Drugs are sorted into classes or related groups, such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, benzodiazepines, etc. One of the cool things about pharmacology is, generally speaking, members of drug classifications behavior in a similar fashion. Let’s consider this list: Pindolol Propranolol Sotalol Timolol Metoprolol We would note a certain similarity in the last syllable of each and suspect they belong to the same family. Learn...  Read More »

Here’s where the rubber hits the road as far as drug names go. As a nurse, you need to know: The generic and common brand names for all medications frequently used in your area of practice How to look up any unfamiliar medication prior to administering it And, as a patient advocate, you must teach those under your care: To learn the generic and brand (if taking a name brand drug) names of their medications or at least keep a current...  Read More »

After much anticipation, the newest Stressed Out book will arrive this week. Stressed Out About Pharmacology features information about everything from learning strategies, to drugs (of course), to patient safety tips that will combine to make you feel prepared in your career as a nurse. We’ve looked at how to keep up your learning hygiene, spent some time with neoplastic medications, and taken it to a higher level of patient safety....  Read More »

This lesson will have us consider the medications used to treat cancer. Because this is such a specialized area and is rapidly changing, our conversation will be limited to a review of general cancer disease concepts and an introduction of the broad categories of antineoplastic medications. Considering cancers Let’s be precise for a minute: All cancers are neoplasms, but not all neoplasms are necessarily cancers. For example, the harmless...  Read More »