Chem 100/101

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I just started taking pre-reqs and CHEMISRTY 100 (intro) and CHEM 101 (lab) are absolutely killing me! I am finding it so hard to grasp and just wonder if any other students or nurses can relate? how much chemisrty will i be using as a nurse and what if this stuff never makes sense to me!!!!!

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Chemistry is a huge time commitment. What else are you taking with Chem 100/Chem 101?

Some nursing schools allow you to take Biology I and II in lieu of Chemistry. You may want to check with the schools are you interested in if this is an option.

If you have to take Chemistry, there are some things that I did to help me learn the material.

1) As soon as you get home from class, rewrite your notes.

2) Put ? next to the items you don't understand. Go now to the Chem help lab, Instructors open office hours or email the prof with your questions.

3) See if you can record your lectures. Listen to the recording and fill in the gaps in your notes.

3) Make friends with other people in your class. Trade notes. Sometimes your classmates pick up info from lecture that you have missed.

4) Use googlescholar.com to help you with additional info to help you with the info you are struggling with.

5) Don't "get in the hole". Try to stay current with the material that has been presented in class and get an understanding of it now. Waiting until a week or so before the exam is too late. All the material builds on prior lectures.

6) Hire a student tutor.

Chemistry requires lots of repetition. You can suceed and do well in this class. Keep the faith and draw upon all the resources available.

You can do this!

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I just noticed my numbering is off! Sorry about that. I just woke up from a long nap!

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Aside from the obvious reasons we need chemistry, it's also good practice learning about stuff you can't SEE. Atoms, electrons, etc...it's tricky to visualize all the things they do...bonding,reacting....but when you start learning about physiology, much of that is microscopic as well. How do enzymes do their thing? How does DNA replicate? How does this drug or that drug work? These are all chemistry-related things.

I think the poster above me had some great advice, expecially rewriting your notes. I handwrite mine in class, then type them on the computer that night. It seems to help me find the holes I need to go back and fill in.

YouTube has awesome videos of all sorts of scientific stuff. More than once, I have found videos about something that just wans't clicking for me, and they really helped!

It's not so much that you use the chemistry as you're learning it now, but many other things you will learn stem from this foundation. We're all completely made of stuff from that periodic table. Best of luck to you!

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Thanks to everyone for your advise and feedback---please keep it coiming! I am already doing what you suggested so thats a positive. But no matter how much tutoring and practice i get, the chemistry problems kill me---moles, percent yields, grams to atoms....KILLER!! I am in a class with over 500 people, the teacher rarely explains how to work the problems and everyone does poorly as a result. Next semester I am transfering to a private school, hopefully where teachers teach.

Keep the advise coming and thanks for the support!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in SICU/CVICU.

I hated Chemistry!! I didn't make an A in that class...it is definitely something you have to devote a lot of time to...Good luck!

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Yeah, chemistry was tough!

I liked this website when I was taking it:

http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/ChemTeamIndex.html

Good luck!

Kelly

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I just started taking pre-reqs and CHEMISRTY 100 (intro) and CHEM 101 (lab) are absolutely killing me! I am finding it so hard to grasp and just wonder if any other students or nurses can relate? how much chemisrty will i be using as a nurse and what if this stuff never makes sense to me!!!!!

When you get to A&P, you'll be happy you took Chemistry. There is a lot of stuff in A&P that makes so much more sense when you understand the chemistry behind it. And because the Chem in A&P seems more real, or concrete than Chem 100/101 does, it will make even more sense.

Also, although all the math seems in Chem seems evil at times, it really does help you get into a certain methodical frame of mind, which can only help you with your nursing courses.

Hang in there!

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Specializes in ICU.

I will offer you some study tips that my chemistry teacher gave us. I have an A in the class so far and so they must be working! :D

The document will not let me cut and paste for some reason and it is long so I will give you the important details:

1) Set the time and place for your learning. Chose a place that is convinient and free of distractions. DO NOT STUDY LYING DOWN. Your mind and body associate this with sleeping and tend to shut down under those circumstances.

2) Know what is coming. It is easier to understand and learn if you know what to expect. (he just suggests that we read ahead...a quick glimpse to get ourselves ready to learn about it)

3)make the information meaningful to you. Try to make a connection with the information. Remember EVERYTHING around you is made up of chemistry.

4)quiz and test yourself.

He goes on to say:

One current model of memory suggests that when the brain encounters new information a 24 hour timer is started. If the information is seen again within that 24 hour period the information is given an "address" and the 24 hour timer is reset. Everytime the information is seen before the timer runs out, the information is given a better "address" in your memory. If the info is not seen again in the 24 hours then the address is difficult to find and the information not as accessible.

So he says to just to be sure to review the info for like 15 minutes daily. Your mind will say...ahaaa I have seen this before, I'm seeing it again, it must be important. Let me file it HERE. And then it sees it again and says hey we better move this up to a better location because i'm seeing it AGAIN, it must be important. and so on.

So to take advantae of this, he suggests this sequence.

A) skim the material. Read the introduction to the chapter. Take 10 minutes and skim the chapter. Read the objectives titles and boldface words. Look at diagrams, pictures. If you do this more than 24 hours before class than just take 5 minutes within 24 hrs of class to review it again.

B) take notes in class. Since you have already skimmed the info, class will be resetting your 24 hour timer. Lecture should clarify some points for you.

c) after class briefly 5-10 minutes review your notes from class, REALLY read the text and do the problems at the back of the chapter.

He also suggests we take a blank piece of paper and try to write down all of the terms we remember from memory. As you study do this again. And again. You will find your list getting longer.

(this really worked for me too)

I hope this helps you.

Kim

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Forgot to mention in my previous post; YES you will understand why you need chemistry during A&P and micro. I took chemistry afterwards and wished I had taken it first. Also, I'm in NS now, and the dosage calculation math is exactly like the conversion math we learned in chemistry. I'm very happy because I already know it so well, it's really easy for me. That's important because most schools require 100% on dosage calculation tests to pass (for obvious reasons!).

Good luck!

Kelly

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One current model of memory suggests that when the brain encounters new information a 24 hour timer is started. If the information is seen again within that 24 hour period the information is given an "address" and the 24 hour timer is reset. Everytime the information is seen before the timer runs out, the information is given a better "address" in your memory. If the info is not seen again in the 24 hours then the address is difficult to find and the information not as accessible.

So he says to just to be sure to review the info for like 15 minutes daily. Your mind will say...ahaaa I have seen this before, I'm seeing it again, it must be important. Let me file it HERE. And then it sees it again and says hey we better move this up to a better location because i'm seeing it AGAIN, it must be important. and so on.

So to take advantae of this, he suggests this sequence.

A) skim the material. Read the introduction to the chapter. Take 10 minutes and skim the chapter. Read the objectives titles and boldface words. Look at diagrams, pictures. If you do this more than 24 hours before class than just take 5 minutes within 24 hrs of class to review it again.

B) take notes in class. Since you have already skimmed the info, class will be resetting your 24 hour timer. Lecture should clarify some points for you.

c) after class briefly 5-10 minutes review your notes from class, REALLY read the text and do the problems at the back of the chapter.

He also suggests we take a blank piece of paper and try to write down all of the terms we remember from memory. As you study do this again. And again. You will find your list getting longer.

(this really worked for me too)

I hope this helps you.

Kim

That is so friggin COOL!!! Brains are awesome.

I am struggling a bit in Economics, and I'm so going to try this method!

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