Med focus???

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I'm really having a hard time focusing on meds for the NCLEX. There are SO many, & I've heard of different ways to go about studying - (drug class vs categories?). Then there's which ones to really focus on? HTN, cardiac, etc...any advice, books, or great sites would be appreciated & helpful!

Thanks

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There is no way to know which meds they might ask questions about, so pick a method to prepare, stick with it, and hope for the best.

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Well I haven't taken my NCLEX yet but I'll tell you what I am doing to prepare. I'm am studying the meds that were focused on in school: digoxin, different types of insulin, lithium, etc. I'm going to know parameters, therapeutic and toxic levels, side effects. I think its good to study by class for the heart meds like beta blockers and ace inhibitors. Also good to study by class the various antidepressants-SSRI's, MAOI's,tri-cyclics. Hope that helps:)

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I just took NCLEX and passed with 75 questions and I can tell you that I had meds that I never heard of. I dont think that there is any way to prepare for all the meds. I think if you try and get the classes down that will be your best bet. Just study and I am sure you will do just great!!:)

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Sounds like a good plan. Pharm was my weakest area in school, so I wasn't going to kill myself studying all those drugs. I did what u did, and passed the Nclex with 75 questions so it is doable. Of course they were pharm questions on the test that I didn't know; on the other hand, there were pharm questions I knew so as long as you are rounded in all other areas, being weak in pharm is not going to make you fail the exam. I didn't believe that when Marlene Hurst said it, but now I am a firm believer.

Well I haven't taken my NCLEX yet but I'll tell you what I am doing to prepare. I'm am studying the meds that were focused on in school: digoxin, different types of insulin, lithium, etc. I'm going to know parameters, therapeutic and toxic levels, side effects. I think its good to study by class for the heart meds like beta blockers and ace inhibitors. Also good to study by class the various antidepressants-SSRI's, MAOI's,tri-cyclics. Hope that helps:)
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I've heard people say that there were many meds on the exam that they'd never heard of. So I like the idea of having down the basics which were taught in school. And not going too overboard with it. There's alot of other material to study...

Thanks!

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I honestly didn't touch pharm when I studied. I remembered a lot from school and had been an extern for the past year...so that helped I guess. But of my 75 questions...the drugs mentioned were all a drug I HAD heard of.

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I would study the suffixes. Example: -lol = Beta Blocker, -pril = ace inhibitor, etc. There are lists you can find online, just search "drug suffixes list".

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Sounds like a good plan. Pharm was my weakest area in school, so I wasn't going to kill myself studying all those drugs. I did what u did, and passed the Nclex with 75 questions so it is doable. Of course they were pharm questions on the test that I didn't know; on the other hand, there were pharm questions I knew so as long as you are rounded in all other areas, being weak in pharm is not going to make you fail the exam. I didn't believe that when Marlene Hurst said it, but now I am a firm believer.

Whew! Glad to hear that studying like that worked for you. I figure there is a good reason the teachers are drilling those meds into our heads! It's so easy to get stressed out about where to focus when preparing for the NCLEX.

o2BRN, Yeah I think that's smart..you could spend months memorizing meds and still not know them all.

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I used the Saunders disc, you can choose "Pharm" for a quiz or practice and there were hundreds of questions. I also found Table D in the back of Exam Cram to be helpful. It is the most prescribed meds in the US and "what to look for" when people take them. It is only a couple of pages, maybe borrow the book & photocopy it.

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Hi there! Here are some links that should help, most are from allnurses.com!

This has a long list of med suffixes!

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/easy-identification-meds-408805.html

Excellent pharmacology quiz website an allnurses.com member made!!

https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/i-made-pharm-215872.html

Study aids

http://web.utah.edu/umed/courses/year2/pharm/study/

Drug list in a zip file format

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/those-wanted-drug-224467.html

Hope this helps! :)

Good luck! :)

jadu1106

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