Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Nursing Students NCLEX Video

Updated:   Published

The HYPERKALEMIA "Machine" - Causes of Increased Serum K+

 M  Medications - ACE inhibitors, NSAIDS

 A  Acidosis - Metabolic and respiratory

 C  Cellular destruction - Burns, traumatic injury

 H  Hypoaldosteronism, hemolysis

 I  Intake - Excessive

 N  Nephrons, renal failure

 E  Excretion - Impaired

mnemonic-hyperkalemia-machine.jpg.be4d606a782caa054ec73b2fd5a50bc4.jpg

steelersGIRL43 said:
lead placements///

Blue skies over green grass

black smoke over red fire

and brown chocolate close to the heart

That's close to ours except we do clouds over grass since the lead is white

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

The 4 H's that invalidate a neuro exam:

Hypotension

Hpoxia

Hypoglycemia

Hypothermia*

*Any Grey's Anatomy fans out there? Remember the episode where Meredith almost died? "You're not dead unless you're warm and dead" :)

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Here are some mnemonics (that are especially helpful for critical care!)

3 ICP waveforms: A is awful, B is bad and C is common

Glasgow Coma Scale: #'s go low to high, with head to toe: eye, mouth, motor

1. Eye opening (1-4)

2. Verbal response (1-5)

3. Best Motor response (1-6)

Glasgow Coma Scale: If they're

To remember DECEREBRATE posturing, it is abnormal extension. Their hands look like the flippers of a seal - Think DESEALEBRATE!

Pinpoint pupils: Drugs, drops & nearly dead

Drugs: opiates

Drops: meds for glaucoma

Nearly dead: damage in the pons area of the brainstem

Dilated pupils: Fear, Fits & Fast Living

Fear: panic, extreme anxiety

Fits: seizures

Fast Living: cocaine, crack, phencyclidine (PCP)

The pathophysiology of ARDS:

Assault on the respiratory system

Respiratory distress

Decreased lung compliance

Severe respiratory failure

Diagnostic criteria of ARDS

Acute onset

Ratio (PaCO2/FiO2)

Diffuse infiltration

Swan-Ganz wedge pressure (PAWP)

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) Type II (hypoventilation) criteria: 50/50 Rule

PaCO2 >50

PaO2 50% oxygen)

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N - Naproxen

S - Salicylates

A - Advil

I - Ibuprofen

D - Diclofenac

S - Sulinclac

8 A's for Hepatotoxic Drugs (Check SGPT/SGOT)

Antituberculosi

Anticonvulsant

S - sodium Luminal

G - gabapentin

P - phenytoin

T - tegretol

Anticancer

Aspirin

Alcohol

Antifamily (contraceptice pills)

Acetaminophen

Aflatoxins

Breast self examination (i made a song out of this)

♫ ♪ ♪ ♫1 little 2, little 3 little fingers

Do BSE 7 days after menses

Press nipple once check for discharge

Call your doctor

I'm sure you will do it more...♫ ♪ ♪ ♫

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

My personal favorite (and it might have already been listed) is the side effects of anticholinergics: Can't see (blurred vision), can't pee (urinary retention), can't spit (dry mouth), can't sh*t (constipation)

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We learned a trick for remembering which anticoagulant goes with each test.

Hold up all 10 fingers & put down one finger for each letter of "Coumadin". You'll have 2 fingers left, and you use a PT (which is only 2 letters!).

with heparin, do the same thing & you'll have 3 fingers left. You use a PTT (3 letters) with a heparin patient!

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i am sure this thread will become VERY useful in the very near future!

