Chemistry skills relevant to nursing

[futurenurse93]

My dream career since I was young was to be a nurse, but now that I'm getting into preparing to do that, I'm learning that I HATE chemistry.

I'm thinking that if I stick it out for these years, the job itself might not actually involve too much chemistry, but I'm not sure and I want to enjoy my job.

Do you think I should forget my dreams of becoming a nurse?

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

You dont have to be a chem genius to pass meds,that is why we have MDs and pharmacist when sh..hits the fence! And actually I rather know the most important side effects of meds and check for allergies than breaking apart the chemistry of meds,

How about know both?

Doing because you are told is never as good as doing because you understand.

[Blackheartednurse]

How about know both?

Doing because you are told is never as good as doing because you understand.

I never said I didnt understand I just think people put too much emphasis on chem,it is not a big deal in nursing school that is all I'm trying to say.PLUS that is why we have drug books and pharmacies!

[CuriousMe]

I agree with GilaRN. Physiology at a cellular level IS CHEMISTRY. I took my full year of General Chemistry before I started my program because I'm pursuing a chem minor.

I figured that the organic chem and bio chem that I would be taking later on would be really useful for me, and that I'd get through the Gen Chem in order to do that.

I was sooooo surprised in my two terms of Pathophys and Pharmacology just how much I used my Gen Chem knowledge!! It really hit me when I was reading the Acid/Base chapter of my patho book and they started talking about Le Chatelier's Principle and the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation, and I happily remembered that we spend a month on Acid/Base issues and I did pages of HW problems with those concepts and equations. I didn't have to memorize the bicarbonate buffer system.....I actually understood what an equilibrium was, what a buffer was, what was necessary to "break" that buffer (I spend a 5 hour lab, breaking various buffers). I understood why it was that this buffer was the first-line in correcting an acid/base imbalances...and was able to tutor my study group.

Now I of course learned about the bicarbonate buffer in A&P...but honestly, I memorized the formula and which direction it moved to correct for each problem. This time, I actually understood it all.

I'm sure the rest of my class got all the Patho info they needed out of this chapter as well.....and who knows, maybe everyone else did really understand it the first time and I was just to dense:rolleyes:but I was so happy to have the foundation beneath it that allowed me to fully understand the why's and how's of it all.

Just my

Peace,

CuriousMe

[dannyc12]

If you work hard and apply yourself, you can learn chemistry. It really is not that difficult and yes it is that relevant and important.

My younger cousin asked, "Why should I have to learn any math to be a nurse??" when she was taking nursing prequisites.

I answered, "I don't want anyone who cannot grasp basic math skills to be responsible for any aspect of my healthcare." She is now a BSN grad working on an ICU. (She did the math)

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

The inorganic chemistry 1st term of year series was all that was required for me to take, and honestly what I was taught does not pertain to my practice unless I'm so much of an idiot I don't realize it. Doesn't mean I don't understand or think about the principles of chemistry pertaining to my job but that what my class taught was more math based and so gosh darn boring that can't even remember it. I would have appreciated a class that was geared towards nursing and not just a gen ed requirement. My sophmore son learned the same things in HS as what was taught in my college course.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

taking "chemistry for nurses" diminishes the worth of the degree......I think part of the issue is that once you have the knowledge, we dont always remember from whence it came.....we are using it every day....and dont nec. remember/credit where/when we learned it.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

I honestly don't have that kind of time in my work day to think about where my knowledge comes from.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I honestly don't have that kind of time in my work day to think about where my knowledge comes from.

so you have basically agreed with me?

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

so you have basically agreed with me?

I don't think I do agree? I don't think it to be an issue as to recalling where or when you learned the knowledge as long as you use and apply it correctly. I think I'm getting lost here LOL.

[BluegrassRN]

Chemistry is the foundation of everything, save for the study of fundamental particles and string theory. Chemistry explains the billions of hydrogen bonds present in our body, to the action of ibuprofen on arachidonic acid metabolism, to the structure and function of the very proteins within the human body.

A basic chemistry class is very much doable. Many nursing programs do not require two semesters of dedicated general chemistry and two semesters of organic chemistry, therefore the chemistry course you will have to take will likely be a hybrid with basic concepts and fundamental problems. Taking chemistry prior to A&P and microbiology should actually help you quite a bit.

If you are able to complete simple linear algebra and dimensional analysis problems, you should have no problem with the math requirements of these basic chemistry courses. Good luck.

This. How can you understand A&P, I mean REALLY understand it, if you don't have a basic grasp of chemistry?

[jfizz08]

I a pre-nursing student at UNCC, and they require us to take biochemistry before taking any other science. I am starting to think they are doing this to weed out students. I would love to hear others opinion about this.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

biochemistry helps in the of biological sequences. you will learn the chemistry of interactive compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and metals. how they work within the body systems. genetic information, hormones and hormonal actions. the regulation of homeostatic mechanisms and how they work. metabolic process in a review of overall energy metabolism, diabetes, and starvation . i know when i took my ccrn exam back in the day a lot of these processes were needed in the situational questions. many nurses may say they don’t use it, but they do without even knowing it most of the time. of all the chemistry courses i took this one i would say was the most important. i dont think it's to weed out students but a necessary course. some may disagree but just my 2 cents.