Most relevant/useful pre-nursing science class?

[bardone]

Hi all,

I hope to be starting nursing school next year, and I'd like to hear from nursing students (esp. those in BSN programs) which science classes they took that have been the most used/helpful/important in preparing them for nursing school itself.

I know A&P are very important, but are there any others you took that you value? Any you wish you'd taken?

[mkatts19]

Typically, the most helpful classes are already listed in your pre-reqs for nursing school. If they don't require anything other than a cooking class then you probably aren't applying to a decent one lol. If they don't require anything past Micro & Bio, then that's a bit odd. 3 schools I was applying for all required Microbiology, A&P, and some required Chemistry, etc. Though honestly, when you're in the nursing classes you really don't remember all that you learned because the nursing level focuses on bigger steps and a bigger story than what you were taught in Chem, etc. If you do want additional help in preparing for nursing classes.. purchase books during school that will help you. However, I do recommend sociology & philosophy classes if you have the time. Nursing isn't just about medical things, but soooo many other ideas as well. Which you will learn more about in nursing school. To be able to be one of the few fully educated nurses, well rounded (Oh my! You know how to fix a car dent? Because of that random auto body class you took in college?), puts you in a category outside of "regular nurses" who just know what they need to know. You might have that one random thing in common with a patient who refuses to listen to any other nurse... until they found you who they can talk to about their work in the auto field. Totally random story but the idea is just take classes in other things not medical related. Speech is definitely helpful because you'll always be talking to patients... English classes because you'll be doing a lot of writing in school. But as I said, these are in your pre-reqs for a reason :). Other than what's required in your pre-reqs, you won't need much more pre preparations other than to keep you sane (dance classes if you like them, photography etc).

[bardone]

Thanks all for your suggestions. On a personal level -- because I am an older student with a humanities degree and a related career under my belt, I'm primarily seeking advice regarding science classes. I feel confident in my writing and language skills, but perhaps less so in my grasp of the scientific material required to master the technical aspects of nursing. Because I will eventually matriculate as a NP (per the programs I'm applying to), the technical stuff is especially important. However, for other students, taking a range of courses is key.

Hodgie and triquee: per both of your thoughts, I'm now trying to decide if I should take GenChem II or Organic Chem next semester. I am certain that I will eventually take O Chem -- if not before I become a RN, then after it -- but I won't have the capability to take both next spring. I imagine that knowing a thing or two about functional groups comes in pretty handy during Pharmacology, and if GenChem II covers those basics, maybe O Chem can wait.

kjm84, that overview course you took sounds like it was pretty useful. Biochemistry is on my list of future courses to take.

llg, you make a great point about logic, which seems fundamental to know. Unless you study philosophy, one of the only places students come across it is probably in a high school geometry proof.

Regardless -- I have to wait for next semester's schedules to come out to see what classes even fit with my schedule, and that may ultimately determine what I end up taking!!

[metal_m0nk, BSN, RN]

If you've never taken a course in chemistry before, I suppose General Chem is a good place to start. Getting your feet wet before jumping into something like O Chem is probably a good idea.

RE: Logic - if you want to learn to think logically, take some higher level mathematics. Anything that extends and applies the concepts of algebra - like applied algebra or calculus. Algebra specifically forces you to use both inductive and deductive reasoning to arrive at logical conclusions. If you're not ready for applied algebra or calculus, find yourself a really solid algebra course.

[bardone]

I have taken Gen Chem I. I am trying to determine if I should take Gen Chem II or Organic next semester. Has anyone taken Gen Chem II, and if so, what material does it cover?

Thank you for providing some suggestions regarding logic classes, though I am not looking to take additional advanced mathematics courses. Philosophy and Psychology classes can also offer the kind of training in inductive reasoning that is useful in nursing practice.

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

Pathophysiology

[old_dude]

Philosophy and Psychology classes can also offer the kind of training in inductive reasoning that is useful in nursing practice.

w00t. That just made my day. I start nursing school in Jan, but I already have a BA..... in Philosophy.....with a minor in psychology.

[perkinsflower]

I had a semester in between when I finished with my prereqs and when I was scheduled to start nursing school, and I was attending a vocational community college at the time. So I spent a whole semester taking classes that I thought would help me in nursing school. Best decision I ever made. I took medical terminology, human diseases, medical nutrition therapy, dosage and calculation, abnormal psych, and a class they offered called nursing school success. When I got to clinicals, I knew about tube feeding, IV and dosage calculations, lots of basic pathological processes, and if I didn't know what it was I could figure it out because I had enough med term to figure it out! I also had a really excellent A&P teacher that taught me to think critically. I'm almost a year into my program, and I still don't have to study as hard as my classmates do because I learned a lot of that stuff in the votech classes. You could also get your Basic Life Support card ahead of time, and that will open up a few doors for you if you decide to work while you're in school.