Pharmacology exam

[carey7795]

I take my first exam in Pharm. Monday and was wandering what to expect on the exam format wise.

[lwhatley]

Completely depends on the preferences of your instructor. The best advice I can give is to review the syllabus, specifically under the examination heading. Professors sometimes detail what to expect from the exams.

Also, the way the content is being taught in lectures can give hints as to what type of questions will be asked. Does the lecture focus on brand name/generic name memorization? Highlight side effects? Are important interactions bolded/emphasized? How about pt education required for appropriate use of medications?

Professors tend to bold/italicize/underline/emphasize the material they believe to be the most important, use those identifiers as trends, if there is a certain pattern to what is emphasized, chances are it will be the topic of at least one question on the exams.

[lwhatley]

A rule of thumb for pharmacology in general as it pertains to nursing practice should be to memorize the ins and outs of the most frequently used meds (usually cardiac meds and pain meds), then focus on memorizing facts about certain meds that have the most serious risks/side effects.

Safety is a nurses priority. Memorizing the meds that pose the most risk to safety is always beneficial to your future practice. But for now, in school, stick to the teaching style of your professor in order to meet their individual expectations from the course, you have your entire career to fine-tune your pharmacological knowledge/expertise.