Chemistry not required for nursing program?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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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?

I don't like chem too much. I took it in 2010 for the ADN program I was applying to and got a B. Then I moved out of state and now that class doesn't even matter haha. It really depends on the individual school if you have to take it or not. I don't think it really will help me be a better nurse. If chem is a requirement it is usually just chem 1 and you don't get completely in depth with it.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

My ADN program doesn't require chemistry, but my bridge program does.

I have take chemistry, however, and I haven't really met up with any nursing components that absolutely required an in depth knowledge of chemistry. Perhaps there have been a few things that I didn't have to learn thanks to past courses, but nothing that wasn't/couldn't be taught on a simple level in nursing school.

I have no issue with expecting nurses to have a string science background, but chemistry? I'm not aghast over it. I think a chemistry for allied health course would be a great addition.

Yea-huh! My patient needs to know that he's on a diuretic, and I'm gonna be all like, "So you don't absorb the ions which include electrons and protons and it's chemically impossible to have electrons with identical quantum numbers, so therefore you either have a negative or positive charges, in which your case you have a decreased positive charge, a cation, because er.... You're peeing more because you have too much fluid.

Sorry...

Seriously?

Knowing that a protein molecule, for example, has parts that interact with parts of drug molecules and that's why the drug is structured to work to block the protein, thus treating the disease state. Knowing that positive and negative charges are why and how fluids and electrolytes travel across cell membranes. Knowing what osmolarity is and why there are may causes of edema. Knowing that the way sodium channels work is how a nerve impuse travels along an axon and the membrane repolarizes (and hey, what's "repolarizes"?), so when serum sodium is deranged, you get neuro effects. Knowing how calcium ion charges affect neuromuscular communication. When somebody says a drug is a MAO inhibitor, what's that mean? I could go on and on.

"I don't need to know that to take care of patients." Oh, probably not, if you are satisfied with what's apparently turning into drone/superCNA/task-oriented training. IMHO, though, loss of that sort of bigger picture makes for a limited practice. More education makes you more able to understand what you're seeing and what should be happening. That's the nurse I want.

A bit harsh, huh? Well, my adn program does require chem, bio, micro, a&p 1 and 2. But, even if it didn't require chem, all of which I highlighted above were reiterated in the additional science courses listed. I'm thinking that some programs are leaving out courses, such as chem, but are incorporating the information into other classes. Probably in order to make their programs shorter, and not with the intention of transforming nurses into "super CNAs". I get what you're trying to say. You just had a jacked up way of expressing it.

My school doesn't require Chemistry, either. Even I wondered what was up with that... Not like I'm complaining, though... I took Chemistry before. I just see that alot of schools in my area do and mine is one of the few that doesn't.

My school doesn't require Chemistry either. Even I wondered what was up with that... Not like I'm complaining, though... I took Chemistry before. I just see that alot of schools in my area do and mine is one of the few that doesn't.[/quote']

Yeah that's the main reason I posted this thread because I was curious. I mean it's a legit BSN program, they teach clinicals inside of a hospital and the hospital is one of Midwest's finest facility. So for people to sit here and bash programs because they don't require chemistry are full of it! I took chemistry in high school and it wasn't my strongest subject like most people say. I'm a strong student, have a great GPA and dedicated to to learning as much as i can. So even if chemistry isn't part of a nursing program doesn't mean u cant learn it; have someone teach u even if u don't take the class, like your professor not just some random joe that doesn't know anything about the field. I don't believe that one class is gonna make or break your nursing career. It's just like if you get a job in labor and delivery fresh out of nursing school but people say oh you're supposed to go to med/surg because of the experience you get. So does that make u less of a nurse? You're continuously learning in the nursing field, so if you might be lacking in one area you can learn how to better yourself and knowledge. It's not like nursing is a career where you stop learning after you graduate.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Seriously?

Knowing that a protein molecule, for example, has parts that interact with parts of drug molecules and that's why the drug is structured to work to block the protein, thus treating the disease state. Knowing that positive and negative charges are why and how fluids and electrolytes travel across cell membranes. Knowing what osmolarity is and why there are may causes of edema. Knowing that the way sodium channels work is how a nerve impuse travels along an axon and the membrane repolarizes (and hey, what's "repolarizes"?), so when serum sodium is deranged, you get neuro effects. Knowing how calcium ion charges affect neuromuscular communication. When somebody says a drug is a MAO inhibitor, what's that mean? I could go on and on.

"I don't need to know that to take care of patients." Oh, probably not, if you are satisfied with what's apparently turning into drone/superCNA/task-oriented training. IMHO, though, loss of that sort of bigger picture makes for a limited practice. More education makes you more able to understand what you're seeing and what should be happening. That's the nurse I want.

I learned absolutely NONE of that in chemistry. The vast majority of Chem requiring programs require inorganic chemistry, which is presented in relation to the body at a rate of pretty much... zero. But if you need me for some qualitative analysis or you'd like me to identify some sort of unknown element, I'm your gal.

All of that was learned in anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and med-surg, in my case.

Specializes in PCT, PCA, Phlebotomy.

That would be so NICE not to have Chem. However, I am taking it as a pre-req for our RN porgram during the coming Spring semester. I attempted it once during the summer, and have to say that was a BAD move. It is a hard class, and for me-I need more time to grasp it all. Hope this Chem semester goes well for me! I need to pass it to take my TEAS August 1st. 2013 at JJC. :wacky:

That would be so NICE not to have Chem. However I am taking it as a pre-req for our RN porgram during the coming Spring semester. I attempted it once during the summer, and have to say that was a BAD move. It is a hard class, and for me-I need more time to grasp it all. Hope this Chem semester goes well for me! I need to pass it to take my TEAS August 1st. 2013 at JJC. :wacky:[/quote']

I was debating if I should take Chem over the summer because its a requirement for another school I applied too. But u go to JJC? I go to COD lol..but good luck on the TEAS. I have to take the HESI

Specializes in PCT, PCA, Phlebotomy.

I sent you a friend request on here. Considering we are both in the same boat & almost neighbors (JJC & COD). I have had a few friend's who went to the RN program at COD, and I work with them on the MED/SURG unit at Good Samaritan hospital. COD it appears is a GREAT nursing school. Good luck on the HESI, and from what I hear it is not that bad.

I sent you a friend request on here. Considering we are both in the same boat & almost neighbors (JJC & COD). I have had a few friend's who went to the RN program at COD and I work with them on the MED/SURG unit at Good Samaritan hospital. COD it appears is a GREAT nursing school. Good luck on the HESI, and from what I hear it is not that bad.[/quote']

How do you accept the request? Lol I'm still new on here. Idk if I see it. I have heard its good too, I wish COD was a 4 year school because I would definitely love to stay going to school there! I'm planning on trying to look around for some hospital/assisted living jobs or something as a CNA when my knee heels. Thanks for the luck! I bought the book to study from, not that bad. The math section is my only problem lol

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.
Yea-huh! My patient needs to know that he's on a diuretic, and I'm gonna be all like, "So you don't absorb the ions which include electrons and protons and it's chemically impossible to have electrons with identical quantum numbers, so therefore you either have a negative or positive charges, in which your case you have a decreased positive charge, a cation, because er.... You're peeing more because you have too much fluid.

Sorry...

No, but you need to know that the drug the doctor ordered will do the right thing for your patient. It's important. Doctors make mistakes all the time that can be incredibly bad for a patient. It's a heads up nurse that can save a life.

And, if I hadn't had chemistry, I would have had a tougher time with drug calc for sure.

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