need advice

Jules A, MSN · Jul 9, 2015

Hi and welcome,

Having a NCLEX book to use along with each segment you are learning in school is a great idea and the more questions you can practice the better, imo. I didn't find it really necessary for my first pharm class as it was more medication dosing and calculations, if I remember correctly but I definitely made and used flash cards through out school. Good luck!

Larry3373 · Jul 9, 2015

Flash cards are good for pharmacology, but it depends how the class is set up. We got a pharmacology textbook each semester we were in school, but test questions weren't taken from that. We were just expected to read it as part of our assigned reading. In addition to this we were given "pharmacology" tests, maybe on or two each semester. Basically what we were tested on was a list of 25 drugs and maybe 50 questions (I can't remember). We were tested on what the drug was for, common side effects/adverse reactions, how to administer the drug, and other nursing considerations. This was all memorization based solely on what was in the drug guide, not the pharmacology textbook. When I went back for my BSN we used primarily the pharmacology textbook to learned specific receptors and the "how" different drug classes work in the body. This class was much more interesting to me and focused more on learning specific classes of medications than on specific drugs. Since there are over 800,000 different medications, this is much more useful since you can simply find out what class a specific medication is in, and already you recognize pretty much what it's for, how it works, and some common side effects. So I recommend reading your syllabus to see how in depth they will be going. Again, if you are only required to memorize a list of drugs, then a bunch of flash cards may be helpful to memorize the drug information, but learning meds by class is better for understanding.

allnurses Guide · Jul 9, 2015

It would be to your benefit to get an NCLEX book. Learn about prioritization and how to think the way you need to, in order to approach NCLEX-style questions. Practice questions regularly-- especially those that pertain to your current class. You will get many questions wrong and be like "huh??" but read the rationales along with the correct answers.

Trust me, if I had had the sense to do this early on, I would have been much better off.

Flash cards are minimally useful in nursing school. It's a matter of applying what you've learned-- not just spewing back memorized information.

Write in your text book! Break information down into your own words and write it in the margins. Writing in your own words means you understand it.

Teach an imaginary class. If you can teach it, you get it. If you get stuck during your lesson, you know you have to review some more.

Diagrams, taping yourself reading or teaching back your notes or text, online teaching tools, YouTube (with caution)...

You may even find you can teach yourself even when you have the "worst teacher ever!"

As for micro, it was pretty straight forward and not a problem-- this is only my experience, though.

Good luck to you :up:

jojo_2014 · Jul 9, 2015

Thank you for your advice. I'm really excited and hope I pull through..

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

Congrats on getting into nursing school! I start my ADN program in August as well. I haven't taken Pharmacology yet, but I have taken Microbiology. Quizlet was immensely helpful. I used to to make my own flashcards and also used the memory "games" on there to teach myself the material.

jojo_2014 · Jul 9, 2015

Congrats too you. And thanks. Quizlet was helpful. I've used it in a&p

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 9, 2015

Moved to the general student discussion forum

JaaaeyRN · Jul 9, 2015

Microbiology with nursing class is a no go for me. I took micro. A&P I,II prior to any nursing classes. Nursing alone is way too much already. Well, maybe because the way the program set up.

Foundamental, we had a day of lecture and a day lab but after 6 weeks. They added 2 days clinical component to it.

And it was like that for a whole year in my ADN program. Most of my classmates didn't take any classes beside nursing except for one that took student loan that required him to take certain # of credits. He still picked a bowling class.

Well, congrats and good luck to you.

Shelby, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

I disagree with some of these comments. I do not recommend buying an NCLEX book at this point, nor do I recommend trying to learn about prioritization at this point in your schooling career. In my pharmacology class we were not really taught about prioritization. Yes, it is extremely important for nurses to understand, and yes prioritization is tested frequently on NCLEX, BUT learning and understanding how to prioritize will come later in your nursing classes. Pharm is hard enough without having to try to teach yourself how to prioritize. Most pharm classes focus on learning drug classes, mechanisms of action, administrations, intended effects and side effects, adverse effects, and special precautions or unique qualities. I recommend sticking with the book that your class uses, and get the study guide (workbook) that goes with that book. If there is not a study guide, then consider getting something like Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy. It will help with understanding the bigger picture so you can figure out the details-- very helpful for answering nursing questions. I don't recommend an NCLEX book right now because most NCLEX books integrate medications through out the books different chapters and topics. For example, it is easier to study ACE inhibitors while studying congestive heart failure. But when you are just starting out, you aren't quite ready for this. Believe me, you will not have a tremendous amount of time to be reading chapters and practicing questions from an NCLEX book that does not pertain to your specific classes at the moment. The book will sit on your shelf and then you might feel it is outdated by the time you are ready to study for the NCLEX. So much of pharmacology was just memorization, so if flash cards work for you then stick with that and do any questions that go along with your text book (at the end of the chapter, online, or workbook).

Microbiology wasn't that bad for me. Again, a lot of memorization. Just focus on what the teacher covers and read the book if you have time. (I never read mine.) It's not necessarily how much you study, it's how you study. Study smart and you can do well in your classes.

Larry3373 · Jul 10, 2015

Don't forget about YouTube.com either. There are tons of videos for any subject you can think of. Mike Linares YouTube channel will be immensely helpful and his website simplenursing.com.