. Your program might require you to purchase a specific reference manual, some you may like, some maybe not so much.

I ended up getting Lippincott Drug Hhandbook Nursing2012, but after reading all your replies, I will more than likely exchange it for Davis. It's a bit cheaper, too!

I seen somewhere that someone said there are books that are split up according to classifications, though I seen that all was alphabetical?

I seen somewhere that someone said there are books that are split up according to classifications, though I seen that all was alphabetical?

I'm not sure how many of the guides that were arranged by therapeutic class are still arranged by therapeutic class. For example, I'm 99% sure that the 2011 version of the Lippincott Nursing Drug Handbook was arranged by therapeutic class but for 2012, they arranged the drugs alphabetically by generic (and possibly include an appendix/index that still lists therapeutic classes and the drugs in each class with their corresponding page numbers).

For most drug cards or drug books that I've read reviews on, it seems like people who give lower ratings to products arranged by therapeutic class do so because they had a hard time finding stuff. I think some (but perhaps not all) publishers are reading those low ratings and deciding to organize alphabetically in the future. (Strangely, I've seen reviews at least one or two 2011 or 2012 products where some drugs were filed by generic and some were filed by trade name. Because of that, I made sure that the guide I chose was entirely filed by generic with an index for both generic and trade names.)

Specializes in CNA.
I'm not sure how many of the guides that were arranged by therapeutic class are still arranged by therapeutic class. For example, I'm 99% sure that the 2011 version of the Lippincott Nursing Drug Handbook was arranged by therapeutic class but for 2012, they arranged the drugs alphabetically by generic (and possibly include an appendix/index that still lists therapeutic classes and the drugs in each class with their corresponding page numbers).

For most drug cards or drug books that I've read reviews on, it seems like people who give lower ratings to products arranged by therapeutic class do so because they had a hard time finding stuff. I think some (but perhaps not all) publishers are reading those low ratings and deciding to organize alphabetically in the future. (Strangely, I've seen reviews at least one or two 2011 or 2012 products where some drugs were filed by generic and some were filed by trade name. Because of that, I made sure that the guide I chose was entirely filed by generic with an index for both generic and trade names.)

That is how the 2012 Lippincott is..the index is alphabetized for generic and trade. When I was looking up some drugs and couldn't find it bc it is trade name, I found it in the index, then went to the page..very helpful.

But ratings seem better for Davis.

I have Davis and swear by it!

Specializes in trauma and neuro.

I have the saunders nursing drug book 2012. I never compared it to Davis, but I know quite a few of my classmates went out and bought the saunders one even if they already one after looking at mine.

It hasn't failed me yet, and it haven't had to look elsewhere for info at all.

Specializes in Med/Surg & Hospice & Dialysis.

The medscape app is my favorite. It has drugs, diagnosis explanations. A couple of our docs use it too.

My school recommends Davis's and from these reviews that is what I will be getting. My teacher said that it does not need to be the current edition though. Wondering if I should get the current edition or save a lot of money and get the '08 edition.

I was looking at the Davis's 2013 vs the Lippincott Drug Guide 2013. I really liked the Lippincott especially since it had pictures of the medications. I have yet to start school tho so I was wondering what is it about the Davis's that everyone loves so much? Are there things missing from other drug guides that Davis's includes?

My school recommends Davis's and from these reviews that is what I will be getting. My teacher said that it does not need to be the current edition though. Wondering if I should get the current edition or save a lot of money and get the '08 edition.

Just throwing my two cents in here, and even though I do not start nursing school until Jan (yay!), I am however a CPht (Certified Pharmacy Tech). That being said I would recommend the most current editions as new meds as well as generics are constantly being released. This yr alone we have gotten atleast 5-6 new generics available. I would assume that is why the established nurses update their guides efficiently as well.

Good luck to you!

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

The Saunders Nursing Drug Book is what is used :up: All the way!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

recommend you ask for some of these for Christmas, if you celebrate. Stedman's Dictionary, Taber's and others are great references.

Tabers was just way too big for me. But i did like it for the short time i lended it from the library.. Ended up buying Saunders

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