Pharmacology--where do I start?

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Hi everyone. I'm a first quarter nursing student (3 weeks in). We have been told that next quarter can be the hardest in the whole program because of pharmacology. Also, it's summer quarter so only 8 weeks. They told us to start studying for it right now. I got the moseby notecards that peolpe recommonded. But my question is, where do I start? I can't just dive in and start learning at random. There must be a recommended method for how to start this. I appreciate any help! Sorry for spelling errors, it's sometimes hard to type on my iPhone!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Start with the different parts of the body and the drugs that work on them. It seemed that in Pharm class we started with the brain and then the heart and worked our way from there on the different systems. You need to UNDERSTAND how the drug works and why and what can result from that more then memorizing anything.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

Our pharm teacher organized things by body system first, then mechanism of action second. So, you have heart meds (system), and then you have beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, etc.

As for getting a head start, you can always buy your pharmacology textbook early and take a look at it. However, I think you'll have enough on your plate THIS semester to not worry about NEXT semester. After all, how can you understand exactly what a beta-blocker does without understanding the pathophys of the heart itself? ;)

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Specializes in CVICU/ER.

Mi Vida has it right. Learn the mechanisms of action and you can usually figure out the effect and the sides. Learn it, don't memorize it.

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