Medications

i use several tools while studying; however, in pharm i mostly used flash cards. the idea is actually reading the material (i read out loud so i can also get some auditory experience), write the drugs down, and then revew. i usually write one powerpoint per card or one catagory of drug to a card. sometimes i draw (not really good though) pictures to relate the drug. sometimes it might be a person and how drugs would work, adverse reaction, normal dosage, toxicity, etc. sometimes i draw whatever i can to relate the material. a big toliet with elimination drugs in diarhea or formed stool. i know it is stupid but when you are taking the test, you do actually remember, "oh yeah those are the toliet drugs." i also do study group the two days before the test. the first day is making sure everyone has the same notes and on the same page. the second is review all day, usually like am to pm. you will do fine! pharm was pretty easy, it is the only class that memorizing can be used. med-surg you mostly apply knowledge. good luck

I'm gonna be really honest. I forgot most of the drugs I learned last semester in pharmacology. I'm a hands-on type learner so "memorizing" drugs and their side effects is somewhat useless for me. Now that I am in my first clinical course, the drugs are starting to come back to me when I look at my patients' MARs. I did learn a lot from the course though, and I did do well on the exams. Flashcards are probably you're best bet.

I would draw a table, with columns of classifications, common name of drugs, mode of action (MOA), S/E and important nursing implications. The key to remember the drugs is to KNOW the MOA. By knowing the MOA, you'll more or less know the S/E and nursing implications.

For eg. beta blockers

MOA: block the sympathetic stimulation on the beta receptor.

So if you block the sympathetic stimulation, you will expect decrease in HR and contractility of myocardium, which will eventually cause a decrease in cardiac output and BP.

So you would expect S/E to be bradycardia, dizziness, weakness, fatigue (d/t decrease CO).

And nursing implications would be monitoring BP, HR and EKG before and after giving meds (since it causes bradycardia); initiate fall precautions (d/t dizziness, weakness and fatigue)

Memorizing them is great if you have good memory, but for me, I try to make sense of every meds so that it's easier for me to memorize.

Hope that helps!