Anatomy and Physiology Lab without Cadavers (formaldehyde)?

[MissHopeful111]

Hello!

I'm currently working on my prerequisites and it's going great, aside from the road bump that I just hit. I was diagnosed with Mastocytosis a few years ago and it's currently (for the most part) under control, but formaldehyde is still one of my biggest triggers. So, I risk anaphylaxis if I take Anatomy and Physiology with the typical lab that involves the cadaver and tons of formaldehyde. It honestly isn't the cadaver that bugs me- I'm totally all for it. I was even looking forward to it. But even with a mask, I doubt I could keep my airways open due to the chemicals involved in preserving the body.

So my question is, are there online anatomy and physiology labs, or other avenues I can take, that would fulfill the lab component of the class without an exposure to formaldehyde?

I appreciate your advice- thank you!

[verene, MSN]

Most pre-nursing A&P courses do not use human cadavers. I dissected a sheep's brain, calf's heart, calf's lung, and pig spine, and some other components. I think. Minimal chemicals were used because we had very fresh remains to work with which were kept refrigerated until use. I would ask your school specific questions about the dissections they do, and what chemical exposure risk is with their classes. I know the next CC over did a completely different set-up for dissections so it is very school dependent. Some accommodations may be made by the program if they know in advance you have issues with preservatives used. I know one of my classmates had high sensitivity to smells because of first-trimester pregnancy and the instructor worked with her to modify things so she could complete the dissections with out getting sick from them. (I think she was allowed to observe from a distance with mask, while another student actually did the dissection).

There are online A&P courses, however check that the nursing program(s) you are interested in accepted these credits before signing up. Some don't have any issue with online coursework, others explicitly state that labs must be "in person" to count.

[NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN]

My class didn't use human cadavers either. We did baby pigs, and it was only 1 day, so if I had missed it, it wouldn't have made a difference.

[AnEStar, BSN, RN]

Both of my A&P courses involved fetal pigs stored in formaldehyde (about 7-10 labs each semester) as well as sheep brain. You might want to seek advice from your school administration and inquire about what guidance they can provide to you.

[Zyprexa_Ho]

Surely your local school could grant you an exception aka accommodation due to a documented medical condition.

[hon918, ADN, RN]

I would check with the school/instructor before signing up. I was surprised when I took A&P two years ago at the local CC that we were going to do zero dissections. Nothing but models for both semesters.

[bellakat]

Do you know for sure if there is cadavers? My A&P did not use any, or any other dissections. At the school i went to, only the higher up Anatomy used cadavers.

[GourmandG]

Both my A&P and A&P2 nursing pre req classes involved human cadavers. We didn't dissect them but had a chance to study them (touch, look and ask questions). The formaldehyde was extremely strong even with a fan in the room. It was only for about 20 minutes each time and if I recall correctly, I believe it was optional.

Definitely talk to the school and professor to explain and provide documentation of your situation as I'm sure they will work with you.

Ask to see a syllabus ahead of time to calculate points and see if passing the course is doable if you were to get a zero in those applicable labs. I have a friend whom couldn't stand dissecting anything in A&P and chose to get an F in those labs however, she aced everything else and still pulled off an A in the class so it is doable! Be aware of your pre nursing program's minimum GPA. Good luck!

[busybeeSN]

My school didn't use formaldehyde, we used a bleach water mixture. I would check with your school.

[Livetoride]

They don't use all formadelhyde or cadavers. For instance, we used cats in our A&P courses. There was an exception of one instructor who has a health condition and couldn't be exposed to preservatives so in that class, the cats were a bit fresher.

[Mhsrnbsn]

When I was in school we had to dissect cats. I was allergic to the formaldehyde and told my instructor from day 1 (I learned this was an issue in high school with the frogs) so when the time came for dissection, I was to sit in her office and study photos she had prepared and labeled for me... She actually dissected a cat for me to take these photos and prepare it for me so I too could learn! I can't guarantee your professor would be this accommodating, but if they know from the beginning they can prepare a separate way for you to learn too.

[pinky77]

I'm currently taking A&P II online and I can honestly say that it is so much easier than A&P I in a classroom/lab setting. While it is a bit more self taught but it's nice because if you don't understand a concept you can just go back and listen to it again, do some research and then move on. On top of that, you can do it all from home whenever you want!