what is pharmacology all about?

epg_pei · Mar 15, 2004

i need to take a pharmacology class next semester as a co-requsite to get accepted to the nursing program. people have told me different things about pharm, things like "oh this class is the hardest class i have taken harder then zoolo" or " this class is easy , you just need to memorize alot of information" so what is it.

It's about drugs.

i would like to know what pharm. is all about?

It's about drugs.

is it mostly memorization, or concepts?

Both, but more memorization. Isn't all nursing more memorization?

also what are the test like? all multiple choice or essay?

Mine are multiple choice. Your mileage may vary. :)

on a scale of 1-10 and 10 being most difficult what would you rate pharmocology as? also it would be nice to rate some zoology classes as well to give me an idea of the difficulty of pharmocology.

4

thank you

You're welcome.

apexsw20trd · Mar 15, 2004

It's about drugs.
It's about drugs.
Both, but more memorization. Isn't all nursing more memorization?
Mine are multiple choice. Your mileage may vary. :)
4
You're welcome.

thank you for answering those question so thouroughly but you forgot one.

can you rate other classes so i can get an idea of the difficulty of other classes compared to pharm.?

thanks

kimhaw · Mar 16, 2004

Hey great question. I am wondering about this b/c we take it as a elective in my porgram and I thought all R.N students had to take it. I know one person who said they got kicked out of another program b/c they flunked pharmacolgy. So I am wondering should I take it as a elective or leave well enough alone.

Purple Princess · Mar 16, 2004

Pharmacology is not a difficult course. I'm taking it now once a week. We learned drug equations for dosages based on the person's age and health status. Then we moved into fluids and electrolytes. We're learning how a drug is absorped and metabolized through the body. Also; they teach you classes of drugs and what they do. This will help you in clinical. Like pril- usually is an antihypertensive. Also get a drug book and make some flashcards. It will likely help you:)

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2004

Pharmacology is not a difficult course. I'm taking it now once a week. We learned drug equations for dosages based on the person's age and health status. Then we moved into fluids and electrolytes. We're learning how a drug is absorped and metabolized through the body. Also; they teach you classes of drugs and what they do. This will help you in clinical. Like pril- usually is an antihypertensive. Also get a drug book and make some flashcards. It will likely help you:)

I guess it depends on where you take it. Ours was very difficult. A LOT of memorization along with everything else you posted.

PJMommy · Mar 16, 2004

Ditto what Jennifer said. Ours was very difficult. We didn't do any drug calcs in pharm -- that was all part of our nursing classes. Fluids/electrolyte stuff was all in patho. All pharm was for us was drugs -- method of action (down to the cellular level), classes of drugs, drug names within the classes, contraindications, side effects -- you name it. LOTS of memorization. However, now I can tell you just about anything about a drug once I know the class it is in!! Going into that kind of depth comes in very handy later -- but the memorization of the all the drug names was really pointless because we only routinely use a subset of those drugs on the unit.

epg_pei · Mar 16, 2004

thank you for answering those question so thouroughly but you forgot one.
can you rate other classes so i can get an idea of the difficulty of other classes compared to pharm.?
thanks

Sorry for my semi-sarcastic tone, I am just so sick of nursing school I think I will vomit. Anyways, pharm in my case is another exercise in memorization. What class is the drug, what are the pharmacokinetics and dynamics, and most importantly, what is the normal or appropriate does for age and weight.

Compared to other classes, this one is so boring it makes me want to pull my own teeth for sheets and giggles, but that's just me. Memorization, memorization, and if that's not enough, hows about some memorization. This class is so boring at my school they don't even bother to lecture. It's a web-enhanced class. You stick to the readings they list, you do an online quiz once in a while, and hand in a report or assignment. Bring a pillow.

Gampopa · Mar 16, 2004

I'm taking Pharm right now, in fact we have the next of our weekly tests in about 4 hrs. Is it hard? Yeah but not any harder than anatomy. Lots and lots of memorization of drug families, actions, side effects, contraindications, routes etc. The tests have been OK except our instructor has a really hard time with basic grammar so I've missed lots of questions just because it's difficult to understand what he's asking. Pharm is actually really interesting and will help reinforce your anatomy, phys., micro, patho. Right now I'm not enjoying the class too much becausse it's so demanding, easily takes 75% of my study time and I seem to remember so little , but we'll see it again and agin in our clinicals and I'm going to get a PDA so I can have a drug ref. right at the bed side. Med. errors are one of the biggest sources of nursing errors.

epg_pei · Mar 16, 2004

...I'm going to get a PDA so I can have a drug ref. right at the bed side...

I was planning on doing the same thing. Drugs, assessment guides, all the good stuff. And then it occurred to me that PDAs aren't supposed to be used around pacemakers. The hospital requires cell phones to be turned off on the wards, I wonder if they have the same requirement for PDAs.

On an amusing side note, I asked a couple of professors last year about the use of PDAs in nursing. They looked at me as if I were speaking in tongues. Kinda tells you where our school is regarding technology.

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2004

I'm going to get a PDA so I can have a drug ref. right at the bed side. Med. errors are one of the biggest sources of nursing errors.

I carry my Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses around with me at clinicals. It's much smaller than a PDA and I've used it many times.

Oh my Lord! I'm sorry, I thought you meant PDR, not PDA.

Feeling dense now.

WalkingInTheRain · Mar 16, 2004

Just try your hardest in the class, and don't fall behind. It does involve doing some math, so you have to memorize some formulas in any nursing program. Good luck and hope it turns out well for you :)