Road To RN

Cearra || 21 Nursing student working on my ADN-RN

[roadtobsn-blog]

Hello, to the few followers I have on this new blog. I started this in hopes that it would become a journal of my nursing school journey however I have been neglecting it. I have been so busy that I just don't have time for it. I am sad since I wanted to do this for myself. As a promise to myself I'll be updating this blog more next semester. Xoxo, Ce

[licensetomurse-deactivated20200]

The horror…

[licensetomurse-deactivated20200]

Patient’s spouse: So, how did her lungs sound? 

Me: Well, they’re diminished. 

Patient’s spouse: But why? I don’t understand? 

Me: Well, she’s a smoker.

Patient’s spouse: But she quit six months ago?

Me: Yeeeeees… But before she quit, she smoked a pack a day for 50 years, so the damage is already done.

Patient’s spouse: But she quit?!

Me:

[simplessence]

On that study grind before spring break next week

[studylustre]

campus in full bloom ✨ ig: studylustre

[studyingcuriosity]

22/06/2017  Yesterday I could enjoy an amazing view while studying in the university library. It was not bad at all to study here all afternoon.

[sydsstudies]

planner prep + medsurg studies

[studentandsleeper-blog]

Saturday study sessions.

[sydsstudies]

Boston adventures +++ more studying of course

[sydsstudies]

I start pharmacology in 2 weeks. I'm hoping to get a bit ahead, so I've been reading the medication sections in my Saunders NCLEX prep book. My question is, how the hell do you study all of this and organize it?? It's SO much information! I'll be taking that AND foundations of nursing together and I'm pretty nervous for both!

Hi!! (This turned out longer than I expected, but I hope it’s helpful!)

Reading the medication sections in the Saunders book is definitely a great place to get a general idea of the most important drugs/drug types in nursing! I relied on this type of book to review in preparation for exams throughout the semester.

I don’t know how your course is going to be set up, but mine was split into 5 units, and each of those contained several “categories” of medications.  For example, Unit 2 contained neuropharmacology, mental health pharmacology, opioid analgesics/antagonists, and drugs used for the treatment of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and seizures.  

For each category, my professor provided a powerpoint and assigned readings in the textbook.  The powerpoints detailed the systems on which those drug categories would be working, how those drugs would affect those systems, and then pointed out the most important medications to know.  

So, for example, in mental health pharmacology, the slides were organized by mental disorder (schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc.), and the different classes of drugs/specific drugs that are used to treat those illnesses were explained.  

As far as studying and organizing all of the material goes, I would keep drugs within their classes (you will find that many drugs within medication classes function in similar ways), and keep these drug classes associated with the system on which they work.  

I found this method of organization necessary throughout the whole course, but it was especially helpful when tackling larger categories of drugs, such as in neuropharmacology and cardiology.  

***Also, you will see that certain classes of medications can be identified by common prefixes or suffixes: ACE inhibitors end in “-pril” (lisinopril, captopril), cephalosporins (an antibiotic class) usually begin with “cef-” (ceftriaxone, cefaclor)***

For example: 

Within cardiology there are numerous possible diseases/symptoms of diseases that may need to be treated (such as: hypertension, heart failure, edema, high cholesterol, angina, clotting), and each of these diseases has a different set of drug classes associated with it.  After identifying the classes of drugs used to treat different pathologies, you can memorize which specific drugs are within classes.

Hypertension, heart failure, and edema can be treated with different combinations of the following drug classes: diuretics (there are many classes of diuretics), drugs that target the RAAS system (ACE inhibitors and ARBs, etc.), calcium channel blockers, vasodilators, inotropic agents, and antidysrhythmics

High cholesterol can be treated with statins, nicotinic acid, bile sequestrants, fibric acids

Angina is usually treated with nitroglycerine

Clots/high risk for clotting can be treated with antiplatelets, anticoagulants, direct thrombin inhibitors, thrombolytic agents, and factor Xa inhibitors

My professor was also kind enough to provide a list of the most important drugs from each unit before exams, and I would go through this list memorizing key information about each drug.  I would make flashcards for each one of these drugs with the drug name on one side, and the most important information about the drug on the other.

