Do you use chemistry in nursing?

[Princess74]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but is chemistry really something that is used in nursing.

There are programs in my area that do not even require it, however I want to get a BSN, and for that Health Science Chemisrty I and II, or General Chemistry I and II are required (so is poetry, but that has nothing to do with nursing).

I'm taking Health Science Chemistry this semester and we are only on chapter 1

and I am lost. I do not understand ANY of it. I've tried getting help from the instructor, chemistry for dummies, homework helpers, idiots guide to chemisrty etc.. I've read and reread my text, taped my lectures done everything that I can think of to help and I still just don't understand one single thing. Problem solving and conversion factors is really whats killing me. I don't know how to figure out the factors and even when they are given to me I don't know how to solve them. Do you +,-, X divide??

I think I am going to have to drop this class. The thing is I really want a BSN, not just a ASN.

Also how much like Chemistry is Pharmacology? I am afraid I wont understand it either:crying2:

[Stephanie C]

Ok so I multiply the top numbers (2x2=4x1=4x10= 40)

Then divide (40/2=20/1=20/10= 2)

Like that?

I don't know the original problem, but be sure to cross cancel as you go. You will end up with smaller numbers and less chances of errors.

If your problem was:

2 X 2 X 10

---------------

2 1 10

You can cancel one 2 on top with one 2 on the bottom and the 10 on the top with the 10 on the bottom.

You end up with 2 over 1 without any calculation.

I hope this makes sense! Good luck!

[kea6783]

OP-

Have you taken basic math classes? Make sure you do before you take Chemistry. To get into the BSN program I'd like to, I had to take College Algebra and MATH Statistics- not that "psychology statistics" that some places offer.

I would think you'd want a great Math base before going into the Chems. I did, and it helped a lot.

[poodloo28]

finally someone i can relate to. I To am lost in chemistry, bu its a requirement.so.... anyway good luck

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

you will find that all of your courses in nursing school, prereqs and core, will have interrelations with others. you'll need algebra/trig for chemistry and for medications-- neither is something you will just pass and forget. you'll need them later-- like when you're working with pathophysiology.

when you have a renal failure patient, you'll think to shake a urine drainage bag and when it foams, you'll be using what you learned in organic chem about why albumin foams-- and that you learned in pathophysiology that failing kidneys lose albumin into the urine. when you have a patient with lung disease, you'll use what you learned in chemistry about acid-base balance and ph. when you have a patient with sickle-cell disease, you'll remember about how molecules work that hemoglobin carries a big fat iron atom in the middle of it.

if they tell you to take anthropology and sociology, you'll have background to help you begin to work with people from other cultures. when you take english comp, remember what you learn about writing a narrative, so you can communicate your assessments better.

it's all in there. nursing is so much more than you think.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but is chemistry really something that is used in nursing.

:

Every. Single. Stankin'. Day.

[bigboi]

I'm taking chemistry right now and according to the calculations in nursing school, chemistry is gonna be my best friend. The trick is setting the number given to you, with your conversion factors to cancel out. I've grown to love chemistry despite having an extremely picky grader for a teacher.