Please!!! I really need help learning and remembering meds, and their side effects

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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Specializes in nursing home.

I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, BUT FOR SOME REASON I CANNOT REMEMBER ALL THE SIDE EFFECTS OF ALL THE MEDS, IT IS ALOT TO REMEMBER.

THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT I AM STRUGGLING WITH, PLEASE SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH SCHOOL, OR IS GOING TO SCHOOL NOW, IS THERE AN EASY WAY OF REMEMBERING THIS INFO?????

I HAVE A PHARMACOLOGY MADE EASY BOOK BY MOSBY'S

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD GET, ANY WEBSITES I COULD VISIT???

ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OR AM I THE ONLY ONE STRUGGLING WITH THIS????

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:crying2::crying2::crying2::crying2::cry::cry::cry::cry:

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello cna2lpn:

Why don't you try using index cards. Type out the important information of the drug: classification, action, onset/duration, side effects/adverse effects, interactions and then cut and paste to an index card.

Then you can take them out and go through them..

Good Luck to you,

athena

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Specializes in nursing home.

i will try that, i wanna get to that point where i can see a med and be know the important info about it

thanks for your reply

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Specializes in Rehabilitation; LTC; Med-Surg.
I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, BUT FOR SOME REASON I CANNOT REMEMBER ALL THE SIDE EFFECTS OF ALL THE MEDS, IT IS ALOT TO REMEMBER.

THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT I AM STRUGGLING WITH, PLEASE SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH SCHOOL, OR IS GOING TO SCHOOL NOW, IS THERE AN EASY WAY OF REMEMBERING THIS INFO?????

I HAVE A PHARMACOLOGY MADE EASY BOOK BY MOSBY'S

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD GET, ANY WEBSITES I COULD VISIT???

ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OR AM I THE ONLY ONE STRUGGLING WITH THIS????

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:crying2::crying2::crying2::crying2::cry::cry::cry::cry:

Try index cards.

Question, though: If you know the classifications, why are you unable to recall the side effects? You should know what drugs fall into the category, such as "Beta-blockers." A good deal of the beta-blockers have the same side effects - the task, then, becomes one of knowing what part of the nervous system a "beta-blocker" mimics. In this case, the beta-blocker mimics the cholinergic aspect of the autonomic nervous system.

What do you know about cholinergic agents, then? They...

Constricts bronchioles (thus making it difficult for, say, and asthmatic patient the breathe if not monitored)

Muscle weakness

Increased saliva

Bradycardia and hypotension

Possible diaphoresis

Of course, those are not the only side effects of the parasympathetic division, but it is typical of most drugs in the beta-blocker class!

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

cna2lpn:

I have been an RN for like 100 years (just joking) but I can't keep all those meds in my head! Do you realize how many different kinds of medications are approved by the FDA in one year? Hundreds!

That is why there are Nursing med books and other references available to you (hopefully) on the floor or via your intranet.

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello Zanatu:

I think it is wonderful that you can recall all the side effects of the drugs that you had or are studying.

I would like to ask you, after you have been practicing for a while, what you remember about say neurohormonal activation in a patient with heart failure....say specifically how does norepinephrine act on the adrenergic receptors? Or you are taking care of a patient in the here and now and you need to know which anti-remodeling med to give (ACE inhibitor, Beta blocker or both)???

The OP was asking for a way to aid in her memorization of medications, not a cut and paste.

athena

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

We don't prescribe meds for one thing. You can't possibly remember everything, just categories with side effects, contraindications, nursing implications and pt. teaching. My school has us make med cards for each major category and then we have our books to refer to.

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Specializes in Rehabilitation; LTC; Med-Surg.
Hello Zanatu:

The OP was asking for a way to aid in her memorization of medications, not a cut and paste.

athena

Athena,

I did not "cut and paste." I typed out my response and had my Pharmacology book next to me to double check myself before I posted.

That said, what I described is a way to memorize the medications. Truly understanding the relationship between the medication and its relationship to which part of the nervous system it stimulates is key to understanding medications, not simply writing them down on a note card and memorizing them for a test.

When you understand the relationship and can connect them to the type of drug you're using, you can reasonably predict even the most basic - and essential - outcomes. I have been on several rotations where there was not a drug book to be found. It came in handy when I was able to explain to the nurse what side effects to expect. Of course, we are not doctors, so we cannot prescribe, nor should we go at it blindly. I would never recommend going by what you "think" you know. Look it up on webmd - but at least you will be a somewhat competent nurse if you have the ability to practice and administer medications by understanding the actual relationship it shares with the nervous system.

I know you are a nurse and have practiced for "like a 100 years," and don't think I am trying to "teach" you something. The OP asked how to memorize medications, so I shared my technique: relating the nervous system to the general category of drug you are using.

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I freaked out with all the meds too. I think Pharm was one of my most anxiety-giving classes because of all the information. Then one day in clinicals, the head nurse called me over to look at a chart of a client and said "I need to look up the drug that was ordered for this client." She asked me to sit down with her as she pulled out her drug book (the same one we were using in Pharm). She was the head nurse and had been a nurse for 30+ years and still looking up meds. That brought me great comfort to know. Don't freak out...once you start using the meds on a regular basis, you will get the in's and out's down and the rest you can look up. The head nurse (incidently) referred to the drug book as her "bible!"

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Do not stress to much, like Ravns said, health professional often have to look up some medications, symptoms and what not. Even my parents' pharmacist admitted that she looks up medications all the time and she has been a pharmacist for more than 15 years. I also agree with previous posts that as you work you will become more familiar and know these meds like the back of your hand. At least the majority of them, there are way too many in this world. Do not worry, experience is the best teacher! Good luck and dont give up!

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