For each drug it is usually important to know:

pharmaceutical class

indication (purpose for medication: what it treats)

pharmacodynamics (what the drug does)

pharmacokinetics (how drug goes through body: admin route, half life, location of metabolism and excretion)

nursing assessments (that should be done when patient is on this drug)

lab considerations (drugs like lithium require specific levels in the body)

age-related considerations

precautions/contraindications

possible drug-drug interactions

patient teaching if necessary (ex: patients must sit or stand upright for 30 minutes after taking a bisphosphonate because they have the potential to damage the esophagus)

any weird and unique side effects

I’m going to lie, there is a TON of information that needs to be studied in Pharmacology but it is totally doable!  Organization is crucial, and you will find the form of organization and studying that works best for you, and fits best with the teaching style and expectations of your professor.  When you get the course syllabus I suggest reading through it and taking note of when the exams will be, and the order in which drug categories will be presented.

Foundations of nursing (at least at my college) was heavily based in A&P so I didn’t find it too difficult, but I did take it the semester before Pharm.  I took Pharm and Med Surg 1 together, and while it was a lot of information, I was able to stay organized and do well in both courses! So don’t be nervous, and if you have any more questions feel free to ask!

[2ndhome]

July 19, 2017

Tackling the cardiovascular system, blood vessels & circulation, and the lymphatic system & immunity for tomorrow’s exam… 📖

[positivedoodles]

requested by nofriendsam

[roadtobsn-blog]

Just got my planner for this upcoming school year and I am in love! I found this on Etsy and instantly knew I wanted it. It had monthly and weekly lay put which allows me to write my weekly due dates but also lets me writes my class and work schedule for the whole month. I lived by my planner. It is colored coded and this is where I keep literally all of my events. Personally, I feel the key to success starts with a good planner.

[studymedically]

50 Reasons Why You Should Study

Need motivation?

To get an education. 

To earn a degree. There are barely any jobs that offer positions to people without a degree, or are on the path of obtaining one.

To prove people wrong. That science teacher that said you’ll never make it in the medical field? Make him eat his words. 

To prove yourself wrong. Every student has doubts on whether or not they can be good enough in the classroom. Prove yourself wrong, and always be better than you were yesterday. 

This is a privilege. Regardless of how much you believe that you HAVE to do this, to some extend you don’t. Realize that you have the privilege of an education even being an option for you.

Take advantage of what you’re capable of. Don’t waste a perfectly intelligent mind. 

More money. That degree can do wonderful things to your bank account in the future. 

It’s interesting. Studying can get pretty boring, but there are always those topics that spark your curiosity and motivate you to learn more.

It’s attractive. Not everyone cares for someone who is academically gifted, but a partner who is eager to learn makes me eager to take my pants off.

It’s useful. That random fact that you read in a random textbook can stick with you and really end up helping you out one day.

It’s fun to know useless shit sometimes.

To make your parents proud. This is one of the main reasons I study. My parents have always been aware of my capabilities and have pushed me to be academically better every year. They know I have big dreams, and I just want to achieve them so they can know that their child made it.

To make myself proud. This goes along with number four. Knowing that you accomplished something, however small or big the thing may be, is a huge self-esteem booster.

To be independent. There’s nothing quite like knowing that you don’t need someone else’s job, degree, intelligence, or presence to make you successful.

To pursue your passion. 

To gain knowledge. Whether its in your field, or a completely different one, being knowledgeable is just downright fun.

People will look up to you. Your siblings, your best friends, and your classmates may see you consistently studying, and it could motivate them to do the same. 

To make a name for yourself. “Oh yeah, (insert name here), I know them. Aren’t they like really successful now?”

