Organization for Medication Flash Cards

[TMarie43]

I am a very visual learner so I wanted to color code my medication flash cards but I am having trouble thinking of ideas on how to do this. My professors told me to organize each medication by classification and then assign a color to that particular medication regarding what system the medication affects. Has this worked for other students or is there a better way to organize medication flash cards?

Thank you!

[bumblebeee]

I'm currently taking Pharm before I begin clinicals in the Fall. I'm also a very visual learner!

I've found my method to be not necessarily using different colored flash cards... but using standard 5x7 white index cards and then using a different color marker per drug classification. "Papermate Flair pens" and "Maped Graph peps (not a typo it is peps not pens.. odd)" have been the markers I use (they do not bleed thru like fine tipped sharpies would). Try to make charts for each drug group on blank computer paper. Or buy a sketch pad (thicker paper usually so you can use markers for your charts also & have them in one spot in order). Use a different color for side effects, adverse reactions, mech. of action, etc.

If you can, on those charts (and your flashcards) include pictures or doodles to help you remember what's special to each group. For example (something I was recently tested on): Daptomycin adverse reactions involve MI, pleural effusions, etc so I drew a heart in red with adverse reactions listed.

Also, try to link anything & everything you can think of to help you link/remember certain little things. Another example of this is how I remembered that GentAmycin was an AminoGlycoside... both have a G and an A. Little things like that help a ton.

My routine of study has been to

make my flashcards as soon as possible. Go through them EVERY DAY. Make 3 separate piles w sticky note and rubber band- "know" "don't know" and "sort of know"- hopefully by your next test date you will be down to one pile that you know like the back of your hand!

I also purchased the study guide to my textbook and do ALL of the NCLEX practice questions I possibly can. There's an online component for my textbook with seperate practice questions that I go through too.

There's a lot of great videos on YouTube regarding study tips and plenty of nursing students/RNs have channels that include nursing study videos (lots with specific Pharm vids)... Checkout Justine Feather, Ashley Adkins RN and Nurse Bass (just to name a few).

Anyway I am only a few weeks in so far but I've got a 91% overall (fingers crossed I can keep it up). I was very nervous about Pharm but if you figure out a routine and what works for you, and- bottom line- put in the time... you'll do great! I hope you can find something useful in this post! :)

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

A member has made cards to share....Pharmacology Flashcards