Help with remembering Drugs.....

I do not really know of any good memory aid books, but I think the best way to study for pharm is to know each class pretty well. Individual drugs become easier to learn once you know what the entire class does.

In nursing school we had to make drug cards for each medication that one of our patients took. We carried them with us during clinicals. By the end of the semester we had a pretty good collection. The drug card contained the name of the drug, what it was used for, common dosages and side effects. Something about writing all that down helped it to stick.

I agree with Orca...if I write them, it helps me to remember.

I read this post earlier today from Nurse2be09 in a post about the NCLEX and maybe it will help you. I hope Nurse2be09 doesn't mind me sharing...

"I studied the drugs by the classifications. I used a little handbook called Mosby's Pharmacoogy Memory Notecards since I'm a visual learner. For example, I know antibotics should be taken with lots of fluids. I also know drugs that start with Cepha (antibotics), it is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to PCN. In other words, Cepha=PCN allergy. I know the ACE-I ends in -pril and I need to watch out for hyperkalemia and persistant cough. Beta blockers end in -olol and I need to watch for hypotension. This is how I studied for meds. And I had several questions on NCLEX with common meds and a few I've never heard of, but was able to look at the classification and go from there."

Good luck on your test!

My pharm instructor always told us that it was important to understand method of action; that we should never expect to remember every drug...that could be dangerous, but it was important to realize we knew where to look for the answers.

Don't know if this will help you, but if you have an iphone or ipod touch, you can download the iStudy: Top 100 Drugs (Pharmacology)app for 2.99

iStudy: Top 100 Drugs is a pharmacology study tool designed to help you study and learn more about the top 100 Most prescribed drugs, and includes brand to generic/therapeutic indication.

iStudy: Top 100 Drugs offers the following:

- "Test mode" which includes flash cards for learning about pharmacology.

- "Study mode" which lets you review specific questions of your choice.

- "Report card" to help you keep track of your learning progress.

- Modes to help you review and study questions that youre struggling with most.

http://appshopper.com/medical/istudy-top-100-drugs-pharmacology

Unfortunately, drugs are mostly rote memorization. But I agree about dividing by class - it was the easiest way to know them, especially when they are the type that the generic ends in a common factor.

Like durgs ending in "olol" = beta blockers. If you know what a beta blocker does, it's side effects, and pre-med assessment needs, you don't necessarily have to know each and every beta blocker.

Something else that helped me was taking a couple big pieces of posterboard and writing out classes, side effects, pre-med assessments, etc on them. Writing it out stuck it in my brain, posting it on the wall in my apartment meant I could stand there and see it, like a giant notecard =]