Chemistry not required for nursing program?

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Hi guys!

I applied to a school and found out that chemistry is not a pre req for their nursing program and you don't have to take it at all. Is that normal?

It depends on your program. However, take a close look at your course pre-requisites. While the nursing program may not require Chem as a pre-req, it might be a pre-req for other courses, such as Physiology, Microbiology or Pharmacology. Our program doesn't require it as a pre-req, but you can't take Physiology or Micro without having had Chem first.

Also, if you're going to pursue your BSN later, many of those programs require both Gen Chem and Organic Chem. You might want to take Chem now if you feel you'll pursue further education later. Talk with your academic advisor, just to make sure.

Good luck :D

I just looked at all my pre reqs for the rest of my nursing courses and there are no signs of chemistry anywhere. I already took A&P at my community college, as for micro and pharmacology chem isn't a pre req. But Im taking micro at my community college too. The school I will be attending is a BSN.

Thank you for everyone's replies! I thought I was being cheated and having chemistry as a requirement was a must. But I'm glad it's not for this school. Chemistry was gonna whoop my butt and I was already dreading taking it lol

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yeah I assume this is for an ADN program? chemistry is needed for all BSN programs I have come across.

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I just looked at all my pre reqs for the rest of my nursing courses and there are no signs of chemistry anywhere. I already took A&P at my community college, as for micro and pharmacology chem isn't a pre req. But Im taking micro at my community college too. The school I will be attending is a BSN.Thank you for everyone's replies! I thought I was being cheated and having chemistry as a requirement was a must. But I'm glad it's not for this school. Chemistry was gonna whoop my butt and I was already dreading taking it lol
oh wow well then I stand corrected! you should at least take an intro Chem class though in my opinion
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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
I just looked at all my pre reqs for the rest of my nursing courses and there are no signs of chemistry anywhere. I already took A&P at my community college, as for micro and pharmacology chem isn't a pre req. But Im taking micro at my community college too. The school I will be attending is a BSN.

Thank you for everyone's replies! I thought I was being cheated and having chemistry as a requirement was a must. But I'm glad it's not for this school. Chemistry was gonna whoop my butt and I was already dreading taking it lol

Are you absolutely sure of this? I don't know of any BSN programs that don't require both Gen. Chem & Organic Chem. I can't imagine taking Pharmacology and not having a background in Chemistry, either. You need to be strong in both Physiology & Chem to survive Pharmacology.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

There are plenty of BSN programs that don't require any Chem at all. (E.g. Mercer University, Georgia State in my area). It seems strange to me that there would be such a disparity amongst the educating of nurses, but they definitely exist.

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My ADN program I am applying to at my CC does not require Chemistry at all. However, the BSN program I plan to bridge to (and is also my back-up if I don't get accepted into my ADN program), does require Chemistry.

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The cc here doesnt list Chemistry as a prereq but it is a requirement to register for Microbiology. My BSN track requires it.

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Consider yourself lucky. :bored:

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You need to be strong in both Physiology & Chem to survive Pharmacology.

I was strong in neither, but I got pharmacology like it was nothin'.

Side note: It's always good to have basic science courses on your transcript for nursing.

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Seriously, does somebody actually think that knowledge of basic chemistry is of no value in nursing and something to be avoided if at all possible? Good grief, you're scaring me here. I'm getting afraid to get old and risk hospitalization if that's really true. ::shudder::

(We took one full year of chemistry plus one semester of organic chemistry....and yes, I did use it at work.)

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I was strong in neither, but I got pharmacology like it was nothin'. Side note: It's always good to have basic science courses on your transcript for nursing.
Yes!! Good to know that I will survive Pharmacology!!! :)
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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Seriously, does somebody actually think that knowledge of basic chemistry is of no value in nursing and something to be avoided if at all possible? Good grief, you're scaring me here. I'm getting afraid to get old and risk hospitalization if that's really true. ::shudder::

(We took one full year of chemistry plus one semester of organic chemistry....and yes, I did use it at work.)

So did I....plus 1 semester microbiology. Then Micro 1 semester and Biochem ....2 semesters was BSN. More proof about dumbing down the programs.
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