I am in the process of taking the prerequisites for an Accelerated BSN program. I have done very well (4.0) in A&P, Micro, Psych and all the other miscellaneous prerequisites, but now I am taking general Chemistry, and it is killing me. I understand the lectures and even find them very interesting. The theories all make sense to me, and the application of their basic formulas is simple. The problem is, our exams are 100% calculations-based. I am not talking simple calculations, but the kind that take up a few 8 1/2 x 11 sheets to complete. This is an 8-week, 5-credit course and I have taken three of the four exams. Up until this last one I have had a B, but I failed the last exam so miserably that I am now getting a C. Now, the best I can hope for is to make it through this class with a C. If I bomb the final like I bombed this last exam, a "C" would be a gift. This is the only time in my life that I would be happy to get a "C" in a class.
I will admit that A "C" hurts my ego more than it does my GPA, especially considering the amount of time I have spent trying to master the material. Each day's homework takes at least two hours to complete, plus pre- and post-lab calculations, and general studying along with that. (It doesn't just take ME this long to do the homework, etc - most of the students spend several hours a day doing the work for this class.) I do know how to study. I know how to work all the formulas and do the conversions on an indivudual basis, and even the stoichiometry is not a problem. But I bombed the last exam because I could not figure out how to apply four or five formulas in the correct order to come up with the right answers. I have gone to tutors and done my best, but I am finding this part of the class impossible.
I know that, in the grand scheme of things, my grade in one class is not going to matter. What I'm more concerned with is whether or not my lack of understanding of how to apply chemical formulas is going to impact my future as a nurse. Just to be clear, I do not have a problem with math. It's just the application of multiple formulas that is giving me such grief!!!!
I cannot spend any more time studying, or less time doing homework, or less time sleeping. Even working with a tutor isn't helping because it all makes perfect sense when someone explains it. I feel like a failure and I am even more upset because I have never worked so hard and not seen the results.
More than anything I guess I just needed to vent, but I would appreciate it if the nurses out there could give me some insight as to how my problems in chemistry might (or might not) impair my ability to do my job as a nurse, or to get accepted for higher-level study (advanced practice or MSN). Please help!!!!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I don't think anyone, myself included, is denying the need to understand biochemistry (which we are taught in biology)!!!! I was actually the one who explained the gas exchange process, over and over again, to the other students at my lab table in A&P!
The stuff I'm having trouble with is thermodynamics, quantum theory, and memorizing and appling multiple formulae that have nothing to do with human physiology!!!!! I just don't get it!
That was my frustration as well. Again, we are entering from different levels of nursing; it was not a requirement for me as a PN, but for you, it is for your program. When I did sit there for the class, I really could not connect with it, and I am a bright student that always takes the opportunity to connect the dots, so to speak. But, when I tried to get the professor to bring it all together, he wasn't interested in doing so, therefore I lost interest and dropped the class.
The stuff I'm having trouble with is thermodynamics, quantum theory, and memorizing and appling multiple formulae that have nothing to do with human physiology!!!!! I just don't get it!
Having taken senior-level biochemistry and physical chemistry, I can tell you that concepts that underlie why the biochemical pathways proceed as they do derive exactly from thermodynamics and quantum theory.
I'd also agree that those topics are difficult and probably beyond the needs of most (all?) nursing practitioners.
On the other hand... My experience has been that the deeper that I delve into any body of knowledge, the stronger is my grasp of the basics. For example, in another field of study I had to take math through the graduate level (3-dimensional calculus, partial differential equations, numerical methods, linear algebra, etc). While I never used that stuff explicitly nor do I really remember much of it, it made my basic math skills extremely strong - to the point where it's almost automatic for the stuff that I've encountered below the level of calculus.
So, to your primary question: I think you'll be just as fine a nurse without the Gibbs free energy equation, enthalpy & entropy, electron shells, orbital dynamics, etc as you would be with that stuff. Don't stress it and by all means, don't let it detract from your other classes. Do what you're able to earn the best grade you can (because that CAN matter) and then move on and don't look back (until it's your turn to share your wisdom with somebody in a similar situation).
