Pharmacology help

[dgclough]

Hi, I'm taking pharmacology this fall and due to working and family :) I want to get a head start on the class over the fall. What should I focus on, class and what falls underneath or specific drugs or what.... I don't want to just read the book cuz it'll not sink in....

Thanks

[MikeyJ, RN]

Although pharmacology classes generally teach similar concepts and similar drugs, different instructors focus on different areas pertinent to their exams. Thus, if I were you I would try getting a syllabus from a student in the class to see what that instructor focuses on. Or I would study up on the basics of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and perhaps start looking over all the different groups of drugs (penicillins, cephalosporins, etc.).

[kleej]

Hello...

I'm taking pharm right now (Final exam on Tuesday ) and I would agree with the last post about getting a syllabus.

Some of the things that were highlighted in my course were cardiac (hypertension, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis) and diabetes (type 1 and type 2 differences, risk factors, and treatments)...

It is an extremely hard and demanding course, but if you take the time to understand what the diseases are and the medications to assist in maintaining the disease, then you shouldnt have a problem.

Good luck :)

[NewenglandMSNRNBC, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Good idea to get a head start. Try to get some study guides such as "pharmacology made incredibly easy". This class is very difficult. Good Luck.

[MrsGPR]

I just finished pharm this past semester.

This may be weird but: I've found that looking at the material from a "nurses" point-of-view helped. By that I mean - mentally getting yourself into the "role" of the nurse and what "we" are expected to know about the system and the effects (safe med. admin. implies knowledge - my favorite quote from our professor).

Memorization is a big part of Pharm., however, the info. must be committed to that part of your memory that you can draw from in order to apply it.

After it was all said and done, I found that if you look at the drugs in their certain classes, like antibiotics for example - you'll realize the different drugs in a class usually have general side effects in common - perhaps they're all nephrotoxic and have allergic reaction potential etc...

Once you have all the general effects down pat, you can focus more on the individual effects, those that are characteristic of a specific drug.

This is just my experience, of course. We all have different ways of making sense of it all!

It is alot to know - and the fun never ends. :nuke: And I have also found that there is NO way to know them all with all their adverse effects and interactions etc... off the top of your head (right away at least, if ever). The current drug guide was extremely useful for me as well.

So, I hope I've helped. Please feel free to ask anything you want! Good luck this Fall!!

[algebra_demystified]

I would study the endocrine system from anatomy and/or physiology, and then move on to the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system. Then dig into the pharm book on antipsychotics. If you get all that material down pat before the course begins you're way ahead of the game.

Also study the kidney and how filtration works. What gets pulled out of where, and where does it go from there.

It is simply not possible to know too much about the endocrine system.

[hawkfdc]

Take a warm towel, wrap it around your head, and then run into the wall several times. It makes about as much sense as pharmacology.

Pharm sucks!

[MikeyJ, RN]

Take a warm towel, wrap it around your head, and then run into the wall several times. It makes about as much sense as pharmacology.

Pharm sucks!

Haha.. amen to that!

Pharm is definitely not exciting to study for. It is all memorization... and the only way I can remember these billion different drug classes is to make up mnemonics for each drug class. It is impossible to know all of these drugs, their mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, adverse effects, food/drug interactions, and nursing indications.

I am merely shooting for a 'B' in my pharm class!

[MB37]

We only need to know the classes for most of our exams. We're always given the generic and trade names, as well as the class, in the questions - i.e. Clonidine (Duraclon), a centrally acting alpha 2 agonist, was given to your patient because...Usually the adverse effects and interactions are very similar within the class, and from there you also need to learn what's different about each drug. I also agree, study up on the autonomic nervous system. It seems to play a role in everything.

[Thedreamer]

I have some lists I posted up at the top that were made into a sticky with drugs broken down by system, and thier uses. It might help you a bit with the studying. Good luck and just try to stay positive!