You Have 11 Months To Prepare For The LPN Program.......

Christine2009 · Sep 25, 2010

drug dose calculations, fundamentals, A&P and Pharmacology are the four I reccomend.

I am starting a program in 6 months and was able to obtain the book list. I ordered these four books at half.com and now concentrating on studying these subjects until school starts.

I also completed a year of LVN school at a jc ((i was dropped when I did not pass pediatrics by 1/10th of a point) before this and those were the subjects I found to be the most difficult. When you start school you are trying to juggle two or three subjects at a time and the instructors throw so much at you to read for the week that it is so overwhelming...now, I plan on not being overwhelmed because I have studyed ahead of time.

Also, learning your medical terminology will also be a huge help to you also as instructors are famous for writing stuff on the board in medical terminology...ie: "what s/s are r/t this pt's medical DX? What are the nursing Dx's would you use in formalating your care plan " Translation: what signs and symptoms (s/s) are related to (r/t) this patient's (pt) medical diagnosis (Dx)? What are the nursing diagnosises (Dx) would you use in formulating your care plan?

Good luck to you and happy studying!

tammy1974 · Oct 4, 2010

If you can, brush up on hands on skills. Vitals, bandaging wounds, sterile technique etc. It will make it much easier when you are tested on the actual hands on stuff. It takes some of the pressure off because you will have already mastered it. Good luck.

zeppzepp2009 · Oct 5, 2010

Lab values, injection sites, needle sizes, buy an NCLEX book and review it. Nursing school questions are very different than pre req. classes. Sleep now while you can! Good luck!

GoodtimeRN · Oct 5, 2010

I would definitely make sure you fully understand the A&P. I have already taken it on a college level, but we go through it SO FAST in LPN school so if I hadn't learned it already I don't know what I'd do!!! Also, brush up on medical terminology and might as well start learning common drugs, what they do, side effects, usual doses, etc. Best luck!

somedaypeds · Oct 8, 2010

Drug classifications and calculations. If you can get the pharm book and the calculations and dosages book and work on those, that will probably be a big help.

Physiology - especially metabolic alkalosis and acidosis vs. respiratory alkalosis and acidosis. And cardiology - the flow of the blood through the body.

Needle sizes, types and injection sites, be able to name the veins in the forearm.

If you can take a phlebotomy course in the meantime you will find it worthwhile when you get into the LPN labs. You will be so confident.

jala · Oct 8, 2010

Thanks to all of you! I have noted everything, this will help SO much.

Another question (I have hundreds).

I have received a book that I ordered from Ebay, Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses, Tenth Edition.

I want to review the drug classifications to get familiar with studying for Pharmacology. What is a LPN expected to know?

The first drug classification, for example, is Anti-Alzheimer's Agents.

PHARMACOLOGIC PROFILE

General Use......

General Action and Information......

Contraindications......

Precautions.....

Interactions.......

NURSING IMPLICATIONS

Assessment......

Potential Nursing Diagnosis.....

Patient/Family Teaching......

Evaluation/Desired Outcomes

Then a list of the drugs given for this disease:

donepezil

galantamine

memantine

rivastigmine

tacrine

Do you have to memorize ALL of this?

somedaypeds · Oct 8, 2010

A pharmacology book would be better for what you are trying to accomplish. Like Core Concepts in Pharmacology, Holland and Adams. You can check amazon to see if you get a used one.

Before giving a drug, you want to know how it will affect the patient. But memorizing every drug out there would be difficult. So we try to know the classifications, like Beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, antidepressants, benzodiazepines. Drugs in that particular classification will do what? What are 5 frequently prescribed drugs in that classification?

For Alzheimers you use acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchE). What does this classification of drugs do? At least 4 out of the 5 drugs you listed are AchEs. How will they help the patient? :nurse:

Christine2009 · Oct 9, 2010

Thanks to all of you! I have noted everything, this will help SO much.
Another question (I have hundreds).
I have received a book that I ordered from Ebay, Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses, Tenth Edition.
I want to review the drug classifications to get familiar with studying for Pharmacology. What is a LPN expected to know?
The first drug classification, for example, is Anti-Alzheimer's Agents.
PHARMACOLOGIC PROFILE
General Use......
General Action and Information......
Contraindications......
Precautions.....
Interactions.......
NURSING IMPLICATIONS
Assessment......
Potential Nursing Diagnosis.....
Patient/Family Teaching......
Evaluation/Desired Outcomes
Then a list of the drugs given for this disease:
donepezil
galantamine
memantine
rivastigmine
tacrine
Do you have to memorize ALL of this?

You do not need to memorize all of this per say, but you are expected to know this information.

The Davis Drug Guide is the best one out there (I think) and really helps you when you are doing your med cards for rotations.

You will find that once you start your rotations, the drugs that you give your pt's on a regular basis are the ones that you remember most. It is so hard to memorize all the drugs for each condition and what it does, etc.

I do not know what your school requires, but I would say that you really do not need to concentrate on the pharm stuff right now. Instead, study how to give basic pt care, handwashing, physical assessment, etc.

All nursing programs (RN and LVN) start with the basics first (CNA stuff). As you get comfortable with that skill, then add another skill to it.

jala · Oct 10, 2010

Thanks again for the replies, these are SO helpful.

(For any of you wanting to get an introduction to general human anatomy, I found some great videos on youtube. They are a series of lectures, 40 of them, from the University of California, Berkely. They are all tapings of Professor Marion Diamond's general human anatomy class. These are GREAT! It's like taking a college course, at home, for free. She is awesome.)

Aurora77 · Oct 10, 2010

Maybe I'm the odd ball, but I'd say relax, enjoy the next year and then start studying. I completed my PN program in July and I don't think there's any way to truly be prepared ahead of time.

nakinok · Oct 12, 2010

I would agree relax abit, because it is an intense ride. If you have a job start figuring out how you are going to organize your time to do both well. Set your life up to be a student now. If you dont have to work I wouldnt. Yes the A+P is good, brush up on your algebra or just math in general if you arent math savvy for drug cal. Drug dosage is big!!!! Take a critical thinking class at a JC if you can. I started studying NCLEX questions before I started and it helped. All the things people have said have been great ideas.

I actuallysat down and thought of a goa GPA for myself. I knew what the school expected of me to pass or maintain but I wanted to be well over that. I so far have stayed in my goal of not going under a A-, but it helped me to push harder than just making it. If I dont get something I ask and I keep looking at it until I can explain it.

But yes back to the basic relax, dont burn yourself out before you start you will be crispy enough during the program. I read other books I wanted to read for mental stimulatin and gave my house a good cleaning because I knew I wasnt going to be the best housekeeper while in school. I did a cleanse to detox my body, which got jacked because we have potlocks to much at school and I drink full throttles and coffee again. I read inspirational things. Maybe volunteer at the hospital if you never been in the environment. Kiss your mate and kids if you have them and tell what you need from them to support you though this. You will be great.