Tell me about your Pharmacology Class!

missjennmb · Mar 12, 2009

Just wanting to compare notes, as it were:
What your pharmacology class is like?
Its so hard it makes me really love Med Surg by comparison. I've never in my life had a class that I really did NOT understand to the degree that it is with this one. I have passed two tests thus far, and truly, 200%, I have NO idea how that happened because I am completely lost. Even the smartest of our class are struggling desperately.
How your teacher teaches it?
My teacher reads the slides provided with the book, and once in awhile she will read something in the chapter or tell us to make sure we know this table or that table, but otherwise, we are pretty much left to our own devices. If I were to somehow memorize her lectures completely, I would probably make a 20 because she does not go over most of the test even once, but assumes we will learn it on our own. We had a substitute for 2 weeks who made sure to cover everything that would be on the test and said things like "it is very important that you know..." as she lectured to give us a heads up to study more here or less there. She didnt give us the answers, just gave us emphasis here or there. Our class grades jumped on average about 15 points. They said our grades were so good that she must have given us the answers, and i don't think she will be back. Now I'm confused. Was the substitute in the wrong, is our teacher teaching the way "most" nursing teachers teach? Were the days with our sub a "gimme"? I've never had this much trouble ever in a class ever and I am completely frustrated.
What you think of your book?
I HATE my pharmacology book. It makes everything so much more complicated than it needs to be. I spent tonight pretty much rewriting an entire chapter just trying to put things in an order that makes some sort of sense to me. Unfortunately, I have 2 other classes, clinicals, work weekends, have 3 kids, and my next test is on 10 chapters, so as much as rewriting this book works for me, its too time intensive. I use "Basic Pharmacology for Nurses" by Clayton Stock Harroun pub by Mosby. I don't know how to explain it except that it feels as though they didnt think the "real" information took up enough space so they filled it with so much repeated material and filler that its almost impossible to find the "guts" of it.
What tools do you use that you feel help?
I got a "Pharmacology Demystified" book from the library, but thus far, it seems to be so simplified that it is missing most of the drug classes that I need to understand better. Its not helping, but I'm still going to get through to the end of it

So what do YOU think of your Pharmacology experience? :)

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Mar 12, 2009

I'm nearing the end of pharmacology (the final's a week from yesterday). My school teaches it the first quarter of the program, under the philosophy that we need to know what we'll be passing to patients.

So far, it's a lot of information mixed with some basic pathophysiology, and is mostly just stuff that has to be memorized. Flashcards are key for this class.

Our instructor, a CRNA/FNP, makes her own notes for the lecture which she also has up on the overhead during class. She makes sure to emphasize the important points for each of the drug classes we go over. It sounds like DarkRainyDays' substitute was actually the better teacher, and the usual instructor for that class was horrible.

As for our book, after the second week of class I've maybe cracked it open two more times for things related to class. It's nice as a reference, especially for the few times when our instructor told us things poorly, but for the most part everything we need is in the lecture notes.

The best tool for pharm is to invest in some index cards and make flashcards. Pharm is an exercize in brute force memorization, and there's no way around that. A few of my classmates have found alternate means to cram that knowledge into their heads, and maybe you will too, but for most of us the making and usage of flashcards helps greatly.

Laurinq · Mar 12, 2009

What's class like?

- Not too bad, I actually really enjoy pharmacology (taking a break right now from studying for my pharm test on Monday :typing). Don't think I dont get bored though, I do and tired :sleep: , but thats just the effects of a 3 hour lecture.

How its taught?

-Lecture with a powerpoint that she created, that is actually dead on with the book. NCLEX questions are randomly dispersed throughout the lecture that we answer.

Book?

- Absolutely love my book! Its like I am in a class and he is lecturing me. Well written, he is actually funny and sarcastic :jester: in the book., and uses crazy, but catchy analogies to describe things. Pharmacology for Nursing Care by R. Lehne

Other tools?

-Just making my own outline of the chapters. And my friends and I do a chatroom discussion for a few hours, two days in a row before the test. And relaxing the night before, instead of cramming is always helpful :tbsk:

NightOwl0624 · Mar 13, 2009

What your pharmacology class is like?

Mine was online, I was pretty much on my own. (I hated, HATED it). Part way in the instructor decided she could post her lecture notes, at least. I do think pharm is very interesting, though, and tried to do a lot on my own. I was very disappointed with the class I was required to take.

What you think of your book? I hated my book as well. However, I bought the book mentioned above on Half.com for $5 and absolutely loved it. (Pharmacology for Nursing Care by R. Lehne). Helped me much more than my required text book and the "case studies" we were supposed to do.

What tools do you use that you feel help? I agree with the flashcard method. Break it down by drug class, and try to understand how they work as a whole. Some drugs have weird things associated with them, and those oddities always make good exam questions.

nimnim90 · May 14, 2009

hey, the pharmacology and the nursing process by lilley was a pretty good book...it tells u all u need to know except for the specific drug information provided in a drug book. Overall very helpful! Question to anyone in the nursing program: Is it a good idea to keep the book and not sell it for the program?

playmaker2008 · May 14, 2009

I have taken numerous courses online and I feel prrety comfortable taking this course online..do you recommend taking this class online?

missmatched · May 19, 2009

What your pharmacology class is like?

How your teacher teaches it?

Had 2 semester of Patho/Pharm, the first taught with an old-fashioned projector and the pther with PPS. They both gave us the notes, then breezed through it the whole semester. One gave case studies to practice on, one gave frequent quizzes.

What you think of your book?

Lehne(pharm) used it a few times for the 1st semester, never for the 2nd

Porth(patho) used it basically for the pictures and diagrams(visual learner here).

What tools do you use that you feel help?

NCLEX reviewer(Saunders), rewriting the notes, organizing it in a way that makes more sense to me, searched for pictures and visuals

prudence09 · May 19, 2009

Guess what I had no pharmacology class. Which sucked because we all could have really benefited from having one.

beth66335, BSN, RN · May 19, 2009

what's class like?
book?
- absolutely love my book! its like i am in a class and he is lecturing me. well written, he is actually funny and sarcastic in the book., and uses crazy, but catchy analogies to describe things. pharmacology for nursing care by r. lehne

can you send me the isbn number for this book? i am reviewing pharm this summers since i have been out of school this year and i need to brush up on drug classes before starting clinicals again....and i don't like our text book