online patho a bad idea?

NightNurseRN13 · Mar 15, 2014

If you did fine with your other online classes I think you should be fine. My patho teacher was so monotone I wish they would have offered online classes. I'm also an independent learner so you need to take that into consideration.

I think the class was harder than others, but I also had this same teacher for another class and found that class harder as well even though I was a straight A student.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

The instructor is who makes or breaks the class. Seriously. I had a great patho instructor although I think online would have benefited me better. However, the online instructor was so tough that I would have failed the class.

Kuriin, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

I have to have lectures in person to get the most out of it, especially when it's science and information heavy such as pathophysiology. I took my physiology online and somehow got an A. But, I don't remember much of the class, lol.

Malorymug · Mar 15, 2014

I loved my online patho. My teacher was very engaging and the recordings of her lectures were great. Patho was the first prereq course where the instructor asks us to start thinking like a nurse. She had us using ADPIE (assess, diagnose, plan, implement, evaluate) for each body system and that has translated beautifully to nursing classes.

I guess my point is, it is more teacher driven than location. Good luck! I loved patho!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

Whatever you choose, treat yourself to the best adjuncts for learning this subject you can get.

Those would be the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring book, available online from your favorite bookseller, free 2-day shipping from Amazon for students. This is not a joke and not a comic book, but a real, good resource that my students said saved their behinds in this class.

Get the hard copy, not the online download or the iPad version, because part of the reason it's so good is because it engages different parts of your brain when you use your colored pencils to help you retain the material.

There are no shortcuts for A&P because they’re a big part of being a nurse. This is definitely NOT a course you will pass and put out of your head, because after you take it and get into the nursing coursework it will be an integral part of the critical thinking process; your faculty will expect that you remember it. These books will be excellent reference for you when you start seeing real patients. This is unlike any other education you have ever had, trust me. Get the books.

The Physiology Coloring Book (2nd Edition) by Wynn Kapit, Robert I. Macey and Esmail Meisami(Oct 3, 1999)

The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson (Jul 5, 2001)

NurseSN45696 · Mar 15, 2014

I loved my online patho. My teacher was very engaging and the recordings of her lectures were great. Patho was the first prereq course where the instructor asks us to start thinking like a nurse. She had us using ADPIE (assess, diagnose, plan, implement, evaluate) for each body system and that has translated beautifully to nursing classes.
I guess my point is, it is more teacher driven than location. Good luck! I loved patho!

Could you please tell me where you took it and PM who your instructor was?

NurseSN45696 · Mar 15, 2014

Whatever you choose, treat yourself to the best adjuncts for learning this subject you can get.
Those would be the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring book, available online from your favorite bookseller, free 2-day shipping from Amazon for students. This is not a joke and not a comic book, but a real, good resource that my students said saved their behinds in this class.
Get the hard copy, not the online download or the iPad version, because part of the reason it's so good is because it engages different parts of your brain when you use your colored pencils to help you retain the material.
There are no shortcuts for A&P because they’re a big part of being a nurse. This is definitely NOT a course you will pass and put out of your head, because after you take it and get into the nursing coursework it will be an integral part of the critical thinking process; your faculty will expect that you remember it. These books will be excellent reference for you when you start seeing real patients. This is unlike any other education you have ever had, trust me. Get the books.
The Physiology Coloring Book (2nd Edition) by Wynn Kapit, Robert I. Macey and Esmail Meisami(Oct 3, 1999)
The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson (Jul 5, 2001)

Get these books for pathophysiology? I just want to make sure you realize I was not talking about A&P, but patho...thanks!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2014

Yes, because you'd be surprised how many people struggle with path because they 1) don't have a solid working knowledge of normal physiology even though they passed the course and 2) don't have a great resource book on it ready to hand. Don't get the anatomy one if you're solid on that, but the physiology one is great. I still have one.

NurseSN45696 · Mar 16, 2014

GrnTea, thanks so much! I'll def look in to those books. I have all summer for this one class so I should be able to really get an understanding!

TipRizzo · Mar 19, 2014

Hey There:

I took path online. It was not that hard. The material is rather interesting so you just have to be focused and a tad bit strict on yourself. I took a lot of online classes as well. I was reading your post and I didn't even know i could take out a student loan to cover my rent and stuff. I was fretting over this for the longest…I am going to look into it. As far as patho…Let me know what you decide to do!

Good luck!

NurseSN45696 · Mar 19, 2014

Hi. I've decided to take it online. That'll save me three months of rent loans!