New RN Student.

ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN · Feb 4, 2009

If you are having difficulty with College Algebra, I would most certainly get that down first before worrying about Med/Surg. I say this because as you know, you will have Dosage Cal and Pharm courses. After these two courses, you will be passing meds during you clinical rotation. You HAVE to be able to calculate how much medicine to give a patient. The calculations are typically basic algebra equations, but if you don’t have a good grasp on them, then you’ll have difficulty with Med/Surg and the previously mentioned courses.

Good luck to you!

MatRNstudent · Feb 4, 2009

One thing that has helped me a great deal so far is speaking with upperclassmen at the school I'm attending. If you can find out who is in student government, library club, or student curriculum clubs these will likely be the over-achievers that will be able to offer you kernels of wisdom custom tailored to the program you are getting into. Exchange emails with them and continue to pick their brains every time a new question pops to mind, not to mention they will be able to tell you things you didn't even think to ask (like which instructors love a pop quiz!). This will also help you network.

On the Algebra side of dosage calculations don't get too worried about that. Clinical calculations will be part of your Nursing curriculum (you will not be thrown to the dogs when calculating/administering meds) and there really aren't that many formulas to learn from what I've seen.

:)Good luck and study hard!!!:)

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2009

you have two separate issues here: college algebra and med/surg nursing.

i am not familiar with kaplan college. is it one of these online colleges? a traditional college, especially the california community colleges have math labs that are free to their students where you can get help with math at no extra cost. they also have english labs as well. there are a number of online math websites where you can brush up on your math if you have the self-discipline. they are listed on post #2 of this sticky thread: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/nursing-math-thread-264395.html.

med/surg nursing is specialized coursework that can only be taken by students who are enrolled in a nursing program. it requires a knowledge of basic biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology and biochemistry. in this course students learn about medical diseases, how they are diagnosed and treated by physicians and how nurses assist the physicians in delivering these treatments as well as manage the needs of the patient. this is very specific information and its understanding relies on knowledge of what you learned previously in prerequisite science classes. every step of the way you will be asked to answer "why" the doctors or nurses are doing this or that for the patient. there is also a lot of new information you will not have been exposed to before which is what makes it tough for many people. when information is new to you, you feel unsure of yourself. remember how you felt on the first days you were first learning how to drive a car? it will be more of the same. however, it is doable. thousands before you have made it through these classes.

concentrate on getting through your algebra. if you need, take a pre-algebra class first. drug calculations in nursing require 8th grade math (ability to work with ratios and factions).

Purrely · Feb 5, 2009

Hello,

It was nice to see someone else on the blog from Kaplan, San Diego as well. I am a new RN Student as well and I know what you are going through. It has been a rough start getting back into school for me. I did take Elementary Algebra last semester at a community college, but that was a step down from the course that we are taking now. If I didn't take that course I would be completely lost so I feel your pain. If you need any help I would be willing to sit with you and go over anything with you. I do notice that the teacher is a bit different than my teacher I had at the community college. I must say he is making it easier to understand. That might just be that the material he is covering now is what I just learned, but in a different way. Don't get discourage though, I felt the same way when I was taking it last semester but I pulled a "B" out of it.

As far as Med Surg I wouldn't worry about things too far in advance. I find myself struggling with the work load that we have now. It is a lot of information that we have to retain. I don't know about you but my biggest concerns right now are A&P and just time management. I spend a lot of my studying on A&P and feel like I am so overwhelmed. I know that this is important and I need to get the concept now which will help me in the next A&P II class. Actually it will help with all of the nursing classes if I can relate everything together. For example; like in A&P lab when we are working and identifying the tissue types. It helps me when I can correlate the functions with the tissues and locations. It just makes more sense and helps me remember them better.

I hope I helped. Let me know if you would like to get together to go over Algebra or any other of our classes.

Good Luck too you, Also.

ramonsinsuan · Feb 5, 2009

Hey, I also have started school at Kaplan College this January. It's a small world isn't it? Chances are we have the same classes together because I am taking the full load of classes each semester. I dont have any credits to transfer over to Kaplan so, yeah. We've probably already met already and I'm always in the library with my face melted into one of our books. Anyways, I happen to be an adept in algebra so feel free to ask me any questions regarding that subject because I am willing to enlighten you about the way of algebra. I happen to be very weak in anatomy and physiology, if you wouldn't mind helping me in exchange for my wisdom of algebra. I just can't seem to tell the difference between the keratinized and non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium tissue. I have also joined my schools NSNA club, which also happens to be our first time having such a club. I recommend that you should join this club as well because the other students have been really nice to us new students so far.