Is A&P 1 the most difficult class in nursing?

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Hello all! I read an article a while back about how the hardest class throughout the nursing track is A&P 1. My teacher is the one who I got the article from, and he said he agreed with it. He said that if you can get an A in his class, the rest is a breeze (relatively speaking of course). So I'm wondering what your opinions are on the matter. I am currently a freshman just starting on my nursing track and would really appreciate some input! Thanks a bunch :)

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A&p1 is difficult because you are learning a "new language" and everything else builds on what you learn in the class. The material gets a little more in depth each semester following and the test questions become all NCLEX style. Personally I have struggled more with pharmacology than A&P. learn all you can and enjoy the journey. Good luck! :)

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For me, A&P was a breeze compared to nursing school. It was a prerequisite so maybe that's why it was easier. Nursing coorifice tests are so much harder. I made A's in A&P and have yet to make an A in any nursing coorifice.

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For me, A&P was a breeze compared to nursing school. It was a prerequisite so maybe that's why it was easier. Nursing coorifice tests are so much harder. I made A's in A&P and have yet to make an A in any nursing coorifice.
Second that. Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 were nothing compared to the first Nursing courses, simple mnemonics and rote memorization was all you needed to make an A in all but the most elite of universities (where they are weeding out the meek early IMHO) But it is a very important step to the nursing classes...just a very small step.
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Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

Don't know how to answer this question. The simple answer is 'no'. Grasping the concepts of future nursing tests is a struggle for many. Picking the more correct answer out of a handful of correct answers will sometimes play with your mind and frustrate the crap out of you. Memorizing the facts from A&P, although challenging some of the times, is nothing compared to nursing exams.

Thant being said, labeling something as difficult or more difficult isn't entirely correct most of the time. I didn't think nursing school was terribly difficult. Challenging, stressful, or frustrating might be better adjectives. It seems like a minor distinction, but really it isn't. Label something overly difficult or impossible and you are beat before you even start. Work to understand concepts and all you need to do is modify them to produce good results.

Just keep moving forward... That is the key.

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Thanks for your thoughts! I am personally very excited and confident looking ahead. So far, A&P is easy for me, and either way I am looking to hold on to that momentum and have it carry me all the way! I'm not overly concerned about failing. I work and study very hard and know I can do it, even if it's not pretty :p. I was just curious to see what other people thought about it since I haven't had any experience beyond semester 1... haha. Thanks again! :):)

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

No.

I got an A in A&P 1 & II and nursing school has not been a breeze for me. Having said that, I have done well in nursing school but I don't think it's related to how I did in pre-reqs except that I studied my bottom off throughout it all. Nursing school is different than pre-reqs, IMO, in many ways.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

In a word... no... and yes. A lot of the "difficulty" in doing prerequisites has to do with learning a whole new language and way of thinking and it's usually started in the first A&P course. I suspect that it has to do with starting to learn the language of medicine and learning to apply the scientific method to figuring out the body, how it works, and so on. Every prerequisite course of study is going to have their "weeder" courses. Those are courses that are often very rigorous/tough and "they" know that if you can pass those "weeders" with a certain grade, you'll be likely to pass nearly any healthcare program you apply to locally.

At my local community college district, the first A&P course is a weeder and Microbiology is a weeder. Those are very tough courses. Yes, if you can pass those two courses, you've got the ability to do well in the nursing program. Make no mistake about it though, nursing school is often much tougher/harder than any course you'll take as a prerequisite. The good news is that by then you're not having to learn a whole new language, you're just really having to learn to think in a different way than you are used to.

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A&P is a BREEZE, compared to Nursing school and the NCLEX. Wait until you reach Pharmacology and Med-Surg, the classes from hell! Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day, KaliStar:

Your AP classes are part of the foundation for future classes. I'm currently taking Pathophysiology, and compared to AP1, AP2, and Microbiology... those classes were an easy breeze in the park.

Thank you.

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I had expected some answers like this. I can see what the article was going for, but from what I understand you all are exactly right! I guess I'll know when I get there :p

Thanks again!

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AP 1 is easy compared to Pharmacology. Most of your prereqs are memorization. Once you get to nursing classes you start to encounter NCLEX style questions and have to deal with critical thibnking. I got As in all my prereqs but Pharmacology is the toughest class so far.

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