Pharmacology

StudentOfHealing · Apr 29, 2014

Learn the action. I personally found memorizing a bunch of nursing interventions and symptoms pointless. Still read the interventions obviously but you'll find that you aren't relying on memory rather application.

Understand MOA and you've got the rest. Nursing exams and NCLEX may not ask MOA but knowing it, like I said gets you covered.

If you know beta blockers antagonize receptors where epinephrine and norepinephrine usually bind, and you understand that the symptoms (tachycardia/diaphoresis) behind hypoglycemia are partially related to the activation of these receptor sites... then you understand why beta blockers MASK hypoglycemia s/s and this is important to teach diabetics.

Understanding that activation of beta 2 receptors in the airway promotes bronchodilation ... leads you to understand why a beta BLOCKer might be Contraindicated in an asthmatic.

See? =)

Pink Magnolia, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2014

I always determined which drugs were going to be tested. I hated flash cards by hand but loved making outlines/cards and tables on my Mac. I called it my "packet" and I would take it everywhere! It helped to read the nursing implications at the end of the chapter bc it applied specifically to nursing!

This is what I would put on my charts:

Drug name

Class

Therapeutic Uses

Mechanism of Action (MOA)

Adverse Drug Effects (ADE)

Adverse Drug Interactions (ADI)

Preparations, Dosage, & Administration

Contraindications & Cautions

Graduation2016 · May 2, 2014

I always determined which drugs were going to be tested. I hated flash cards by hand but loved making outlines/cards and tables on my Mac. I called it my "packet" and I would take it everywhere! It helped to read the nursing implications at the end of the chapter bc it applied specifically to nursing!
This is what I would put on my charts:
Drug name
Class
Therapeutic Uses
Mechanism of Action (MOA)
Adverse Drug Effects (ADE)
Adverse Drug Interactions (ADI)
Preparations, Dosage, & Administration
Contraindications & Cautions

Thanks for this. I really like it. Might be copying you!

EJhummingbird · May 2, 2014

You also want to include what you should teach to the patient. Keep in mind almost all drugs affect the nervous system either SNS or PSNS so know the SEs. Get a good drugbook and start searching mnemonics. Btw most hospital sites have drug books and computer systems readily available for looking up meds since nobody can remember them all. Good luck! It's actually not bad if you can find ways to make it enjoyable

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · May 2, 2014

Learn the broad classes of meds.. Like psychotropics, heart meds, anti seizure, pain meds/ analgesics, etcetera.

Then learn the major sub classes--like under psychotropics are anti anxiolytics (anti anxiety), anti depressants, anti psychotics/meds for bipolar, etcetera

Under heart meds are beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ace inhibitors, etc

Under pain meds are narcotics and non narcotics,

Each of the sub categories usually had a particular suffix associated with it, like "-pams" are anti anxiety like lorazepam, beta blockers are "-lol"s, ace inhibitors are "prils", numbing pain meds are "caines".

Learn only 1 medication from each sub category and learn the common suffix associated with it. You can use that to be able to figure out what category any other med fits into.

Like the op said, learn the actions of the meds, too. This way the use will make sense.

I also use mneumonics and try to associate the med and it's use with someone I know.

For example, my ex took atenolol to lower his blood pressure and I laugh out loud at him, hence -Lols are to lower BP. Or this mean / strict lady I knew has a name that rhymed with verapamil so I remembered that verapamil blocks all the fun...verapamil blocks calcium channels. Calcium is needed for the heart to pump.

I hope this makes sense. This is what I did to get thru school and I still use this method as a new grad working nurse.

yywsu2014 · May 3, 2014

write down the slides in ur instructor's ppts and STUDY those...I think flashcards are just too messy sometimes...all the orders and ..ugh..maybe it's just me! Good luck!!!

Hailbop16 · May 3, 2014

Did anyone use any of the many apps out there to study pharmacology? I searched on the App Store and there were a bunch. Lol!

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · May 3, 2014

I didn't use apps. I did have to make medication cards for school. I also perused the charts during clinicals and looked up the commonly used meds.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 4, 2014

visit this thread you will be glad you did.......https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/pharmacology-flashcards-595483.html

Graduation2016 · May 4, 2014

visit this thread you will be glad you did.......https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/pharmacology-flashcards-595483.html

lol! You are not going to believe this but I just printed all these last night! Thanks so much for sharing them!

Pink Magnolia, BSN, RN · May 11, 2014

Thanks for this. I really like it. Might be copying you!

Go for it!!!