HELP. I plan to major in Nursing but one problem: I don't like science.

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm currently getting my prerequisites done at a community college. It's my first year of college and I'm starting to reconsider majoring in nursing. I've always had a disliking to science for a long time however I'm fine with math. I don't want to work in an area that I won't be happy with for the rest of my life, you know?

So does nursing involve a lot of science?

In the everyday job, where are some times that you're going to have to involve science in your work?

Do I just get the science courses over with and just look forward to the hands-on experience?

What should I be aware of?

Nursing is not that heavy on the sciences compared to other healthcare majors. For instance, occupational therapy majors need to have completed biology, zoology, neuroscience, physics and other empirical science majors in addition to anatomy & physiology. On the other hand, many nursing majors simply take A&P and microbiology. Some take chemistry, and some do not.

Considering I was a Psych major, Nursing is very heavy on the sciences to me.

OP, when I was a preceptor, I was one of those mean old bats in the making that would not only teach but subsequently quiz my preceptees on what they had learned.

I worked in oncology, which is a knowledge-heavy area of nursing to begin with. The importance of knowing the science--A&P, pharmacology, the nitty gritty of how stuff actually worked--was essential on a shift by shift basis. We took care of some of the sickest patients in the hospital. If we weren't keeping a close eye on the patient condition and the big picture at all times, we were putting the lives of our acutely ill patients at risk.

I was known for being extremely strict when it came to new preceptees on my ward. Nurses who didn't care about the why and how were the first ones I'd weed out. Far from a hypocrite, however, I had been trained in the same way--from early on, senior nurses impressed upon me the importance of not just doing tasks but assessing and critically thinking about the patient and their condition. And furthermore, I was still learning myself, a trait that I taught my preceptees. I had several extremely intelligent preceptees who would occasionally ask questions that were over my head. We'd look up the answers together. Nursing is a process of constant change as new research and technology becomes available. To simply pay attention to the task and not its impact on your patient is to potentially endanger their lives, especially in the critically ill.

So in summation, is it possible to get by in nursing without the science piece? Yes, it is.

Is it safe? No, I'd have to argue, it's not.

What if someone was interested in the science classes like Microbiology and Chemistry for example, but just had a very hard time comprehending the material?

Specializes in None yet..
Considering I was a Psych major, Nursing is very heavy on the sciences to me.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I was psych major, got a BS degree with, quantitative methods, two quarters of statistics, genetics, microbiology, organic chem and quite a few quarters of independent research and a strong science base in most of my classes.

The scientific method is the bedrock of psychology... isn't it?

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Courtney, I was just wondering what does your resume look like? How are your interview skills? I ask this because unless you are in CA or NY, I don't find your theory to hold water. CA is very impacted but just because someone can't find a job, doesn't mean it's the market's fault.

Per posting history, member lives in Indiana but applied to nursing jobs in Arizona where her partner resides. The employment applications were submitted listing member's Indiana RN license number.

To be fair, I do see some disadvantages. First of all, recruiters and HR directors in Arizona are not going to call an inexperienced applicant with a nursing license issued in Indiana, a state that is currently not a member of the Nursing Licensure Compact.

Second of all, some segments of Arizona's nursing job market are gradually becoming congested, so more than a few HR directors have limited their new nurse hiring to local graduates who completed clinical practicum in area healthcare facilities.

Bottom line: I think member would have more luck if she submitted applications with an Arizona nursing license, and perhaps applied for non-hospital positions if she has not already done so.

No

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I was psych major, got a BS degree with, quantitative methods, two quarters of statistics, genetics, microbiology, organic chem and quite a few quarters of independent research and a strong science base in most of my classes.

The scientific method is the bedrock of psychology... isn't it?

I got a BA in Psych, so no, it wasn't particularly heavy on the science for me. We had different experiences, which is fine.

I actually had a Bio major at my school scoff at us Psych majors. He called our major a soft science.

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