Pharmacology

JStyles1 · Jul 16, 2008

:banghead:OMG!! I feel like a failure... I am in a eve 2yr LPN course.. almost half way thru, grades have been good until now.. survived A & P! love clinicals no problem until now......
Pharmacology is kicking my butt! Dont feel like I am retaining a thing!
only in class 1.5 hours a week and then clinicals the rest.. getting a 77% right now.. have to have an 80 to pass! 3/4 of the class is in the same boat, which is very scary!! thinking we are going to sink!!!! and now the instructior is throwing out deadlines for retakes.... final isnt until December,
so cant be dropped until then.. but dont want to waste my time if I am not going to make it.
Any tips on how to survive?.... 15 drugs a week, to learn... test every Tuesday!!! not to mention working 40 hours a week, clinicals and a toddler at home....

you have to immerse yourself in the drugs. if you go over it enough you will retain it. the good thing about pharmacology is that its basically all memorization. think about it constantly and you'll pick it up.

SusanKathleen, RN · Jul 16, 2008

okay, sweetie. keep positive about this. make flash cards - they really do work. you keep them with you all the time, with a rubber band around them. even if you have 10-15 minutes to spare, get them out. when you awaken in the morning, start thinking about the drugs you need to learn. when you are falling asleep at night, think about the drugs. when you are watching your baby play, have the flash cards with you. ask your dh to quiz you.

no need to go through this twice. learn them now. do you have a drug book?

let us know how you're doing, ok? best wishes.

RnBound0510 · Jul 16, 2008

Im in Pharmacology right now (summer 10 week course) and yes it VERY hard!!! I read all the time, listen to my lectures off of my recorder, make flashcards, make charts, and make up stories for the different categories, actions, s/e, etc. Also, once I learn the material, lol dont laugh!! I pretend like I'm the one giving the lecture and just talk about what I just learned. I also write it down over and over again until I have it ALL. REPITITION is what def. works for me!! I also have a pretty good study group going on. Out of 300+ students only about 15 made an A on the first exam... and guess what? I was one of them!!! I am an average student but for this class I have gone far and beyond to study and soak it all in! Just find out what works for you... you have a test weekly you can so-o pull up your grade!!!!! :) You can do it!

Good luck!

MLMRN1120 · Jul 16, 2008

I am in the 2nd week of a 6 week summer Pharmacology course, and I feel your pain...we cover about 10-12 chapters per week, with numerous drugs, tons of information to absorb:banghead:. I felt a bit overwhelmed too, but now I just read the chapters over and over, outline them, make flashcards, and also I bought a box of drug cards made by Kaplan, they are the "300 most commonly seen on NCLEX". This box has helped a lot because when we start a new chapter, I grab the corresponding cards from the box, and study them along with the book. I am praying for summer to end!:plsebeg: Good Luck to you!

MLMRN1120 · Jul 16, 2008

Also, once I learn the material, lol dont laugh!! I pretend like I'm the one giving the lecture and just talk about what I just learned.

OMG I do that too! When no one is home, I give drug lectures to my dogs...they're pretty good about it, but I feel dumb when someone comes home and walks in on it...lol

Dianacabana · Jul 16, 2008

Please don't give up. You have to believe you can do it or you won't be able to make it.

Pharm took a LOT of work for me too (I have a BA in Biology already from a top-tier school, ask me how surprised I was that Pharm was that hard). :bowingpur

I did note cards (the one on a spiral wire). I wrote down every possible permutation of the different categories and their applications. I found that writing them down was a great learning tool but we all learn differently. I still have them and review them from time to time to keep on my toes. I can take them anywhere (with my 4 yr old too).

keep on plugging away! :yeah:

RnBound0510 · Jul 16, 2008

OMG I do that too! When no one is home, I give drug lectures to my dogs...they're pretty good about it, but I feel dumb when someone comes home and walks in on it...lol

hahahaa!! Good to know I'm not the only CRAZY ONE out there, lol jk!

Well we have to do whatever it takes to be successful in these courses. :)

chilibean · Jul 17, 2008

I feel your pain. I was in the same boat with Pharmacology. It was a 9 week course we only met for 1.5 hrs once a week. I had clinicals, lecture, i work full-time, i have a six year old at home, and I am a single mom. My whole pharmacology class was pretty much failing as well. One test a week about 100 pages to read before each class. I can't even remember how many drugs per week we had to know. Don't stress yourself out to much. Make flash cards and study study study. It's all about memorization the more you go over them they will eventually stick. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone in my class passed. Always remember think positive and positive things will happen.

GOOD LUCK!!!! :)

SecondGenRN · Jul 17, 2008

I found what really helped me was to learn medications in their families / classes... (ie. okay its a "pam" [benzodiazepine] that means it's an antianxiety/sedative...etc etc) I found it made them all easier to memorize

oh and charts... I like charts!!!!!

Azure1213 · Jan 4, 2011

Thanks for posting this awesome thread! I viewed it a few days ago and thought all of the advice was amazing. I have to retake pharm