Drugs. Ugh.

[Sasha]

So, I'm trying to learn all the drugs.

I know some specific drugs from reading my text and what they're used for. But I'm trying to learn the rest of the drugs, indications, contraindications, dosages, side effects, percautions, etc.

And it feels like I'm just banging my head against a wall. It's not sticking. I flip through self made flash cards whenever I have some time, at work, at home, sitting on here, watching TV, (Unless it's wrestling. That gets my full attention!).

To other people who had this problem, what was your method of learning the drugs? Did you split them up or categorize them? Is there some secret I'm missing?

 

[medic417]

Rewrite them numerous times. Read them out loud. Record it. Listen.

In other words use all the senses possible to help them stay in your mind.

 

[daedalus]

ahh pharmo....I can't wait!


No body has a pearl of wisdom for memorizing the set?

 

[Vonny]

Rewrite them numerous times. Read them out loud. Record it. Listen.

In other words use all the senses possible to help them stay in your mind.

I did it this way and it worked for me, write everything out three times from the text book and then try writing them without the text book, just from memory skip what you cant remember and then at the end look to see what you remembered and missed. Take a break and they try doing it from memory again.

Doing this really worked for me not just with pharm but with other things such as DCAPBTLS and OPQRST type things.

 

[Epi-do]

Try to classify them into classes (i.e. betablockers, anticholinergics, etc.) and think of them in that manner. Generally speaking, the drugs of one class are going to have the same basic characteristics. Once that begins to "stick" then you can start concentrating on the nuances of each individual drug. Refer back to your A&P when going over mechanisms of action. Understanding why each drug does what it does also may help make it easier to understand.

 

[vquintessence]

Yeah definately lump them into classes. Not sure how your program orders their cirriculum, but if you're "done" with A&P, keep studying it until it's concrete. You should be able to spit out what a sympathomimetic, anticholinergic, etc, does without any problem.

Also, get familiar with the prefixes and suffixes of the generics. Knowing them will allow alot of assumptions and can help provide differential diagnoses in the field.
Ex #1: drugs ending in -INE (amlodipine, benidipine, felodipine), you can assume with a good amount of confidence that they're calcium channel blockers.
Ex #2: drugs ending -LOL (metoprolol, nadolol, labetolol, timolol), can assume to be beta blockers.

Knowing a drug group and the A&P with the groups, gives you the ability to assume most of the precautions, side effects, indications, etc. Good luck.

 

[stringcheese]

Sounds silly but when I was in nursing school I found that youtube-ing med commercials helped me memorize medications.

 

[Arkymedic]

Sasha what worked for me in school was not memorizing the drugs, dosages, etc just to memorize them. I tried to learn how the drugs work, why they work, where they work, when to use them, and when not to use them. This was helpful for the fact that by doing this, it makes it much harder to use the wrong drug and I simply would not just "know" the drugs.

So, I'm trying to learn all the drugs.

I know some specific drugs from reading my text and what they're used for. But I'm trying to learn the rest of the drugs, indications, contraindications, dosages, side effects, percautions, etc.

And it feels like I'm just banging my head against a wall. It's not sticking. I flip through self made flash cards whenever I have some time, at work, at home, sitting on here, watching TV, (Unless it's wrestling. That gets my full attention!).

To other people who had this problem, what was your method of learning the drugs? Did you split them up or categorize them? Is there some secret I'm missing?

 

[Ridryder911]

Learn anatomy & physiology (particular CNS & ANS), once you have mastered this pharmacology is easy. All one would have to learn is the dosages.

Shameful Paramedic schools are still attempting to teach memorization techniques that archaic and proven not to work. It's not your fault Sasha; rather the EMS education system has failed you and one of the reason it is well known Paramedics have a poor knowledge base of pharmacokinetics.

Good luck,

R/r 911

 

[Sasha]

Actually.. I've taken A&P I and A&P II. I passed both with A's. I'm actually four classes away from the EMS degree after I finish medic. English Comp, Algebra, and two electives (Spanish and some social study class.).

However, I've began to think my A&P class was substandard and I might be better off retaking it with a different instructor, maybe at a different school. My school is starting to seem very much like FMTI, an infamous medic mill in the area

 

[marineman]

For me when I was learning them I read through a few times using different books what the drug is used for and what it's action was. Different books present the information in a different way and you learn different pieces from each book. Then look back in the old memory bank and think about a few patients you had and think what you could have given them had x happened and why you would give it or what you wouldn't give and why.

I have never been a strong book learner but being able to practically apply something really makes it stick for me. After you understand all of the why's about it the only thing you need to memorize are the dosages which can vary with local protocols anyway so I never get real hung up on doses except for the ACLS drugs.

 

[Ridryder911]

Review this site, see if it helps:

http://universe-review.ca/R10-16-ANS.htm

Know this and how it relates to the medication(s). Most of EMS medications(s) is r/t to the nervous system as the target and desired effect is the response of the med. The adverse effect of course would be the opposite and effects as such.

 

[marineman]

Great post, thanks. I just skimmed it quick to see what it had and it's going in the bookmarks for whenever I have time to read it.

 

[Sasha]

That website is very very helpful! I've printed out some pages to read through at work tomorrow. Thank you very much!

 

[rhan101277]

Calcium channel blockers, wouldn't that stop muscle contraction or at least inhibit it a great deal. Since acetylcholine and calcium or required for muscle contraction. Maybe it just slows it down due to the low dose?

 

[lizhiniatsos]

sleep with your books and flash cards under your pillow and a tape recording of someone reading the information off quietly in the background....then get up and read, write, practise scenarios using them....over and over again...till you think you can't possibly think anymore....then do it again....and just about the time you think you are NEVER going to get a handle on all of this info.... you'll be practising a scenario or re-reading something for the bazillionth time and realize "Hey!! I KNOW this!!! Yeah!!!!" ....just never give up...you'll get it

 

[jochi1543]

How many drugs do you guys need to know?

 

[VentMedic]

Actually.. I've taken A&P I and A&P II. I passed both with A's. I'm actually four classes away from the EMS degree after I finish medic. English Comp, Algebra, and two electives (Spanish and some social study class.).

However, I've began to think my A&P class was substandard and I might be better off retaking it with a different instructor, maybe at a different school. My school is starting to seem very much like FMTI, an infamous medic mill in the area

Did you take the A&P with a Lab at a community college? And, was it the A&P I & II for EMS providers or the transferable A&P for all healthcare providers?

 

[bonedog]

Review at 7 days then again at one month, put's it in your long term memory....

 

[Sasha]

Did you take the A&P with a Lab at a community college? And, was it the A&P I & II for EMS providers or the transferable A&P for all healthcare providers?

It was at a private school, and I've found out none of my credits transfer. It was for EMS providers, taught by a brilliant paramedic. He was practically a walking dictionary but not the greatest instructor. I've really regretted going to the school I'm going to now, and this is only one of the reasons.