I am afraid of Anatomy and Physiology

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Mar 23, 2015

Can I ask why you even want to be a nurse? You have to have a basic understanding of the human body and the way it works to understand classes in nursing. Yes, LPN school will be much harder than A&P. A&P is the foundation.

What is your reasoning for this second career? Did you sit in a cubicle all day and get tired of it so you woke up one day and said I think I will be a nurse? Nursing is like any other career. There are good and bad days. There are people who like it and people that hate it. But I want you to understand the path to get there is hard. School is not easy. Nursing is not the answer to people's money problems or the answer to suddenly make you love your life. Do a little research on nursing and the career that it actually is. Do some research on A&P and LPN school. Make sure you are doing this because you want to, not because you are just currently unhappy at your job.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2015

Nurses MUST understand and be able to apply concepts of anatomy and physiology (and pathophysiology) every day of their working lives.

Were you like some of my students who thought all they had to do was implement the medical plan of care and leave all the thinking to the physicians? Them days, if they ever did truly exist, are loooooooooooooong gone.

Housebabyj · Mar 23, 2015

I have always wanted to be a nurse. I waited until my children were older, so I could give nursing my undivided attention. I have never made less than a B, and I have a master's degree. I am afraid to fail this or any course, so I asked for feedback. I do not hate my job, but it is very boring. I want a more challenging career.

anmckay01 · Mar 24, 2015

I have only been out of school since 2008. Not really THAT long ago, but I never took an A&P course in high school like a lot of my classmates have. I walked into A&P 1 on my first day, and I was so nervous that I wanted to puke. (seriously). When you buy your material, and read these boards, and talk to people who have taken A&P already, it sounds like it would be REALLY overwhelming. I went in thinking that I was crazy, and was sure I was going to fail that class. I didn't get to finish, because I had to drop due to some crazy financial reasons, but I go back over the stuff that we went over and I am amazed at how much I actually learned and retained. Now to my advice: It is intimidating at first, but once you get in there and learn your instructor's teaching style, and get some of the basics floating around in your head, it will start to seem a little less intimidating. Also, DO NOT be afraid to tell your instructor that you need extra help. The instructor that I had for A&P didn't offer too much advice unless you ASKED. I always seemed to get extra information from her when I would stay after class and ask questions. There are SO many resources online that are available to you when you need help. I'm attending my local community college for classes, and they even have free online resources through the school's library that you can access on campus, or at home. I HIGHLY recommend you ask your instructor, or even the librarian about this. My instructor actually took us (as a class) to the library to show us all of the resources that was available to us through our school's library. If they don't have anything like that for you, use your public library, or even google. I've found LOADS of stuff on Pinterest. They even coloring books, and such that will help. My instructor had us play a game (anatomyarcade.com) I think, and it helped so much for you basic (major) bones. Youtube videos, all sorts of stuff.

I'm sorry this is long, but I know how you feel. Although I haven't been out of school as long as you have, going into A&P with only the basic knowledge of the body was TERRIBLY frightening for me, also. I'm restarting my pre-reqs next semester, since I had to drop, so I can't help with anything past A&P 1.. haha. But if you need to, you can send me a private message and I'll help any way I can. Good luck!

lovinglife2015 · Mar 24, 2015

Khan Academy has an excellent A&P course and it's free. Great for study.

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 24, 2015

My instructor in nsg school was very helpful when she said, "At first, all the systems of the body will seem very confusing to you. But hang in there because at some point you will have a realization of how they all work together as a unit, each one depending on the others; and the way the body functions as a whole will amaze you.!"

So we all struggled with each system; like the others have said, memorization. Some of us got together and for each set of parts we would chant them and touch the places on out body where they were located (not as perverted as it sounds!). When you went in for a test, you could close your eyes and imagine the chant and where you hand went for each part, and 9 times out of 10 you could ace the exam.

ElizabethAnatom · Mar 24, 2015

I was accepted into a LPN program. I have not been in school since 1999. This would be a second career. Is LPN school harder than anatomy and physiology? I am afraid to take anatomy and physiology.

Don't be. Just go for it. We are all scared of something but we have to push forward and grow all the time. This is just a small obstacle. You want to do this profession so go for it. The more you put it off, the scarier it will seem. Just don't listen to the fears of others and don't feed your own.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2015

I have never made less than a B, and I have a master's degree.

I wonder why you're enrolling in an LPN program if you have a master's degree.

Don't get me wrong, because there's nothing wrong with starting as an LPN. I entered nursing as an LPN, too. However, I selected the LPN route because I had virtually no college credits to my name and wanted to start school immediately.

A person with a master's degree can earn a BSN or direct entry MSN in the matter of a year and a half. If I had a prior degree, I would have bypassed the LPN route altogether.

marayazam · Mar 24, 2015

Hi!

If it helps start checking out Khan academy so that when you start things sounds at least somewhat familiar.

That's what I did before starting biology and it helped big time.

RNtobe17 · Mar 24, 2015

A&p is a lot of fun and loaded with information. You will learn so much in the class and you will need every bit of the information. It requires a lot of time but once you get the hang of it, it's not bad. Just read read read and you'll do just fine. Also, there are a lot of online information to help. iTunes U is very helpful, youtube and just Google the information if you have a hard time with it.

Angeljho, MSN, NP · Mar 24, 2015

I wonder why you're enrolling in an LPN program if you have a master's degree.
Don't get me wrong, because there's nothing wrong with starting as an LPN. I entered nursing as an LPN, too. However, I selected the LPN route because I had virtually no college credits to my name and wanted to start school immediately.
A person with a master's degree can earn a BSN or direct entry MSN in the matter of a year and a half. If I had a prior degree, I would have bypassed the LPN route altogether.

This.

It's more cost-effective to just get your RN. You should research more. You will be limited in choosing where you want to work. Unless LTC and similar working environments are where you want to work, I say go the RN route.

carrhea · Mar 24, 2015

Nothing about nursing school is easy, IT IS HARD. Alot of people are going into nursing because of the money and they dont really like it, you can and will be miserable for the rest of your life if its not something you like. A&P is Hard, LPN school is hard. So think about it, think about it.