Mnemonics and Memory Aids

[VickyRN]

The HYPERKALEMIA "Machine" - Causes of Increased Serum K+

 M  Medications - ACE inhibitors, NSAIDS

 A  Acidosis - Metabolic and respiratory

 C  Cellular destruction - Burns, traumatic injury

 H  Hypoaldosteronism, hemolysis

 I  Intake - Excessive

 N  Nephrons, renal failure

 E  Excretion - Impaired

[Joe V]

If you know of any mnemonics not listed please add them. :)

[AliNajaCat]

I love these. My problem is...I forget the mnemonics themselves. Is there a way to fix that?

[Futureapn2]

What is the cholinergic mnemonic

[KrCmommy522, BSN, RN]

AliNajaCat said:

I love these. My problem is...I forget the mnemonics themselves. Is there a way to fix that?

Making up your own is the best way to remember them. If you make up something that relates to you or that you are familiar with you are more likely to remember it than one that someone else made up. You can take the mnemonics that are already made and use the letters to come up with your own things to remember, you can reorganize the letters so that they form into something that will fit what you want, or you can just use the letters themselves (which is what I did a lot of the times - as long as they seemed to go together well).

[KrCmommy522, BSN, RN]

Futureapn2 said:

What is the cholinergic mnemonic

What exactly are you looking for?

Anticholinergic Side Effects

Can't See Blurred vision

Can't Pee Urinary retention

Can't Spit Dry mouth

Can't S**t Constipation

An anticholinergic is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and peripheral nervous system. They inhibit parasympathetic nerve impulses by selectively blocking the binding of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and its receptor in the nerve cells. The nerve fibers of the parasympathetic system are responsible for the involuntary movement of smooth muscles present within the GI tract, lungs, urinary tract, etc.

The side effects, as you can imagine this like anticholinergics really affect a lot of systems of the body, so you can have a lot of side effects from these medications. The mnemonic for side effects of anticholinergics is You can't see it, can't pee, can't spit, and can't ****. You can't see blurred vision is a side effect. Can't pee urinary retention. Can't spit you have dry mouth. Can't S**t Constipation

Cholinergic Crisis S&S

SLUDGE

S = Salivation

L = Lacrimation (excessive tears)

U = Urination

D = Defecation

G = Gastric upset

E = Emesis

Another mnemonic when pts are receiving anticholinergics, is for cholinergic crisis. So, the S&S that go along with the cholinergic crisis SLUDGE. Surprisingly, these are kind of opposite of anticholinergic issues. If you think about it as anticholinergics are kind of drying things up (can't pee, can't spit, etc.), cholinergics are kind of lubricating everything. You just have things coming out of everywhere. So, that's kind of how to remember the two. Anticholinergic kind of drives things up, cholinergic crisis kind of has stuff coming out of everywhere, out of your eyes, bowels, bladder, mouth (emesis and salivation both). So, that's what you can think about when you are trying to differentiate between anticholinergic and cholinergic.

[kr2500hd]

On 3/8/2006 at 2:13 PM, princess_g63 said:

These are very helpful thanks!!! Does anyone have anything helpful about ABGs fluid and electrolytes we have a lot of info covered in a small time on test Tues anything would be appreciated... Have a good one!!!!

Check out Picmonic - mnemonics for visual learners: