Paramedic school question...

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This should be easy for you nurses. I am currently in paramedic school and lm having a hard time with one remembering my drug dosages, indications, there actions blah blah blah anyone have a easy way of helping me with this problem l am not a book smart guy l need to see it in action to help me remeber it. i read it and read it and read it but nothing sticks for very long. And also l have been having a hard time with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, i know the sympathetic is the fght or flight fuled by adrineline and parasympathetic is the rest and digest which helps slow you back down and digest and blah blah but my problem lies in the anticholinergic, parasympathomimetic, parasympatholytic and so on and so forth l am having a hard time tying all that together with the drugs that affect them. this might make it easier to be able to learn the drugs as reviously discussed in this letter.. Well l hope someone has the time to give me some hints on how to make this stick in my head so l can get past this catch back up with the class.. I hope you have a great day. Thanks :typing

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u may want to consider another field

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I see two issues: One is with general pharmacology and the other relates to neurological physiology. Unfortunately, paramedic education varies from place to place. You have six month shake and bake schools to four year programs.

Did you complete a year of college level anatomy and physiology with a lab prior to starting paramedic school? Did you complete a dedicated pharmacology course as well? If not, you may want to consider a different program.

The differences between the branches of the autonomic NS are not quite as cut and dry as you think. For example, pre-ganglionic receptors accept acetylcholine (Often though of as a neurotransmitter specific to the PNS) regardless of the branch of the nervous system. However, post ganglionic receptors is where you see other neurotransmitter receptors. Acetylcholine has both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, while epinephrine and nor-epinephrine will have alpha and beta receptors. Several sub types of receptors exist to complicate the situation even more. In addition, some sympathetic responses are inhibitory while some parasympathetic responses are excitatory. The analogy of fight/flight & feed/breed is not totally accurate. This really emphasizes the importance of a solid A&P experience prior to PM school IMHO. The stuff integrated into your PM class is not normally adequate.

In addition, a separate pharmacology course is highly recommended. One where you focus on pharmacology as it's own topic. I know some PM programs like to integrate pharmacology into the core PM courses. I think this is a mistake without requiring a stand alone pharmacology course.

Good luck; however, consider my points.

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Specializes in ED, Flight.

Study partner, and constant boring review.

Honestly.

I have been through several forms of medical training (combat medic, advanced combat medicine, civilian paramedic, nursing, critical care transport), as has my wife (toxicology, med school, 2 residencies). We never found a substitute for flash cards and constant review. We've both done it. Some things simply do need to be memorized.

Make your own flash cards. The act of writing is a reinforcer. Group them together by drug category, or by topic (if you're writing a flash card summary of 'nervous systems', etc.). Use large cards, not the standard little ones. If you are a visual learner, then make drawings and diagrams, as well.

Carry them everywhere. In addition to a set time every day for study, use them in the check out line. If you're in the car, have your passenger quiz you from them. Go over them with other people in your class. Partner or group study is very effective.

Good luck!

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Specializes in ER, ICU cath lab, remote med.

I agree with Medic09 and Gila.

Sounds like you are a visual learner? Write out your own flashcards and USE them. Buy a big write-on wipe-off board and draw your materials into graphs. Take notes from your texts in your own words. Ask for help from your teachers and your classmates. Make up mnemonics for memorization. Draw pictures of the nervous system and what each branch controls.

And if you haven't taken A&P or bio/chem yet, take them when you finish medic school. It'll help make more sense of everything you're learning now.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

get a partner to drill with. I doubt you are the only one trying to learn a new language!

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

this is just not nice:nono:... i know that you were not born with this knowledge..we all have to learn it somewhere and from somebody. this poster was asking a very good question that many people can benefit from...i think you should apologize to the op but that's just me...

u may want to consider another field
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Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.
u may want to consider another field

That's just plain mean!!!

There is no easy way for anyone to learn pharmacology. Flash cards are great. Just keep quizzing yourself and having someone quiz you. Sooner or later it should click in. My husband is a paramedic and I got soooo sick of the drills when he was in school. But, it did sink in and he's an excellent medic now. Good Luck.

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thanks to all for the support, and this goes to those who everything comes so easy to that you have to make everyone else that is having it hard feel so stupid.:yeah: good for you. I did have a survey of the human body course it was not that great of a class. It takes more then just reading for me to get a good grasp on this stuff so l have been explaining what l learn about in class to my wife and she has the book in front of her and she quizzes me, so that is helping. I found a few memoriziation websites that look very helpful. I wish there was a intro to pharm at my college but there is not and even if there was l have a deadline to become a medic and l would not have had enough time before medic school to take it but l wish there was one that would make this so much easier. we have 55 drugs that we have to know inside and out by Nov. 26th. Im about to have a stroke...:banghead:

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REALLY REALLY good advise here

drilling is very hard but it will make more sense when you are using it in the field

best of luck...

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

Honestly, you just need to study. I'm also a visual learner ang writing and rewriting flash cards got me through alot of my courses. There are drug critical care guides that can help. Check out the "incredibly easy" line of books. They are awesome and give you quick ways to remember.

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Specializes in ED, Flight.
Im about to have a stroke...:banghead:

Okay, so what are the two major kinds of stroke? Which drugs can be helpful for each? Why? What is the mechanism of action? Which can be contraindicated, and why?

What other injuries or illnesses may stroke resemble? How does that influence your choice of medications and treatments? See, now you're working on differential diagnoses.

See, it's easy to get into the swing of it, once you're duly obsessed. :uhoh3:

BTW, one of the best medics I worked with failed National Registry five times before he passed on the last allowable attempt. He just didn't shine with books and tests. But in the field he was very perceptive, had lots of common sense, good clinical skills, and was extraordinarily kind to all of his patients.

There is more than one path to standing out and benefiting your patients. Unfortunately, educational programs aren't designed to address that.

Sounds like you and your wife are doing well together on this. Find a study partner from class, as well; preferably one who does pretty well with the material.

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