Best reference books to have for rotations?

[pinkyrx]

What do you guys consider to be the best reference books to have on hand for rotations? I've heard that the Washington Manual is a good general reference and I've heard that the Samford Guide is the best antibiotic reference. Both of these books are small enough for a coat pocket, right?

What do you think about the Pharmacotherapy Handbook by Dipiro?

I've already got a PDA, but would like to also have a good general reference book that is compact enough to carry in a pocket.

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[ZpackSux]

Washington Manual and Sanford Guide. You can't go wrong.
Then have a PDA with Lexi-comp.

 

[dgroulx]

I carry my PDA with Lexi-Comp.

I've been on rotations for 9 months now and all the sites have had references there for me to use.

 

[T1ar1a]

PDA with Lexi. Great quick reference.

Washington Manual isn't as useful because it doesn't give much information for pharmacists. When you're on rotations, you are not going to provide answers to diagnostic questions, unless of course, you want to show off. I've seen pharmD students do that before.

Sanford guide is decent, but you have to remember, that it's written with the idea of the east coast in mind. Some of the susceptibility data isn't correct in the west coast hospitals. I would ask for an antibiogram from the hospital you're rotating through so that you know what's susceptible there to what antiobiotics. The worst thing you wanna do is recommend a nuke when you could have given a cephelasporin.

Check the P & T and see what algorithms are in place for certain infections: UTI, SSTI, CAP, etc.

Tarascon is nice, get the smaller version. I like the tables in there.

But imo, make ur own little book with tables. That way you know where everything is and it'll help you study for the boards. But that's just me.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

The nerves are starting to kick in, I'm starting rotations Monday and I just realized I have no idea what I'm talking about concerning just about anything. EEEK.

I've decided to go referenceless. Mostly because I'm too lazy to go buy them.

 

[ZpackSux]

Study and Learn the stuff.

 

[PharmD2MD]

Don't discount the Washington manual, or other references like that. They are good to get a quick 5 minute summary of a disease state. Much of the learning on rotations isn't directly about pharmacy, so don't blow something off just because it's not totally focused on drugs.

The Tarascon pocket book for critical care is ok.

I like Antibiotic Essentials by Cunha- less eyestrain than Sanford (which is a great reference).

A Harriet Lane book for peds is good also, for the same reason as the Wash. Manual.

Know how to use the electronic resources that your school has available for you. Having a few full text journal sources online at your fingertips is like gold on your rotations.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Study and Learn the stuff.

But that takes effort

 

[ZpackSux]

Washington Manual isn't as useful because it doesn't give much information for pharmacists. When you're on rotations, you are not going to provide answers to diagnostic questions, unless of course, you want to show off. I've seen pharmD students do that before.

Completely disagree.

It is true that WM doesn't go in depth with pharmacology and PK. But That's why you have Lexi-Comp. But WM does give you insight on Disease Management from A-Z. If Diagnosis is not of an interest, then a pharmacy student rotating with the interdiscplinary team should at least have a complete picture of pharmacological management of patient from IV to Laxatives. If a student has enough time to make their own reference manual, then it's much easier to buy a WM and carry it around.

Sanford guide is decent, but you have to remember, that it's written with the idea of the east coast in mind. Some of the susceptibility data isn't correct in the west coast hospitals. I would ask for an antibiogram from the hospital you're rotating through so that you know what's susceptible there to what antiobiotics. The worst thing you wanna do is recommend a nuke when you could have given a cephelasporin.

Absolutely not true. Sanford is put together based on latest Infectious Disease Guideline (albeit Pharm Co influenced) which are published from investigations throughout the country..not just East Coast bias. Your logic of East coast vs West coast susceptibility may hold water slightly but every hospital's susceptibility is different according to the different antibiotics on the formulary. That being said, Antibiotic of choices in Sanford are usually good guideline to show which class of antibiotic is recommended for a specific infection. And because Sanford has 1st choice, 2nd choice, and 3rd choice, it gives a pharmacy student an idea of availability of different treatment options. If recommending a nuke is of a concern, then the student needs to understand what are more cost effective alternatives..usually the 3rd choice.

Medicine and critical care rotation usually involves rounding on severely ill patients. And the last thing you want to do on a Pneumonia Patient with possible Pseudomonas is recommend cephalosporin (Fortaz or Maxipime) which the bugs grow quick resistance to.

 

[ZpackSux]

But that takes effort

nothing worthwhile is gained without putting a significant effort in tryting to achieve your goals. Without effort, you'll underachieve.