Pharm, help!!!

NurseMaybeBaby · Jul 11, 2011

Record the lectures. Listen to them before the next lecture and take more notes. You do miss things you didn't realize. Ask questions to clarify. I did this and it helps a TON.

good luck.

Music in My Heart · Jul 12, 2011

Consistency and repetition.

Study multiple times throughout the day... better off to have 4 15-minute sessions than one 1-hr session.

Flashcards are your friends

Write out lists over and over and over... especially long-hand.

Read your lists out loud...

Every single night, take a review list to bed with you and spend a few minutes on it right before you fall asleep... and do the same thing again right before you wake up.

gatoraims RN · Jul 12, 2011

I hated drug cards while in school but I think they are my best friend now. Also I had tons of clinical time so ANY and EVERY drug I gave I made sure I made a drug card and knew why I gave it and any reactions. It really helped to put it into a real life situation.

cbc1147 · Jul 17, 2011

Learn drug classes and their mechanism of action and it will be much easier to understand/see/visualize them in use on tests or in clinical.

For example, the way I studied.

Ace inhibitors - used to treat hypertension, CHF,. - identifiable suffix -prils ( lisinopril, captopril, etc), they inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a component of the blood pressure-regulating renin-angiotensin system.

Beta Blockers - identifiable suffix -lol, etc etc

Calcium Channel blockers -

etc

Once you learn them this way it will help you on a test. I struggled with this too, but a pharmacy student helped me study this way and it made alot more sense to me at least.

Good luck...

alexis84 · Jul 17, 2011

Memorize drugs...make your own technique in memorizing them...mnemonics helps alot! This will help you remember drugs name, drug interaction, classification etc and will make your quest in pharmacology enjoyable

notgivingup1 RN · Jul 17, 2011

Here are a few tips....tell me your email and I will send you my pharm study guide that I made up and used........good luck...

-ase = thrombolytic

-azepam = benzodiazepine

-azine = antiemetic; phenothiazide

-azole = proton pump inhibitor, antifungal

-barbital = barbiturate

-coxib = cox 2 enzyme blockers

-cep/-cef = anti-infectives

-caine = anesthetics

-cillin = penicillin

-cycline = antibiotic

-dipine = calcium channel blocker

-floxacin = antibiotic

-ipramine = tricyclic antidepressant

-ine = reverse transcriptase inhibitors, antihistamines

-kinase = thrombolytics

-lone, pred- = corticosteroid

-mab = monoclonal antibiotics

-micin = antibiotic, aminoglycoside

-navir = protease inhibitor

nitr-, -nitr- = nitrate/vasodilator

-olol = beta antagonist

-oxin = cardiac glycoside

-osin = alpha blocker

-parin = anticoagulant

-prazole = ppi’s

-phylline = bronchodilator

-pril = ace inhibitor

-statin = cholesterol lowering agent

-sartan = angiotensin ii blocker

-sone = glucocorticoid, corticosteroid

-stigmine = cholinergics

-terol = beta 2 agonist

-thiazide = diuretic

-tidine = antiulcer

-trophin = pituitary hormone

-vir = anti-viral, protease inhibitors

-zosin = alpha 1 antagonist

-zolam = benzo/sedative

-zine = antihistamine

srna28 · Jul 17, 2011

Unfortunately, pharm is a lot of memorizing. I'm taking advanced pharm now for my msn, and I find flashcards to be helpful. You have to write them within 2 days of your lecture and you'll find you memorize more that way. Other than that, it's repetition. Good luck!

3xmom · Jul 18, 2011

Here are a few tips....tell me your email and I will send you my pharm study guide that I made up and used........Good luck...