If you've got specific issues that you'd like to discuss, you can PM me and I'll take a whack at helping you out. It's been awhile so I can't make any promises
I don't think anyone, myself included, is denying the need to understand biochemistry (which we are taught in biology)!!!! I was actually the one who explained the gas exchange process, over and over again, to the other students at my lab table in A&P!
The stuff I'm having trouble with is thermodynamics, quantum theory, and memorizing and appling multiple formulae that have nothing to do with human physiology!!!!! I just don't get it!
I remember Gen Chem and it was not fun! I had to do the problems over and over so I would know exactly how to do them on the test. I typed out all the formulas on a couple of sheets of paper and looked them over several times a day. And I did all the homework that was given. I noticed that the people who didn't do their homework didn't do as well. That class was hard even though I am pretty good at math. The chemistry that had to do with the body was pretty easy.....it was everything else that was hard! Good luck!
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I remember Gen Chem and it was not fun! I had to do the problems over and over so I would know exactly how to do them on the test. I typed out all the formulas on a couple of sheets of paper and looked them over several times a day. And I did all the homework that was given. I noticed that the people who didn't do their homework didn't do as well. That class was hard even though I am pretty good at math. The chemistry that had to do with the body was pretty easy.....it was everything else that was hard! Good luck!
Back in 1962-63, as a senior in high school, I took a class called Chem Study. It was a new class being offered to high schoolers and it was college level inorganic and organic chemistry. I sweated thru my entire senior year because of this course. When, two years later, I took organic and inorganic chemistry in college. And it was not a course for nurses. And my college level course was easy, thanks to my high school course. Chemistry taught me a lot of things and it also taught me how to use my thinking skills, the most important part of my education. I do not believe any course is a waste. People make a course a waste purely on their own.
I am not challenging your love for chemistry and as I said before, if it can create the bridge needed for you to further understand how the body works, that is great. However, I do not see it as necessary to perform the daily tasks of nursing. I have seen nurses that did not have chemistry as part of their cirriculum function quite well without it. Most patients really don't care, they just want to get well. When I did sit in that chemistry class for the brief time I did, I posed the question to the professor several times (and, it was Bio-chem), he told me this was not a nursng class, this is chemistry. I have yet to see where it has been applied, even in the nursing courses for the associate degree students. Anatomy will mention some of the same things you just spoke of, without the rest of chemistry.
I do plan to take a basic chemistry course, not for the grade, but simply to comprehend. Maybe then, I will feel as you do. But, thus far, particularly as an LPN, it has not applied to daily practice. And from what I witnessed, for most RNs I know, it hasn't, either.
There is nothing wrong with learning. If a subject is fascinating to you, by all means, take it. I just hate to see people taking it stress themselves when they can, in fact, be just as effective of an RN as those that have not. I have seen too many students being barred from the nursing program for this course, and it isn't really fair to them.
I still disagree
I think once you've taken chem you'll know what I'm talking about. It does apply to nearly every action you take as a nurse.
Having a fundamental understanding of chemistry helps you understand normal A&P which helps you understand abnormal A&P which helps you understand the rationale behind patient care, medication actions (both therapeutic and unwanted side effects), treatments, etc. It all clicks into place when you have that foundation. It also gives you the knowledge base you need to know when a treatment or medication is appropriate for your patient, and when to question orders that might be harmful.
It helps you know why. And that's the basis for critical thinking skills.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Having taken senior-level biochemistry and physical chemistry I can tell you that concepts that underlie [b']why[/b] the biochemical pathways proceed as they do derive exactly from thermodynamics and quantum theory.
I'd also agree that those topics are difficult and probably beyond the needs of most (all?) nursing practitioners.
On the other hand... My experience has been that the deeper that I delve into any body of knowledge, the stronger is my grasp of the basics. For example, in another field of study I had to take math through the graduate level (3-dimensional calculus, partial differential equations, numerical methods, linear algebra, etc). While I never used that stuff explicitly nor do I really remember much of it, it made my basic math skills extremely strong - to the point where it's almost automatic for the stuff that I've encountered below the level of calculus.