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N - Naproxen

S - Salicylates

A - Advil

I - Ibuprofen

D - Diclofenac

S - Sulinclac

8 A's for Hepatotoxic Drugs (Check SGPT/SGOT)

Antituberculosi

Anticonvulsant

S - sodium Luminal

G - gabapentin

P - phenytoin

T - tegretol

Anticancer

Aspirin

Alcohol

Antifamily (contraceptice pills)

Acetaminophen

Aflatoxins

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I'm a nursing student and I have a test on fluids, electrolytes, and acid-base balance tomorrow! this has been one of the most difficult tests to study for - feel like I've been studying non stop! and I'm an a student and study a lot anyway, so that's saying a lot! anyway, since typing things out helps me retain information and since I'd like to help anyone else out there who needs it, I'm going to type up all of my mnemonics and tips for the subject of electrolytes and acid base balance. some have already been posted here, some haven't, and some were created by me...I figure it doesn't hurt to put any repeats in again! hope this helps!

Hypernatremia

For people who can't remember what the name for high sodium in the blood (hyperkalemia? hypercloremia?, etc) - see the red "na" above? well, na is the chemical symbol for sodium, hence hypernatremia. learned that in A&P and it helped.

Signs and Symptoms of Hypernatremia - SALT or FRIED

Skin flushed
Agitation
Low grade fever
Thirst

-or-

Fever, flushed skin
Restless
Increased fluid retention
Edema
Decreased urine output, dry mouth
 
Causes of hypernatremia
 
  • medications, meals
  • osmotic diuretics
  • diabetes insipidus
  • excessive water loss
  • low water intake

Hyponatremia

Signs and Symptoms

Stupor/coma
Anorexia
Lethargy
Tendon reflexes decreased
Limp muscles
Orthostatic hypotension
Seizures/headache
Stomach cramps

Hyperkalemia

Signs and Symptoms

Muscle weakness
Urine - oliguria, anuria
Respiratory distress
Decreased cardiac contractility
Ecg changes
Reflexes - hyperreflexia, areflexia
 
Treatment
 
Kayexalate - oral/rectal
Insulin
Na hco3 (sodium bicarb)
Diuretics

Hypokalemia

Signs and symptoms

6 l's

  1. lethargy
  2. leg cramps
  3. limp muscles
  4. low, shallow respirations
  5. lethal cardiac dysrhythmias
  6. lots of urine (polyuria)

Hypercalcemia

Signs and Symptoms

I remember by the rhyme: groans, moans, bones, stones, and overtones
 
Groans: constipation
Moans: pain - joint aches
Bones: loss of calcium from bones, bone metastasis
Stones: kidney stones
Overtones: psychiatric overtones - depression, confusion

Hypocalcemia

Signs and Symptoms
 
Convulsions
Arrhythmias
Tetany
Spasms, stridor

Alkalosis and Acidosis

alkalosis - has a 'k' - kicking the ph up

acidosis - has a 'd' - dropping the ph down

Solutions: Isotonic, Hypotonic, Hypertonic

Isotonic - "same as I" - the solution used will be the same as normal body fluid composition. fluids remain inside intravascular space.

hypotonic - "hypo, hippo" - the solution pulls fluid from the intravascular space into the icf - the cell "swells like a hippo".

Respiratory

Opposite

ph>7.45 & pco2

ph45 = respiratory acidosis

Metabolic

Equal

ph>7.45 & hco3>26 = metabolic alkalosis

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For remembering the coronary arteries and which side they are on:

I have a RIGHT to CAMP if you LEFT off the AC

Right = Right

C=oronary

A=Artery

M=Marginal Artery

P=Posterior Interventricular Artery

Left=Left

A=Anterior Interventricular Artery

C=Circumflex Artery

I have test tomorrow, I hope this helps me :)

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Does anyone have a mnemonic for fetal circulation that includes ductus venous, ductus arteriosum, foramen ovale?

Thanks in advance

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I have one for umbilical cord/placental circulation - kind of silly but I Never forgot it after this!!

2 A's (areolas)

over 1 V (lady parts)

two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein.

Sorry I don't know one with ductus venous, ductus arteriosum and foramen ovale sgoldberg!

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