Just got accepted...terrified about Pharmacology

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

If you did well in chem you should do well in pharm. The part that seemed to give people problems was dosage calculations so if you can work chemical equations with ease then you should do your dosage calculations with ease. In all seriousness, it's very, very simple math. Very simple. The pharmacology aspects were not very chemistry-like at least not like anything you'd get in pharmacy school.

As for the rest, it depends on your instructor. We were required to know very little about specific drugs (mostly just indications) but rather understand the classes and mechanisms of actions which is more useful knowledge. Once you've got that you can grasp side affects, interactions, etc and know pharmacology. Anatomy and physiology is of course helpful, and the better you did in that the better you'll do in everything else. It's really sad at the students in my class that didn't pay any attention to A&P as if it wasn't the foundation for all other courses.

Have fun with it!

Emilynn09 · Mar 22, 2011

Pharm sucks. Not gonna lie. It was the hardest class I have EVER taken, and I am a 2nd degree nursing student. It was harder than anything I ever did in my bachelor's degree, including that 75 page research project I was required to do for my senior project. It's AWFUL!

It's a lot of studying. A lot of information, and it all seems warp speed. I didn't have a life when I was taking pharm; in comparison, life is easy now...

Good Luck! Just study hard and you will do fine. I never had to take a chem class as part of my pre-req's and I got an A, but I studied A LOT.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Mar 22, 2011

I hated pharm, I thought it was pretty difficult...more so than patho. I partially blame it on the instructor that I had, too. For a class like that, you really have to stay on top of studying...if you slack off you'll fall too far behind and it's hard to catch up.

It helps to learn the drugs in groups, rather than learning every single drug. And in reality, we do not know every single drug; there are just way too many out there, and that is why we have drug books/drug computer programs on the nursing units as well as the pharmacists to ask questions...but you need to have knowledge of pharmacology because as a nurse you give medications and you have to know what to look for in your patients.

murseNtraining · Mar 22, 2011

I used a voice recorder, and would make flash cards while following along with the lecture notes. Put the time in and you will do just fine. Straight memorization just like A&P.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

I used a voice recorder, and would make flash cards while following along with the lecture notes. Put the time in and you will do just fine. Straight memorization just like A&P.

Understanding helps.... :rolleyes:

thatsthekeyRNC · Mar 23, 2011

I definitely worked hard, but I LOVED pharm! It was fascinating to make the connections with chemistry, A&P, & patho. I would say that I was lucky though - had an amazing professor and we didn't cover dosage calc in my pharm class (it's covered in clinicals). It's definitely a lot of information, but going by body system/drug class, everything makes sense!

& I agree with ThatGuy, it's much better to understand than to memorize - it makes your own life easier!

Rags2Riches RN · Mar 23, 2011

Well I completed Pharm I so far and I didn't think it was that bad and definitely not as scary as what you might read on the internet. If you know the pharm classes and what the drugs do, how they work, and the side effects you should be okay IMO. It was definitely was not like chemistry or A&P for that matter. Good luck and don't psych yourself out before stepping into the classroom.

jingie · Mar 23, 2011

I used a voice recorder, and would make flash cards while following along with the lecture notes. Put the time in and you will do just fine. Straight memorization just like A&P.

Thanks for the tip!

CuriousMe · Mar 23, 2011

Hi!
I've just recently graduated from pre-nursing student to nursing student, though my first class/semester does not begin until May 9th. As you can see, first class is Pharm. I haven't read too much about it on these boards and I even did a search and got mixed views from posters a few years back.
So my question is: How hard is Pharm IYO? Did you like it? Was it like Chemistry class in a way, and if you did well in Chemistry and A&P should you have an easier time in Pharm?

I doubt you'll get much into the chemical structure of drugs. I think that pharm pairs up well with pathophysiology....since in pharm you're looking at the mechanism of action of the drug....to address the underlying pathophysiology.

There's two basic ways you can approach pharm, the first is to flat out memorize everything....I don't recommend this method, there's a lot to remember.

The second way is to start connecting it to what you know already. Connect the mechanism of actions with the patho phys and nursing interventions. If you can logic your way through it, it will not only make more sense...but you'll retain it longer.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

I just noticed the OP's name. Kinda funny. I used to seek a girl named Amy, lol.

staphylococci, NP · Mar 23, 2011

If you did well in your pre-req sciences (i.e., A&P, Micro, Chemistry), then you should do fine in Pharmacology. It's a tough course that requires a solid understanding of A&P. As for chemistry, IMO, I've only used it when we went over pharmacotherapeutic interventions for shock, fluid imbalances, and electrolyte imbalances. Microbiology comes in handy when studying antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-neoplastics. :specs: