Fall 2012 - Pharmacology

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Anyone out there taking Pharmacology this semester? Want to start a support group? I ended up having to take Pharm online because the only time slots offered conflicted with my Physiology & Microbiology courses. I've never taken an online class before, so this is going to be very new for me.

How many books did you have to purchase for Pharm? We had 4 required text books and 2 recommended :eek: However, the good news is that we will use them again in the Nursing program, so it's a good investment. (We'll use them for the first 3 semesters of the Nursing program...yay!)

I was astounded at how large the main textbook is. It's bigger than my Physiology and Microbiology books combined!!! I forsee lots of math in our future :D

What about you?? Let's hear it :)

We take Math Pre-Test 1 and have to score a 90% or better. If not, you have to go to a remedial math workshop. Then you take Pre-Test 2 (again, 90% or better). Same deal as before.I just took Pre-Test 2 on Friday and got 100%...yay!!! :D :D :DThe next test is the "big" one. If you score 90% or better, you're done with dosaging math. If you don't score 90%, you're required to attend a full remedial math workshop. You get one more chance to take the test. If you don't pass with a 90% or better, you fail the ENTIRE Pharmacology class, regardless of your overall grade :eek:
Good luck on your next exam and in this class. I'll be taking Pharm in the nursing program but wondering if I should take it before?
Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
Good luck on your next exam and in this class. I'll be taking Pharm in the nursing program but wondering if I should take it before?

RN2Be77: if you have the opportunity to take it prior to being in the nursing program, I would definitely recommend taking it. At my school, it's a full-blown nursing course, so you'll get an idea of what a nursing class will be like. The pace is much faster, the reading/study load is much heavier, the pass/fail rate is much tougher and the instructors are nursing school instructors.

I couldn't imagine having to take Pharm AND a nursing class at the same time :eek: :eek: :eek:

Take everything you can possibly take before nursing school, so all you have left to focus on are your nursing classes. My school considers Pharm to be NURS 200.

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

We're in the home stretch now...less than 2 months to go before the semester is over...yay!!!!! :D

This unit focuses on drugs of the peripheral nervous system (cholinergics, adrenergics, anticolinergics, etc.), drugs for asthma & allergies & drugs for the digestive system. I wish we could break these into smaller chunks. There's just TOO much to learn for an entire unit. I'd rather take more exams on fewer chapters than mashing together a bunch of chapters into one big test. The SI guy for our class made a great chart to help us remember the effects on alpha1, alpha2, beta1 & beta2 receptors. If I can just memorize the effects between the Parasympathetic & Sympathetic on the organs, I think I'll have it down by our exam next week.

Interesting note: I met with an advisor at the university where I want to complete my BSN after the ASN program at our CC. They don't require Pharmacology until the LAST semester and it's considered a 400 (senior) level class!!! Luckily, they will accept my Pharmacology credit from our CC because they use the same book & pretty much cover the same material. YAY!!!! I would die if I had to take Pharm again...LOL :p

I'm still having issues with students who are assigned to my online discussion group in Pharm not posting anything until an hour before an assignment is due. It drives me insane! We are graded on not only our initial post, but we also have to respond to a minimum of 2 posts to get a passing grade, 3 if you want 100% on the assignment. I shouldn't have to stay up until midnight to get my replies completed because the rest of the group waits until the last minute. UGH! I made an appointment and met with my prof about this and she assured me that she won't mark me down due to the group. Thank goodness!

How's your Pharm class going? We're taking our (hopefully) LAST Pharm Math test next week. I can't wait to get it over & done with!!!

Specializes in Inpatient Obstetrics.

So I just took my second exam yesterday over CNS, cardiovascular/renal and ear, eye, and skin.

Didn't do as well as the first test but passed. Phew!! I'm still in the running to get an A in the class though :)!

But after our exam, half of our class disappeared. Apparently a lot of people received failing grades. And yesterday was the cut off date to drop out of the class, so I'm sure that was the main reason; I even checked online to see how many students were still enrolled in the class and it seems like 37 are still enrolled out of the 51 that were originally enrolled.

So we have our math exam on November 30th and I feel prepared but very nervous. So nervous that I feel like ill make mistakes from being anxious.

Yes! I love color-coding my planner, too :) It just makes it so much more easy to see at a glance what I need to do.I've gotten a jump-start on our Pharm work. Nothing is due for the first 2 weeks, so I jumped ahead with the reading and math problems. That way, when my other courses have assignments, I won't be so over-loaded with too much work.Man, I can't believe how easy it is to make a mistake on "simple" math. We have a requirement that we must pass the 3rd math test with a 90% or better or you receive a failing grade for the ENTIRE course...yikes! :eek: I took the pre-test and you could only miss 2 questions out of 50. I missed 3 and when I did the review, I realized each one had a "dumb" math error (e.g. forgot to carry a 1, or transposed a number...ugh!) I think the key to the math portion will be taking my time and going SLOW to answer the questions. All my errors occur when I rush.I'm very happy to know we're allowed to use a calculator on all of our tests. I'd hate to have to figure out "what is 1/4% of 65?" in my head! :D
How is your class coming along? Can you post some more math problems you came across? I just want to start familiarizing myself. Thanks!
Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Yay!!!! Great job on your test, gelibean :D :D :D Doesn't it feel like Pharmacology is a "weeding out" course? I have seen our class dwindle in size from when we started. We had 75 students in our online session. We're now down to 35. While it's sad to see so many people dropping like flies, it's also encouraging that we're getting through it.

