Drug cards or drug guide for clinicals??

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Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum & new to nursing school.

I am trying to decide what my money would be best spent on...

drug cards (if so, which ones are best?) OR

drug guide (if so, which is best?)

...for 1) learning the drugs and 2) for use in clinicals.

I'd appreciate any help!! Thanks so much!

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before my pda, i loved nurses meddeck, 10th edition. the cards were super easy to pull out, but if your patient was changed or a new med was added-- it was a pita to go through your bag to find the new card. with a book, it's all there.

i have the 2007 drug guide by prentice hall and it's ok! :) good luck in your decision.

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I have davis drug guid on my PDA, mosby drug cards and lippincotts drug guide in book form. I now bring all to clinical. I probably will quit bringing my book next quarter because with my pda in my pocket I have not needed it and the instances where the pda froze there are at least 3 drug guides at the nurses station at all times. I bought the drug cards this quarter because there are a lot of new drugs and a lot of PRN drugs that prescribed that i cn't always remember everything about. I just keep these cards in a plastic sleeve in my pocket and can whip it out as a quick review as needed.

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I strongly suggest buying a PDA so you can get a good medical dictionary and a good drug guide on it. It's been priceless in my clinical sessions. If I'm getting ready to pass a drug and don't know what it is, all I have to do is pull out my PDA and I can have it looked up in less than 10 seconds. I got a Palm TX, which ran me about $250, plus another $120 for all the programs I put on it, but you can find cheaper PDAs.

But due to how fast you can look things up on the spot, and not having to lug around cumbersome books or having to run back to the nurses station to look in a book, you'll find that a PDA is worth the money. I intend to use these things my entire career.

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Another vote for a PDA with a drug guide installed. I have Nursing Central on my PDA and LOVE it.

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Thank you guys so much for the input!

I now have Mosby's Drug Guide for Nurses AND Mosby's Drug Cards. I thought that maybe I should've gotten different publishers to have a variety, but the bookstore only had Mosby's drug cards and I had already bought the drug guide. I will also be getting a Treo before Fall Semester so I should be good to go!

Thanks again!

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I have davis drug guid on my PDA, mosby drug cards and lippincotts drug guide in book form. I now bring all to clinical. I probably will quit bringing my book next quarter because with my pda in my pocket I have not needed it and the instances where the pda froze there are at least 3 drug guides at the nurses station at all times. I bought the drug cards this quarter because there are a lot of new drugs and a lot of PRN drugs that prescribed that i cn't always remember everything about. I just keep these cards in a plastic sleeve in my pocket and can whip it out as a quick review as needed.

What would be your best advice for getting through nursing school?

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First and foremost I would say get a pocket drug guide like Lippincott's. You can make your own drug cards from that with the info. you will need or buy the drug cards later. I bought the book and later bought cards because they were easier to pull before clinical and stick in my pocket but I had the book in my bag. Also, for home, you might want to think about buying a used Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties or some such thing (they call it the CPS here) because that has things in a lot more detail and everything that's out there. I got one from my hospital's library as they sell off the old floor copies for ten bucks.

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First and foremost I would say get a pocket drug guide like Lippincott's. You can make your own drug cards from that with the info. you will need or buy the drug cards later. I bought the book and later bought cards because they were easier to pull before clinical and stick in my pocket but I had the book in my bag. .

This is exactly how i work as well. My other advice for NS is to get and stay organized, don't procrastinate and try to improve your memory because while there is a lot of application instead of just rote memorization, you do have a lot of things to memorize (lab values, drug categories etc...). Have a positive attitude about clinicals even if the rotation is not your favorite. Try and find something positive everday and seek out learning opportunities. Don't waste time with gossip and school politics that will arise. If you find a nurse at clinical who has a gift for teaching follow her/him around and see how they prioritize and how they tailor their assessment.

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Thanks for the advice! I will do my best! :roll

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

I would stick w/a book over buying the cards...I found that the cards are often not all-inclusive, in addition to the fact that we were REQUIRED in both my first and second semester to create our own drugs cards either in writing or on a PC; pre-printed was NOT allowed.

Check w/your program to see what will be required before investing in cards.

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Man i have the meddeck cards and i love being able to pull out the right data because I never know what I am copying down on those drugs cards! But the only problem with the cards is they dont always have all the drugs some drugs are compiled by group and therefore you dont have all the information you may need! Buy the book its your best bet sometimes they have used package deals on ebay or amazon!! Peace:studyowl:

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