To become your own role model.

To be able to pay off your student loans.

Because the long nights and excessive coffee will all be worth it. Even if it doesn’t seem like it now. 

To exercise your brain. Your brain is just like a muscle, and like the body it needs to be exercised. 

To improve your hippocampus. Your hippocamus is responsible for memory, and if you study your memorization will become significantly better.

To not waste time doing useless stuff. 

Because stationary is amazing. I could spend a whole paycheck on just pens.

Because notes are actually all so pretty. 

To be productive. I used to spend a lot of time on social media, and although I still do, the amount of time I spend studying and getting stuff done has definitely increased.

So classes will be easier. 

So tests will be easier.

To impress your professors. Get those letters of recommendation! 

So the anxiety of getting a bad grade is sufficiently decreased. I constantly worry about my grades, but studying has helped me not worry so much.

Because coffee exists. 

There is no other atmosphere quite like the inside of a library. 

So you won’t have to retake a class. Failing a prerequisite for your major really sucks, so maybe try not failing the first time around. This also saves you a lot of money because you won’t have to pay for the class again. 

Finals week won’t suck as bad. You’ll be used to studying so when finals week comes around it wont nearly be as stressful as for those students who are now opening a textbook. 

You won’t go to as many college parties. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for socializing and having fun, but a lot can go wrong at a college party very quickly. And there’s no better way to prevent that, than just not going to the party cause you’re reading your economics textbook. 

You’ll get used to FOMO. Fear of Missing Out. Every teenagers nightmare. Eventually, you’ll get used to the feeling. 

You’ll be getting the most out of your college experience. You’re paying for these classes. Might as well try your best to pass. 

You’ll get used to not getting enough sleep. So, if you decide to go to grad school you’ll have that department covered. 

There’s really good study music out there. 

I guarantee there will be at least 5 places on campus, or around you that are perfect for studying, and you’ll want to go there everyday. 

You’ll become a pro at writing essays, or lab reports.

You’ll learn fairly quickly that study groups rarely work. 

You’ll make a lot of friends that are just as passionate about studying as you are. And you will cherish them. 

Beauty and Brains. Don’t you want to fit that description? 

Thousands of students before you have done it, so you can too. 

You can run a studyblr. Aren’t they the cutest? 

You get really good at time management. 

Sleep becomes 5x more satisfactory after a night of studying.

Because you want to. There’s no better motivation for studying, than the motivation that comes from within. 

[mdintraining]

If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.

Words getting me through dedicated study for Step 2 (via mdintraining)

[nursingthehudson]

Fresh new pair of lungs about to get transplanted! Lungs are unique, they are spongy, air-filled, and are the primary organs of respiration. There are many end-stage pulmonary diseases that necessitates lung transplantation, either partially or totally. Common reasons for lung transplantation are COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, sarcoidosis, and the list goes on. Transplantations aren’t extremely common simply due to the small number of donor organs available, making the waiting list longer and longer. During a double-lung transplant, patient is hooked up to a heart-lung machine. Surgery starts from an incision made under the patient’s armpit, around to the sternum, and then back towards the other armpit (clamshell incision). In the case of a sequential transplant the recipients lung with the poorest lung functions is collapsed, the blood vessels tied off, and cut at the corresponding bronchi. The new lung is then placed and the blood vessels reattached. To make sure the lung is satisfactory before transplanting the other, a bronchoscopy is performed.

[nursingthehudson]

papillary muscles and the chordae tendinae in the heart

The papillary muscles within the ventricles attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves via the tendinous chords, which are referred to as the “heart strings” since they resemble small pieces of string. They prevent the prolapse of the mitral and tricuspid valves during ventricular systole, thus prevent regurgitation (or back flow) of the blood during back to the right or left atrium. Regurgitation can be the result of papillary dysfunction or chordate rupture, which commonly happened following an acute myocardial infarction.