How many of your schools require a pharmacology class?

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I'm struggling through my pharmacology class and I have heard not all schools require it. How many of you are required to take it as part of your course matrix? How did you get through it? I study by classification, and its just not clicking.:crying2:

I'm not completely sure on this matter, since I'm still in school, but I find it extremely disturbing that we actually have nurses out there who haven't taken Pharmacology.....

Everyone who sits for the NCLEX learns pharmacology. Not everyone has taken a class called pharmacology. If a course is called "Nursing 3" but includes pharmacology.....does the name really matter?

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Specializes in Slacking Off.

CuriousMe: The name doesn't matter at all, but by reading "citylights89" post, it sounded as if her institution doesn't require the material at all. She said that the students who go on to pass the NCLEX "did the work themselves" and i assumed it meant that they had to teach themselves pharmacology to pass the exam. I haven't taken the exam yet so i dont know how it's like. But there are people who can study material solely for an exam, people who pass may simply be good test takers or crammers. I think a course (regardless of its name) covering the important aspects of pharmacology is vital. I actually cant imagine a program which would leave it up to the students to teach themselves the material...

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CuriousMe: The name doesn't matter at all, but by reading "citylights89" post, it sounded as if her institution doesn't require the material at all. She said that the students who go on to pass the NCLEX "did the work themselves" and i assumed it meant that they had to teach themselves pharmacology to pass the exam. I haven't taken the exam yet so i dont know how it's like. But there are people who can study material solely for an exam, people who pass may simply be good test takers or crammers. I think a course (regardless of its name) covering the important aspects of pharmacology is vital. I actually cant imagine a program which would leave it up to the students to teach themselves the material...

CityLights said they covered the most common drugs already, and that she wasn't sure if they were going to do more. For the Board of Nursing to approve the curriculum....they must teach pharmacology.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Pretty much every good school I have heard has it, or it is integrated in the program

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In fact, I went back and looked at the schedule and I couldn't find information about the pharmacology class there. I know my instructor who teaches Med-Surg I said that she is this year and some of my classmates are thinking about it, so it must be there. I just think it strange too. Its a 3 year program!

So since I'm already in the program now and confused on how to actually get my pharm info, what can I do to really for NCLEX when it comes around, oh lets say, 2 years from now?! Any good review books or anything? I want to be ready! In the meantime, I'm gonna ask some of my friends further into the program whats going on.

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Specializes in Slacking Off.

Hey citylights89 :)

yea i find it very weird, and at this point im a tad bit confused. But if you think that your professors have covered all the pharmacology material that they plan to cover, then simply go take a look at a few practice tests. If you find that most of the material is new to you, then I suggest you take the full blown pharmacology course. Check if your campus offers it at a time that will be convenient for you, if not, you can always take it as a visiting student at another college.

take a look here:Practice Questions - Help your Exam Score with free Practice Test Questions

CuriousMe: i understand it's a board approved program. i was simply surprised. most programs i've heard of require a bit more than just the most common drugs.

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mine requires it as well!

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

My program requires 2 semesters (3 credit hours) of patho-pharm. LPN/BSN bridge program.

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I am in an ADN program at a community college and we were required to take a Nursing Pharmacology class. It is a 2 credit class and has to be taken before starting the second year of nursing school. It is available as an online summer class, so I took it this summer before even starting my nursing classes. All of the tests were online (aka open book) and I got an "A" in the class. It helps that I have worked as a pharmacology tech and was familiar with several of the meds already, also it was my only class, so I could focus on it. Even with the open book tests, it was intensive, you had to still study and have your notes organized since the tests were timed, only allowing 1-1.5 minutes per question.

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I'm gonna ask my instructor and see what she says about the pharm class she is supposed to be teaching this semester and its next offering. My friend said that no one in her cohort has taken it either and that we'll probably have to find all this stuff out on our won. Yeesh!!! I'm scared.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I'll be applying to a BSN program this fall, and pharm is a pre-req.

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I'm in a ADN RN program and we do not take a pharm class....It is incorporated into all of our lectures and tests though. I think have the class would have helped me. If we go on to do the online BSN program I think most 4 years school require you take it

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