How did YOU remember your pharmacology?

[mochamocha]

Hi Everyone... I have a pre-screening test for a job soon. Was told that my pharmacology test would take about an hour. Pharm was my weakest subject during nursing school, although I did well in class but it was because of constant studying.

It has almost been a year of job hunting and I've never had a pre-screening test for a job. I'm a lil worried b/c I don't remember a lot of stuff.

What was your trick to understanding and remembering the drugs? What should I focus on studying ?! I asked the recruiter and they just said "calculations, side effects, a lil of critical thinking".... I feel like I have to know EVERYTHING by heart and i'm freaking out. ahhhh

[NamasteNurse, BSN, RN]

The test I took was hard. The way I tried to remember the pharm was by class. Foe example, the "lol's" the "prils" etc. Look to medical terminology to help you and the rest you have to memorize. There's no other tricks, you gotta know em

[Nurseinprocess]

I didn't have to take a med test until after I was hired. The calculations were easy ones, and the meds were basic ones I knew a lot about anyway (diabetes meds, what can you hang with a blood transfusion, some HTN meds). I didn't have to worry about anything obscure being on the test to trip me up. I was also given a study guide, which made it even easier to pass the test! I can't imagine being given just a general pharm test where you don't know what's being covered on it. EWWWWW!!! Good luck, maybe it won't be as ugly as you are thinking!

[mochamocha]

ugh! that's the problem.. they didnt even recommend a study guide =(

[Orange Tree]

Ugh...that would have been my worst nightmare. I didn't even start to learn my pharmacology until I was out on the floor! When I had to spend time I didn't have looking up drugs I didn't know, my memory got much better. It helps to have a set formulary, too....instead of anything and everything under the sun. Those drug books are huuuge.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

You need to learn what the basic classes of drugs do, and what body systems they affect. Once you do this you can pretty much predict what a drug will do and what the side effects will be. No easy way to do this, expcept by rote learning. You won't remember every drug, that is why we nurses still look them up.