El Centro students Spring '06

U.S.A. Texas

Published

i know some of us have received our letters so i was wondering who else i will be making this journey with for the next 2 years.

my name is allison shaffer and it's nice to meet you. i know we will all be close because it's a small group. it would be nice to get to know some of you before november 17. :)

Specializes in Operating Room.

The SNA added me, so I got access to the resources page today.

Katie, or anyone of y'all, do you make your drug cards from an index card, or do you have a template you use & print them out?

I was thinking about getting ahead, and wondered how I should do them. Even if it's things I don't use the 1st semester, it'll never hurt to have a collection when it's time to study meds for the NCLEX!

Also, have you found that the Pharm/Level 1 does cover what is needed for the 1st semester?

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.

Katie, or anyone of y'all, do you make your drug cards from an index card, or do you have a template you use & print them out?

I was thinking about getting ahead, and wondered how I should do them.

Also, have you found that the Pharm/Level 1 does cover what is needed for the 1st semester?

I use my own template for drug cards. I have generic and some trade names on it with classification, outcome, peak/onset/duration time, side effects, teaching and nursing assesment info.

Do you have a drug guide book? Right now I am using one from the library, because I want to buy the new Davis book in June. :)

I think the level 1 packet is a good intro to drugs, but it doesn't cover all the first semester drugs. Our clinical handbook comes with a long list of drug names that we should be familiar with...

Katie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

[bANANA]Thanks Katie.[/bANANA]

Do you keep yours on full sheet in a notebook, or glue them to the bigger index cards? I'm trying to decide what would be best, how much room it would take, etc. :D

I don't have a drug guide yet. It's on my "list to buy" though. Is the Davis Drug Guide the one recommended by the school?

Now I'm really starting to get nervous. :lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.

Do you keep yours on full sheet in a notebook, or glue them to the bigger index cards? I'm trying to decide what would be best, how much room it would take, etc. :D

I don't have a drug guide yet. It's on my "list to buy" though. Is the Davis Drug Guide the one recommended by the school?

My drug cards are either on the computer somewhere or handwritten on some paper. I am still working on my organization skills. :)

The school doesn't recommend a particular brand of drug book. It's your choice. The same goes with your care plan book. Sooner or later you need to choose and use one.

Katie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

:chuckle I can understand that!!! Just because my ideas sound 'organized' doesn't mean I know where the heck anything is after I do it. :lol2:

Thanks for your help.:balloons:

My drug cards are either on the computer somewhere or handwritten on some paper. I am still working on my organization skills. :)

The school doesn't recommend a particular brand of drug book. It's your choice. The same goes with your care plan book. Sooner or later you need to choose and use one.

Katie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology.

hey you guys! i just wanted to check in to say i am still alive! :lol2:

i just took test 3 today and i got an 86....it's not great but it's a definite improvement from the last test. there were alot of upset people after this test because it seemed harder. but then i have a friend who got a 90 and she thought it was easy! oh well-

i have my first care plan due tomorrow ( tuesday ) :uhoh21:

i know we're all super busy but i just wanted to stop by and say hello and that i can't wait to hear how everyone is doing!

hey funnie! i am so excited for you getting accepted!!!!! just think they probably already have your name written down and typing up your letter as we speak!!! i bought the davis drug guide and i love it. i got a few others in my class to buy it and they like it too. it's all on your preference though. i retyped the drugs in my own word documents and printed them out on little cards. when i type it for some reason it reinforces what i am learning about them. please let us know when you get your acceptance letter! this is so exciting!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

[banana]thanks! [/banana]

i hope they are too! :chuckle i have this thought in the back of my mind that my application was never put in the bucket. :uhoh21: that would bite...to hand deliver your application & they don't have record of it???? :uhoh21:

(then there's that slight chance that over 100 applicants have a 4.0 on the pre-reqs & 4.0 on all 17 credits of the co-reqs.) :uhoh3:

i guess i'll find out in a couple of weeks. lol

i'm so glad your 3rd exam went better for you!!! :balloons: i'm sure you were very discouraged after your 2nd one, and i'm so glad you didn't let it get you down for good. keep hanging on, study hard, and your first semester in nursing school will soon be over! :balloons: :balloons: wow, that sounds cool, doesn't it???? :biggringi

hey you guys! i just wanted to check in to say i am still alive! :lol2:

i just took test 3 today and i got an 86....it's not great but it's a definite improvement from the last test. there were alot of upset people after this test because it seemed harder. but then i have a friend who got a 90 and she thought it was easy! oh well-

i have my first care plan due tomorrow ( tuesday ) :uhoh21:

i know we're all super busy but i just wanted to stop by and say hello and that i can't wait to hear how everyone is doing!

hey funnie! i am so excited for you getting accepted!!!!! just think they probably already have your name written down and typing up your letter as we speak!!! i bought the davis drug guide and i love it. i got a few others in my class to buy it and they like it too. it's all on your preference though. i retyped the drugs in my own word documents and printed them out on little cards. when i type it for some reason it reinforces what i am learning about them. please let us know when you get your acceptance letter! this is so exciting!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
I just took test 3 today and I got an 86....it's not great but it's a definite improvement from the last test.

I have my first care plan due tomorrow ( Tuesday )

Good job, Allison, I hope I will make around 86, too.

I've just got back my first mini care plan. It was good, although I should have personalized it more. I also forgot to quantify some parts (to make it measurable). Anyway, it's was the first one so it's OK. ;)

Katie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
The SNA added me, so I got access to the resources page today.

Katie, or anyone of y'all, do you make your drug cards from an index card, or do you have a template you use & print them out?

I was thinking about getting ahead, and wondered how I should do them. Even if it's things I don't use the 1st semester, it'll never hurt to have a collection when it's time to study meds for the NCLEX!

Also, have you found that the Pharm/Level 1 does cover what is needed for the 1st semester?

Thanks!

From personal experience, I think making drug cards and trying to learn them all separately is a waste of our precious time and energy as there is NO WAY

to memorize all the drugs that are out there.

Instead learn drugs by classes. Learn what the endings are for certain drugs in certain classes. For ex. beta blockers end in -olol. Then learn what a beta receptor does and why blocking it would be something therapeutic.

From a nursing standpoint, it is important to know that a beta blocker will lower blood pressure by blocking adrenaline and that sometimes the drug can lower it TOO much. So, what signs would the nurse look for in that case?

Remember, most drugs either speed up a natural action or block the receptor so the action cannot occur.

This, to me, is a more effective way to learn Pharm.

Blind memorization is not very helpful.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
From personal experience, I think making drug cards and trying to learn them all separately is a waste of our precious time and energy as there is NO WAY

to memorize all the drugs that are out there.

Instead learn drugs by classes.

Great idea. :)

I use drug cards during clinicals and check offs. If I know the name of the drugs that I need later I can look up the info at home. So I don't have to spend time with it during tests or in the hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.
From personal experience, I think making drug cards and trying to learn them all separately is a waste of our precious time and energy as there is NO WAY

to memorize all the drugs that are out there.

......

Blind memorization is not very helpful.

I understand your point. :) Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Postpartum/Nursery.

Hey everybody....!!! It's been awhile since I've been on here.... I've been so wrapped up with school. My major care plan was due yesterday after clinicals (33 pages!!!):eek: And I had test 3 this morning. I got an 82... I was just so tired and stressed about my major care plan, that I didn't study like I should have. I also have a mini care plan due today....:o I'm glad to see that everybody is doing well... Best of luck to you all!!

Brianna

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment