5 Common Drug Name Confusions That Nursing Students Should Avoid

Sound-Alike, Look-Alike (SALA) Drugs Are a Real Risk

When I first started learning about medications, I didn’t realize how easy it was to confuse drug names. Some of them look or sound almost the same but have completely different uses. These are called SALA drugs — and even trained staff mix them up. For nursing students, learning these differences early can help avoid mistakes in both exams and clinical practice.

Clopidogrel and Clozapine

I almost confused clopidogrel, a blood thinner, with clozapine, an antipsychotic, while studying for my pharmacology practicals. Both start with "clo" and end with "ine"/"rel", but they’re used for completely different systems. One affects bleeding; the other affects the brain. Confusing them could lead to serious misunderstanding — especially in MCQs or clinical scenarios.

Dopamine and Dobutamine

These two drugs are used in ICU settings and often get mixed up by new students. Dopamine affects blood pressure and renal perfusion, while dobutamine improves heart contractility. I remembered the difference by linking “dobutamine” with “do boost the heart.” Little tricks like that helped me avoid confusion under pressure.

Hydralazine and Hydroxyzine

These names are almost identical. One is for blood pressure, the other is for anxiety and allergies. I once read a case where someone gave the wrong one due to a mix-up. From then on, I made it a point to slow down and double-check every drug name — even if I thought I knew it. That habit has helped me stay safe and accurate.

Using Ezi Nurse to Practice Drug Confusions

What helped me most was regular practice with flashcards and quizzes. Ezi Nurse, the best app for nursing students, has a section where you can learn SALA drugs side by side. Seeing them in pairs trained my brain to catch the differences faster. I’d spend just 5–10 minutes daily on drug drills, and it made a big difference in both my exams and my ward work.