Any tips on studying DRUGS?

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Hi! Does anyone have any tips on how to remember the 50 billion drugs? I hate when they ask the dosage, because since there are so many drugs, how can you remember if one is 50mg 4x day or if it's 100 mg twice a day, etc. Plus, when they ask contraindications? UGHHHHHHHH

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I have the Saunders Q&A book/cd and I take notes on the drug questions I miss. I read through the notes every once in awhile. I only plan on learing the common drugs. Our school had an ERI NCLEX review that was mandatory, the rep told us to make sure we know diabetic drugs including orals, antihypertensives, cardiac drugs, and some others I can't think of right now. If I find my notes I will post what the other drugs were.

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Oh Yeah! Place them by the class they are in......a trick an instructor gave us which worked great!

For example....., Ace Inhibitors will all have the same side effect, Beta Blockers will all have the same side effect, Calcium Channel Blockers will all have the same side effect etc etc.......That way you don't waste time remembering every single drug....just go by the class

Another thing we were given too as help....little things like Beta Blockers BLOCK and fill in whatever it is

Calcium Channel Blockers BLOCK and fill in whatever it is

ACE Inhibitors...... well you get my point, right?

Good Luck, you'll be fine hopefully with these suggestions and whatever other ones anyone here may give to you.....lots of more knowledgeable/experienced nurses on here that can give you tons of tips...

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.
Oh Yeah! Place them by the class they are in......a trick an instructor gave us which worked great!

For example....., Ace Inhibitors will all have the same side effect, Beta Blockers will all have the same side effect, Calcium Channel Blockers will all have the same side effect etc etc.......That way you don't waste time remembering every single drug....just go by the class

Another thing we were given too as help....little things like Beta Blockers BLOCK and fill in whatever it is

Calcium Channel Blockers BLOCK and fill in whatever it is

ACE Inhibitors...... well you get my point, right?

Good Luck, you'll be fine hopefully with these suggestions and whatever other ones anyone here may give to you.....lots of more knowledgeable/experienced nurses on here that can give you tons of tips...

exactly what I was going to say:) To add to that: learn stratagies, there is no way on earth you will be able to know all the drugs. Learn to eliminate 2 answers and chose from the rest. Try Kaplan its great. Good luck..oh and I loved the book by Prentice Hall called Reviews and Rationales: Pharmacology...its about 25 at B and N.

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Agreed. :) Don't try to memorize individual drugs. Definitely just learn the different classifications. All the best!

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You all are so awesome!! Thank you for your help. I am going to do all of your suggestions, which does make a lot of sense!!

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