NCLEX Drug Categories
Expected Actions and Outcomes
This section is pretty easy. Basically we want to figure out if the medication is working or not. If we gave the patient pain medication… did it work. How did the Lasix we gave work. How much output did they have. Most medications have some kind of side effect. The best thing to do when you’re learning the meds is to know the expected outcomes and side effects.
Someone asked me how I learned them. I used flash cards – created them when I went over a topic in nursing school and then set those cards aside.
Quizlet has some good sets of flash cards too.
https://quizlet.com/303509471/nclex-medications-flash-cards/
Some more tips on learning meds (the SOCK method).
https://www.nrsng.com/sock-method-nursing-pharmacology/
Here is a good overview of the rest of the topic –
https://www.registerednursing.org/nclex/expected-actions-outcomes/
Obtain information on a client’s prescribed medications (e.g., review formulary, consult pharmacist)
Use clinical decision making/critical thinking when addressing expected effects/outcomes of medications (e.g., oral, intradermal, subcutaneous, IM, topical)
Evaluate the client’s use of medications over time (e.g., prescription, over-the-counter, home remedies)
Evaluate client response to medication (e.g., therapeutic effects, side effects, adverse reactions)
