Really worried about my pharmacology class? Can anyone offer some advice?

mtsteelhorse · Feb 28, 2011

Hang in there! You can do it. When I was in school I studied in different ways...I made flash cards, review sheets and reviewed frequently. One of the best ways to make things stick is to review as soon as you can after class...re-write notes, read and re-read sections you have difficulty with, quiz with a buddy and discuss things so it really sticks. Time management is the key. If you have trouble with something to to the instructor ASAP so you don't get further behind. Everyone is apt to have a bad test...put it behind you and study hard the areas you find most challenging. Break your studying down into bite size increments so you really nail material before moving on. You can do it! This too shall pass...

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

Hi everyone,
I'll just get to the chase...so last week I had my second test in Pharmacotheraputics and I found out yesterday that I did absolutely horrible on it. I made below a 50 out of 100. On the first test, however, I made an 80. I feel terrible and cannot believe that I did so poorly on this last one. It was an extremely hard test and the week leading up to the day of the test, my days were full with class, labs, and clinicals and I had little to no time to study for it. I knew I was not going to do so well but I did worse than I thought I did.
We have 2 more tests left in the class. One more regular one worth 20% and the final which is worth 40% of our grade. I feel SO horrible about doing so bad. I am meeting with my advisor to talk about it. I have never made such a bad grade on a test before in my whole college career.
I need to make above an 85 on the next test and the final exam in order to pass the class (we are required to have a 75 average on our tests).
Basically, I just need some words of encouragement right now because I have never felt so discouraged before. I feel so embarrased and ashamed and I need to figure out a way to manage my time better and study better for the next tests.....can anyone help??? I am really depressed.

I can't help with studying advice because I suck at it, but I wanted to tell you not to give up hope. I had a lot of stuff go on in my second semester and I fell into some pretty bad habits, I started doing really bad in med/surg, worse than I did in anything else. I went into my final needing to get like an 88% to pass. I pretty much convinced myself I would be retaking the class. I mean an 88% would have meant I had to do better on the cumulative final than I did on any of the tests prior in that class. I had gotten 3 F's out of 6 tests so it really gave me a narrow margin.

I tried to study, I got a lot of rest, I accepted that I was going to retake the class but still strive to give it my all. I ended up passing with the EXACT number of points I needed.

Now here I sit almost done with my 4th semester and ready to graduate. Although I have had a lot more go on at home emotionally than I thought possible, I am making better grades now in my advanced med/surg 2 class than I have in any of my other classes.

My advanced pharm class I got an 84% in the class but a 98.8% on the HESI.

Don't give up on yourself, if you do have to retake the class, try and not dwell on the negative and think about the positive, you will will have a much better understanding of the material if you have to retake it. I was devastated if I would have had to take that med/surg class again, but at the end of the day I tried to look at the positives that would come from it if I did.

Best of luck to you and let us know how it goes.

cmw6v8 · Mar 1, 2011

If you're having trouble finding time to study, one of the best things you can do is be sure to pay close attention during class. Make a conscious effort to decide to commit whatever you're learning to memory in that moment--look and listen to the teacher instead of being buried by writing notes down. It will be easier to recall information later.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

Here is a good website.....

http://www.dosagehelp.com/

and

http://www.flashcardexchange.com/google?cx=partner-pub-5814868776588505%3A4154191952&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=nursing+drugs#899

anonymousstudent · Mar 1, 2011

How are you studying? (When you have time...)

Here are the things that helped me with pharm:

1) group drugs by prototype, and learn the prototype. At that point you learn the things that are common, and all you have to do is remember the exceptions to the prototype. Don't ever treat a drug as an individual. In almost every case it isn't, it has lots of brothers, sisters, and cousins, who are very similar.

2) Always look at the MAJOR adverse side effects. You better know how a drug can kill somebody.

3) Know safety issues. What should/shouldn't you do when taking a drug? Why?

4) Know your teaching points. What are the most important things a patient taking drugs in this prototype group needs to know? When should they call the doctor? What should they look for to indicate the drug is working? Or not working?

5) Interactions?

I'm not good at memorizing things, but I did just fine in pharm. You have to learn drugs in the context of nursing care.

Good luck!!!