So, to your primary question: I think you'll be just as fine a nurse without the Gibbs free energy equation, enthalpy & entropy, electron shells, orbital dynamics, etc as you would be with that stuff. Don't stress it and by all means, don't let it detract from your other classes. Do what you're able to earn the best grade you can (because that CAN matter) and then move on and don't look back (until it's your turn to share your wisdom with somebody in a similar situation).
If you've got specific issues that you'd like to discuss, you can PM me and I'll take a whack at helping you out. It's been awhile so I can't make any promises
As I stated earlier, you made a phenomenal supportive statement why it might be nice to know chemistry as well as other subjects. It can make us more well rounded as people as well as nurses. But, unfortunately, these things can, in fact, impact our performance in other classes and most importantly, the almighty GPA, which is needed to get into most nursing programs. That is what made me most angry and empathetic for perspective RN students; in most cases, chemistry has brought them down, and they were prevented to get into nursing in many cases. If it was to make a grave difference in nursing practice to understand it, then, by all means, but I have not seen where it does. I do remember taking anatomy and physiology and that was hard for me.
I attended a program that was a bridge from LPN to RN. It is not my intention to become an RN, primarily because I admitted to myself that I can't handle their responsibilities. But, I had to take most of the same pre-requisites on the RN level in case I wanted to cross over and this included anatomy. In order to make a decent grade in the anatomy that was really way above what I needed to function as a PN, I really did sacrifice a grade. I was lined for the A in English 101, but trying to study in order to get a B in anatomy, I neglected the final and almost failed English. In that school, for Eng 101, the final was not to be graded by our own professor, but was to be cross-graded by another one. I did read the story that needed to be analyzed and when the professor presented the questions to evaluate the novel, I went to him for clarification. Because he had such confidence in me, he gave me sort of a basic answer and left me on my own. The cross-grader wished to fail me for the course, because she didn't see how I came up with the answers that I did. My professor told me that immediately, he saw how I came to what I did, that I did, in fact, ask him for clarification, so, he told me that he did not leave that woman alone until she gave me a D on the final. This brought my English grade to a B, thus, lowering my GPA. Did I get into the program? Yes, I did, and it is over now. But, I remembered this so well; at times, to be overwhelmed with things that may not play a part in our practice can be a downfall to our goals. I am not making excuses for myself; I did still have a 3.6 GPA. I gave it MY ALL...days and days of no sleep, paying for tutors and such. But, it does bother me to see that things that can be done without can impact on our paths.
I know I sort of rambled, sorry about that. You did show me that there can be a correlation. Since I have time, now, and no real pressure or expectations on me, I plan to relook at my chemistry book as well as take the time to speak to others to make that correlation for myself. It will make things a bit interesting; and anything that can make us comprehend a bit better why decisions are made is a god thing. I thank you for that!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I still disagree
I think once you've taken chem you'll know what I'm talking about. It does apply to nearly every action you take as a nurse.
Having a fundamental understanding of chemistry helps you understand normal A&P which helps you understand abnormal A&P which helps you understand the rationale behind patient care, medication actions (both therapeutic and unwanted side effects), treatments, etc. It all clicks into place when you have that foundation. It also gives you the knowledge base you need to know when a treatment or medication is appropriate for your patient, and when to question orders that might be harmful.
It helps you know why. And that's the basis for critical thinking skills.
We can disagree; as long as we can still meet to go shopping for shoes:lol2:
When I did sit for chemistry (for those three weeks before I dropped the course), I didn't see a correlation at all. I asked, and the professor was not willing to illustrate why because he stated "this is a chemistry class, not nursing". I am the type of student that really needs to see relevance or I become disinterested. I think that this is one of the issues that is most frustrating to nursing students.
Practical nurses learn just that 'practical' information. I don't really need it to function within my scope of practice. I am also a curious person, and when I have asked RNs how it relates, they didn't know; most told me they just dealt with what they had to in order to earn the grade and never looked back. What I discovered as interesting is that some RN programs do not require it (some associate degree programs) while others did.
