Liking school, but Pharm troubles

[mickeyfan]

I am new here and would like to say hello!! I am in my first semester of nursing school and really liking it. However, I am not a traditional student. I am almost 40, married with children. I also work part-time. I am basically a B student which is fine with me. I am really having some problems in Pharm. though. Anyone have any suggestions? I can not afford to get behind anymore than I already am. I am really having a time in this class, not to mention it only meets once a week for 3 hours. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Jules A, MSN]

Hi,

I wasn't clear if you are having trouble with the actual meds or the math calculations.

[mickeyfan]

I am just starting the class. We are on just now beginning to classify drugs. It is the just the beginning and I just don't get it. Sympathetic and parasympathetic meds and so on.

[EmilyUSFRN, RN]

I always thought pharm was the worst. I have a very difficult time with memorization and since pharm has no true rhyme or reason but is IMO randomly put out there with funky names and all kinds of information. My very 1st pharm exam I f failed miserably. i had to spend the rest of the semester trying to bring this grade up to a C, which was no easy feat. I went to Barnes and Noble and bought this book from the nursing section-- i forget who published it, I think prentice hall? it was green on the top, white on the bottom and said Pharmacology on it plainly. It took the different sections and condensed what you would have in the textbook to make it easier and just less fluffy-- just the facts, please. I studied this mostly with my notes and made As and Bs the rest of the tests, so it definitely worked for me. Before the NCLEX I also bought Clinical Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy, which has mnemonics and ways to help you remember, songs, etc. If the textbook itself isn't working for you, my point is, something out there will. Good luck!

[MegNeoNurse]

Utlize all of the resources that are provided for you, pharm book's accompanying website and/or CD. Repetition repetition repetition. When I took pharm I was hoping that there was going to be some "secret" to memorizing meds and MOA etc., but sad story, there isn't. It's a pain in the butt, but as you move on in your nursing school career you'll see the same basic meds enough times to know what they are, why they're prescribed, and how they work.

What really helped me tons was making flash cards. I would bring them with me EVERYWHERE and study whenever I got a free minute. I would even bring them with to clinical and work and sneak in study time during down times. Good luck!