We just started Unit IV this week. We have 5 units total. It's strange to think it's almost over (hallelujah!). This week is the REAL med math dosaging test. If I pass this one with a 90% or better, I don't have to take any more med math for the semester. I sure hope I get it done right the first time (fingers crossed). I have until Thursday to take the test. I might do it tomorrow after I work on some more practice problems.

I have been going to the Pharmacology supplemental instruction sessions every Tuesday and it's been a godsend. Ben, our SI, breaks everything down into easy ways to memorize for the exams. If I didn't have those sessions, I think I'd be crying right about now...LOL :D I've still got an A going. Barely an A, but it's still an A all the same.

When is the last day of your semester? Our school is officially done on Dec. 17th, but my Pharm class is done on the 14th.

We're in the home stretch!!!

Specializes in Inpatient Obstetrics.

I know they said that Pharmacology would really weed out candidates but I really didn't think it was going to be a major weed out! It is insane! But yes I am glad that I am still in the running to hopefully be in the nursing program!

I am glad that you are on your last unit!! Woo Hoo!! We are almost there!! We have 12 units for our class and we are going over unit 9. This last test will cover Body defenses, infectious disease, endocrine and neoplastic. Almost there!

Wish yo luck on your real math exam!! I know you can do it! It seems like you have really dedicated your time to working on the math so there should be no reason why you won't pass!! My math exam is November 30th! So I still have a little time to go over the material... it is still nerve-wrecking!

I believe the semester ends on December 14... but my class ends on the 14th because that is the date for our last exam!

Have you heard any updates about getting into the program, SopranoKris?

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Happy Dance....Happy Dance....Happy Dance....I passed the Drug Dosage Calculation math test with 100%...I'm DONE with Pharm math! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D

No updates about getting into the program. We can't apply for Fall 2013 until after January (with a March 1st deadline). They won't notify us until the end of April, so it's just going to be a huge waiting game. If I get accepted, I'll work on BSN courses while waiting to start. If I don't get in, I'm going to apply at Michigan State University's BSN program, since they take applications twice per year. If I don't end up getting into either program, I will just go straight for my Clinical Laboratory Science bachelor's and concentrate on getting into PA school. I'm doing my phlebotomy externship Jan. - Mar. and I've already had 2 job offers to work as a phlebotomist/lab tech. I found out I can count phlebotomy as patient care experience hours for PA school, so at least I'll have enough PCE hours to apply. (Minimum is 500 PCE, but average accepted student has over 2,500).

I looked at the curriculum for PA school and I'll have to take 2 semesters of Pharmacology (and they are both med school classes)!!! Just when I thought I was done with Pharm...aarrgghh! Oh well, by then I'll be done with Biochemistry and it will probably be a lot easier to understand than it is now :)

I think you're going to do GREAT on your math test. All you have to do is take your time and read the question thoroughly. Once you understand what it's asking for (gtts/min, mL/h, mcg/kg/min, etc.) then you know how to set up your equation. I noticed we had 3 trick questions where it gave us all sorts of information but all it asked for at the end was "how many mg do you administer?" which was the first item stated in the scenario. Sneaky!

If you're doing well on your practice tests in your manual, then you're going to ace your exam...I just know it!!! :D :up: :D

Specializes in Inpatient Obstetrics.

Yipee Yipee Yipee!!!! Go SopranoKris!! You are throwing it out of the ballpark :p

I really hope you enter the program as soon as you can!! I feel like you are definitely going towards your goals faster than what you realize! I like how you are not wasting anytime to get things done for your future! In other words, you have a lot of dedication, which is necessary for the health care industry!!

Do what you have to do to get it done! Yes it may be a drag to do two more semesters of Pharmacology but I am sure you will get it done with flying colors lol.

I feel good about the math but I am just nervous to make those dumb mistakes from the sneaky questions... I will try to go slow but not too slow to answer the questions. The exam is only 30 questions and I believe we have an hour to get it done! I'll be ready!

But on the good side!!!! My school has accepted to join their nursing program but I have to pass the pharm course and the math dosage exam, of course! I have two mandatory orientation dates.. if I don't attend then they will give my seat to someone else. So I am DEFINITELY attending those meetings!! Yipee!!!!!!

Good for you, SopranoKris! And to think you were saying Pharm was the bane of your existence! :)

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

YAY!!!!!!! Gelibean, I'm SO proud of you...you did it!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!! :D :D :D :D :up: :up: :up: :up:

I know you're going to pass pharm & med math, no problem! How awesome does it feel to know that you're this/close to starting the program? I am just THRILLED for you!!!! :yes:

Thank you, nguyency77, for your encouragement. Pharm is still the bane of my existence (so much intensive reading & studying), but we're almost done....yipee! :)

Specializes in Inpatient Obstetrics.

Thank you SopranoKris!!! I am trying to not get ahead of myself until I am done with this course. I am just pushing it to the side so my excitement doesn't get me distracted. I am so close but still need to push a little more! Phew!

But we have to do what we have to do, in order to get what we want! :yes:

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