lpn student - what subject most challenging?

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I am a lpn student.

What subject did you find most challenging (asking those that have taken the lpn course) and what helped, which books were most helpful?

Any other tips?

( I am in Canada, Vancouver, 2nd semester coming up)

Thanks.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Fluid and Electrolytes in Fundamentals, and Pediatric milestones and their normal ranges of vital signs. I just kept reading over and over again until I finally got it together. Fluid and electrolytes became very interesting to me, and personally, I am glad that pediatrics is over. The book Foundations and Adult Nursing by Christensen and Kockrow is an all-combined book for LPN students that included Fundamentals, Mental Health, Med-Surg, Women's Health and Pediatrics. It is part of a series called LPN Thrends that is excellent. I didn't get this book until AFTER I graduated (and I wondered why our school did not use it), but I discovered it in Amazon.com, and it is a great all inclusive nursing text to include in your library.

Pharmacology was and still is a challenge to me. The book I purchased for that is Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology by Mary Edmunds. It is another part of the LPN Thread series that was a great help later on when you want to get the jist of the meds.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Dosage calculations were the most challenging to me, since my basic math skills are horribly weak.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i agree fluids and electrolytes and interpreting abg's- which still is not clear.

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Specializes in LTC.

Pharmacology, as we had to memorize about 30 meds in the space of just hours before clinicals. Had to know everything from class, to uses, side effects, and nursing considerations and why our patient was on them! WHEW!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I am horribly, embarassingly weak in math, myself. I got comfortable with the medical dosages during the semester we had the class, but, now, I have basically forgotten how to do pediatric dosages and IV med calculations. But, I got the A in the class, and my only question on dosages for NCLEX was an easy one, thank goodness...

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Specializes in Onco, palliative care, PCU, HH, hospice.

Without a doubt, obstectrics! I hated OB with a burning passion (and still do) , being a male most of the material was very forelorn to me, I really had to study study study to make it through.

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Well first off, I have to say that I'm not in a tradititonal LPN course. I am in the LPN program in conjunction with my other high school classes. I have 3 LPN classes and three other high school courses. But so far, the subject I find that is the most challenging is the math. I'm not good at math, but hopefuly I'll make it through. :):):):w00t:

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Pharmacology as we had to memorize about 30 meds in the space of just hours before clinicals. Had to know everything from class, to uses, side effects, and nursing considerations and why our patient was on them! WHEW![/quote']

yup. I'm in the process of doing that also. I gotta memorize the meds... the hardest part for me is the dug interactions!

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Fluid and Electrolytes in Fundamentals, and Pediatric milestones and their normal ranges of vital signs. I just kept reading over and over again until I finally got it together. Fluid and electrolytes became very interesting to me, and personally, I am glad that pediatrics is over. The book Foundations and Adult Nursing by Christensen and Kockrow is an all-combined book for LPN students that included Fundamentals, Mental Health, Med-Surg, Women's Health and Pediatrics. It is part of a series called LPN Thrends that is excellent. I didn't get this book until AFTER I graduated (and I wondered why our school did not use it), but I discovered it in Amazon.com, and it is a great all inclusive nursing text to include in your library.

Pharmacology was and still is a challenge to me. The book I purchased for that is Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology by Mary Edmunds. It is another part of the LPN Thread series that was a great help later on when you want to get the jist of the meds.

Wow.. I have that same exact books you mentioned...:) in fact I'm using it in my LPN classes right now... hahaha! Those books are very helpful.

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Specializes in LTC.
yup. I'm in the process of doing that also. I gotta memorize the meds... the hardest part for me is the dug interactions!

Yep! and don't forget the biggie to list is patient teaching about the drug!;)

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