Getting ahead or where do most people fail

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I've been lurking around these forums trying to get an idea of what I'm getting into and they've been informative and even entertaining at times.

From what I am seeing the problem area that most nursing students encounter is learning meds and how they interact with the body. From this I have reached a conclusion.

Since 'most' meds are designed to interact with the endocrine system complete knowledge of this system would be the pre req for learning pharmocology.

Is this assumption correct? If it is would anyone care to suggest any books that explain this well for a starting student. Even better, would anyone have any good links to sites that explore this in detail that beginning students can understand?

I'm sure that this has been discussed before on here but there a lot of threads on this site and I'm really not just lazy.

I wouldn't worry too much about studying ahead. However, a lot of what I have heard is that acid-base balance and the kidneys are one thing that comes up all the time in nursing school and as an actual nurse. I am also only a pre-nursing student, that should start my program in May. Why don't you have a little fun while you still can, and study what comes up when it does? That's my plan, and I have been an A student my whole life.

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I wouldn't worry too much about studying ahead. However, a lot of what I have heard is that acid-base balance and the kidneys are one thing that comes up all the time in nursing school and as an actual nurse. I am also only a pre-nursing student, that should start my program in May. Why don't you have a little fun while you still can, and study what comes up when it does? That's my plan, and I have been an A student my whole life.

:yeahthat:

Leave that angiotensin/aldosterone alone for now ;)

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Specializes in Neuro.

You're kind of on the right track as far as how to learn drugs, although I don't know that that's why people fail. Knowing drugs is a good thing, though, and you're right... rote memorization isn't the best way to learn it. If you really want to go all out, I'd try to learn how the drug works in the body to do what it does. This will help you remember the drug class more easily and give you an idea of what side effects to watch for, among other things.

And I, personally, think it's really cool to know this stuff. :)

I don't know that I would go too wild and crazy because as someone else said, in clinical if you are on a specialized unit, you will see the same drugs again and again and become more familiar with them. But if you want to be a drug whiz, here's what I'd suggest: learn drug classes, not drug names. Drug names change all the time, and will change again by the time you get out of nursing school. Many generic names in the same class will have similarities (like beta blockers end in -olol), which will help you. And if you DO come across a drug name you don't recognize, if you can figure out what class it's in, it'll help you.

Good luck, eager beaver! ;)

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This is how we learn our meds in nsg school: 1 semester we were made to write drug cards, but they decided that we weren't learning them this way so...2nd semester: they added them in our curriculum. (Ex: drugs for musculoskeletal problems, cardiac drugs, respiratory drugs etc...) When you know what they're for and why they take them it's easy to remember. You learn the basics of how they work (ex: nitroglycerin is a vasodilator, it dilates the vessels to allow more blood therefore decreasing blood pressure etc...) Each test we were given a list of drugs that corresponded with the material and those drugs were in our tests. We don't have separate classes for pharm etc..., we just have one big ole class and every test contains all of the info, patho, pharm, nsg care, nsg dx, manifestations, etc, etc...

So, maybe you should relax while you can and wait and see how the drugs will be incorporated with your material. Don't stress too much and enjoy your time off. Good luck!

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Specializes in Rural.

I have been out of RN school for (oh my gosh has it really been) 3 years this month and have learned that the further I got in school and the more info I had to put together (Micro, Pharmacology, A&P, Chemistry) the easier it was to learn and remember things because there is a point where things just start to make sense, when you know how the systems work together and why one thing may influence another. So don't get discouraged, the further you get in your schooling the more sense you will find in things.

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

One thing that I have found incredibly helpful thus far is the Nursing Made Incredibly Easy series....I have subscribed to the magazine and it's been astounding how much has been included just when I needed the info expounded on for one of my first semester topics....in addition, I have purchased the Fluids & Electrolytes (which I understand is killer for many students) and Pathophysiology books made by the same folks for additional study....it was amazing to me how I wasn't getting something out of the text for the final (same topic I had struggled with our last test) and when I cross-reference it in the Incredibly Easy books and then went back to the text -- bingo! There it was (either that or I'm incredibly slow, lol)....also, Calculate with Confidence is a pretty simple, teach-yourself type of book to help with dosage calculations -- also extremely vital information to KNOW backwards and forwards...you might make a run to a Barnes & Noble or Borders and peruse those books....although I do agree that you should try to relax, organize, and enjoy the time before you actually start an RN program...believe us, you're going to need it!! :)

Best wishes!!

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I appreciate the information and the advice. Unfortunately I am a biblophile and relaxing to me includes cuddling up with a book. Which maybe didn't do so much for my social life when I was younger, but it's fun to expound on some philosophical principle and watch my co workers eyes glaze over because the don't know the meanings of the words I'm using.

Our school should be releasing next years book list sometime in January so I'll wait and get them for some light reading :idea:

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I don't think most student have too many problems with meds actually. You see them so much, over and over and over in clincal you learn them that way--I know I did.

Most people fail nursing classes because it is a lot of work in general--it is not one particular area. I don't think it is particulary hard, but the amount of work and studying is what can kill you. Finals week in nursing school just about sent me over the edge!

I don't think there is much you can do to "get ahead" for nursing school--that is just not possible and I think your time is best spent with your pre-req classes and making good grades in those, take one step at a time, your taking pre-reqs for a reason so concentrate on those. You are expected to come into nursing classes with a good base of knowledge from your pre-reqs.

Know your A&P, your always going to need to know that. But don't stress out about it either, you can simply review what you forgot--I"ve had to do that a lot. I've made A this semester in nursing school and you just basically have to keep up and study a lot! Most of the people who failed out this semester have trouble taking NCLEX type tests.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
it's fun to expound on some philosophical principle and watch my co workers eyes glaze over because the don't know the meanings of the words I'm using.

If you are truly interested in learning perhaps you could "dumb it down" a bit for the rest of us and actually get some participation in your conversations with co-workers. One thing I've learned especially when you are new to a field is there are people you might overlook at first glance that could share intelligent information from their years of practical experience and thats something you won't find in a book.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Gyn/Uro Surgical.

Remember the definition of communication! It is a two way street and your recipient needs to understand the information you are sending to them for it to be communication! Unless of course you enjoy speaking just to hear yourself speak. :bowingpur

When you go to nursing school and are forced to work in groups with people who will make or break your grade, make sure you don't alienate your partners by putting yourself on an intellectual pedestal. Use your intellect to help people because you are devoting yourself to a career of helping people.

Good luck!

Joanna

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
it's fun to expound on some philosophical principle and watch my co workers eyes glaze over because the don't know the meanings of the words I'm using

:

No offense, but that is something your proud of? Working in healthcare, this isn't going to fly and your going to alienate yourself as well as not getting anywhere. Good communication and teaching is a cornerstone of nursing, and that goes with both your future patients and co-workers!

What is the good of knowing anything in life, if you can't share it with others? Watching peoples eyes glaze over with your "knowledge" is nothing but gloating and pride.

As a new nurse the only way your going to make it is by learning from others, and as you get experience and later on help precept new grads yourself your not going to be of any help if you can't come down to a newbies level to help teach.

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Merry Christmas

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