Newbie LPN- need drug help!

[gt4everpn]

I'm a new lpn I will be working on a med- surg unit, I have some questions.

1. What are common med- surg drugs I should be particularly aware of?

2. Any good websites for medication administration etc...

3. What are some tips you have for meds, and med administration?

4. I'm a newbie, have any advice?

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

Be sure you know how to use the reference material. No way you can memorize everything and new drugs come out every year. I give med/math tests to new hires and on a few questions they are allowed to use PDR. Some do not know how to look up a med!

[kukukajoo, LPN]

I recommend the Straight A's in Nursing Pharmacology book- it teaches you the basics about the classes. I also bought a pack of med cards on amazon I think. They help a lot and I just pull the ones I need and keep them handy to study. There is one more book that teaches some mnemonics but i dont have it handy. The key is sometimes making up little rhymes to memorize- "april ace lol at beta" is one thing- meaning Ace inhibitors end in pril and almost any med with lol in it is a beta blocker.

http://www.amazon.com/Straight-As-Nursing-Pharmacology/dp/158255286X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3349907-6823355?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177283271&sr=8-1

[queenjean]

Agnus makes a point worth repeating;

your pharmacy is an amazing resource. I often call our pharmacists with questions about drugs that I can't find in my drug book. They are fantastic about answering even what probably seem like stupid questions to them (but to me seem like rocket science).

[gt4everpn, BSN, RN]

wow, this is helpful, any more, i'm actually going to be working in a ltc facility, geriatrics?

[Cobweb]

Bowel meds ;p

Did you know that if your patient is taking 5 meds, they have a 50 percent chance of a drug interaction, and if they are taking 8 meds, they have a 100 percent chance? Many of the patients who come into my facility take 20 or more meds....Drug interactions can be criticial to the elderly, especially with their different metabolization rates.