When I attempted to take the class, I didn't need it to get into my nursing program, but decided to try it for the heck of it since I had the opportunity to take it with one of the professors that everyone was nuts over. I still didn't get it. What has happened while reading this thread is that curiousity is rising a bit, and I will read and ask questions.
What day are we meeting for shoe shopping and chemistry arguing (just kidding-I appreciate your comment)?
We can disagree; as long as we can still meet to go shopping for shoes:lol2:
When I did sit for chemistry (for those three weeks before I dropped the course), I didn't see a correlation at all. I asked, and the professor was not willing to illustrate why because he stated "this is a chemistry class, not nursing". I am the type of student that really needs to see relevance or I become disinterested. I think that this is one of the issues that is most frustrating to nursing students.
Practical nurses learn just that 'practical' information. I don't really need it to function within my scope of practice. I am also a curious person, and when I have asked RNs how it relates, they didn't know; most told me they just dealt with what they had to in order to earn the grade and never looked back. What I discovered as interesting is that some RN programs do not require it (some associate degree programs) while others did.
When I attempted to take the class, I didn't need it to get into my nursing program, but decided to try it for the heck of it since I had the opportunity to take it with one of the professors that everyone was nuts over. I still didn't get it. What has happened while reading this thread is that curiousity is rising a bit, and I will read and ask questions.
What day are we meeting for shoe shopping and chemistry arguing (just kidding-I appreciate your comment)?
Aha. Now I understand.
My chemistry professor was awesome. She was a 'regular guy', if you know what I mean. Her lectures and labs that I attended consisted (for the most part) of either current nursing students or those getting their pre-reqs prior to starting the program.
She would tailor her lectures to fit that; she didn't just get up there and spout theory and do calculations or whatever. Every time she'd teach us a new concept, she'd always connect it to something we would see in our practice in patient care, or in another study (like A/P, micro, nutrition, pharmacology, etc). She was great at connecting those dots between chemistry and nursing.
And if after that we were STILL looking at her like deer in the headlights, she'd simplify it further and explain how it applied in everyday life ("You know how butter goes rancid if left out? Well, it's like this ....)
Then you would literally see throughout the lecture hall.
If I'd had a professor like yours (boo), I'm sure I wouldn't have seen the connection either. I guess I was pretty lucky; I'm thankful I was able to learn from her.
And we gots to get us some of those shoes :monkeydance:
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Yeah, our chemistry class had a hodge podge of students, dietary, nursing, vetrinary, chemistry majors and a bunch of others, so, it was not tailor made for nursing students. I would love to see the connection. If you can place your instructor in a box and send her over to some of the schools in New York, she would start a fan base bigger than Michael Jackson in his better days.
Aha. Now I understand.
My chemistry professor was awesome. She was a 'regular guy', if you know what I mean. Her lectures and labs that I attended consisted (for the most part) of either current nursing students or those getting their pre-reqs prior to starting the program.
She would tailor her lectures to fit that; she didn't just get up there and spout theory and do calculations or whatever. Every time she'd teach us a new concept, she'd always connect it to something we would see in our practice in patient care, or in another study (like A/P, micro, nutrition, pharmacology, etc). She was great at connecting those dots between chemistry and nursing.
And if after that we were STILL looking at her like deer in the headlights, she'd simplify it further and explain how it applied in everyday life ("You know how butter goes rancid if left out? Well, it's like this ....)
Then you would literally see throughout the lecture hall.
If I'd had a professor like yours (boo), I'm sure I wouldn't have seen the connection either. I guess I was pretty lucky; I'm thankful I was able to learn from her.
And we gots to get us some of those shoes :monkeydance:
throughout the lecture hall.
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
That was my frustration as well. Again, we are entering from different levels of nursing; it was not a requirement for me as a PN, but for you, it is for your program. When I did sit there for the class, I really could not connect with it, and I am a bright student that always takes the opportunity to connect the dots, so to speak. But, when I tried to get the professor to bring it all together, he wasn't interested in doing so, therefore I lost interest and dropped the class.