HELP, Pharmacology on NCLEX!!!!

ITsurvivor06 · Jan 23, 2007

i really related to your question, especially the "what do i have to do--memorize every drug?" there is no real way to prepare other than to know the classifications, actions and side effects.....but even then you can't possibly remember them all. i took the nclex-pn last week. there were several questions related to meds, most of which i had never heard of. trust me, they're not going to ask you about synthroid or plavix!! plus there were no "clues" in the drug name. i was terrified. but, and here's where i hope you will feel better, i passed......with the minimum 85 questions. just remember, if the questions seem outrageously hard, most likely you are doing very well. i wished i'd remembered that at the time!!!

you'll do fine.....remember, you can't possibly know every drug, so do your best and just breathe......

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2007

Know ADME - absorption, distribution, metabolization, excretion. Just the basics, and half-life.

Know the endings - olols are beta blockers, prils are ACE inhibitors, ones are steroids, that kind of stuff.

Know what drugs raise what levels - simple level. Steroids (with an "one" on the end of the name) raise glucose.

Don't make yourself insane. Know the basics.

myrn07 · Jan 23, 2007

nurse2be1206,

thanks for asking that question. I'm in the same boat. I have no idea what to know and study when it comes to pharm. I'm going thursday to take NCLEX

thanks everyone, that helps.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2007

Oh, know insulins and when to hold BP meds - olols and prils. And know digitalis, and know which drugs get pulses and BP's taken before and maybe after administration.

catlover13 · Jan 23, 2007

Hi, I'm studying for the nclex too.....and pharm is one of my weaker points, and one of the points that I am concentrating on.

I'm not endorsing, but I've been getting good results using the Mosby's Pharmacology flash cards.

It has the common drugs with catchy phrases and pics for ease of remembering.

Finally, I feel like I'm getting the gist of the drugs.

Another thing that I did was during my geri clinical. I took my pharm book, and highlighted all the drugs for our floor (20 patients or so). I figured this would be a good representation of the commonly used geri drugs.

Lynn

miss_cy · Jan 24, 2007

geezz!well i just took the nclex and not my time yet to passed it and my CPR showed that my bellow passing standard was pharmacology! i dnt know how to study that pharm subject! i hate it! but i have to love it and be friend with it..aaarrrgghh!!!!!!! well yeah, do u know any techniques or books i need to review for my pharm? please help me..please.

dijaqrn · Jan 24, 2007

Take the NCSBN online pharm course for a good review. I actually got this free with my NCLEX review but that was a special. Know those classifications and all of your basic drugs, insulins, BP meds, Dig etc. You must memorize those endings and the side effect for each classification!!!!

KayceeLeeRN, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2007

Hey, I just want to let everyone know that I went to the bookstore today and found Kaplan's NCLEX-RN Exam Medication Flashcards and I'm already starting to feel better. I compared it to a few others and this one seemed to have the best lay-out (for me, at least!) It doesn't have a lot of excessive info., it gets straight to the point: common side effects and nursing implications....and all the classifications are grouped together. This is exactly what I needed...I hope it helps!!!!

onduty23 · Jan 24, 2007

i brought kaplan flashcards i feel it is awful and lacks info jmho

otan11 · Jan 29, 2007

you can't escape from that subject matter,you need to know them by heart.when i took the test i remembered some meds are steroids,and blah blah.

broscuta · Jan 29, 2007

Thank you for your tips.