Pharmacology and Pathophysiology before Nursing School?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jul 16, 2013

Is the pathophysiology class in the ABSN program listed as a nursing class? My Pharm/ Patho. is a nursing class. I am currently in an ABSN program (finish Pharm/Patho.in 2 1/2 wks) and they do not allow you to take any of the courses out of sequence. You take all your classes with your cohort.

Vincent_ · Jul 16, 2013

@Don1984 i checked the list of classes for the accelerated program and the pathophysiology class is not listed as a nursing class. It's in the first summer session. The pharmacology class however is listed as "pharmacology/drug prep/drug calculations" and is a nursing subject.

How do you feel about pharmacology and pathophysiology in the absn program? Everyone is telling me it was doable but no walk in the park. Did you find it challenging?

green34 · Jul 17, 2013

I did that. I took it a semester before because they let accepted students do that. However, make sure you have good teachers.

ebinbrooklyn · Jul 17, 2013

Downstate? YES. Do it if you can :) Just finished patho, it was VERY challenging (I had 3 classes and my studying was 80% patho, 10% other classes). I know they will take patho but I would double check on pharm (starting that this week so I can't tell you how it will be, but so far not looking easy), they might be a little more picky about that one.

LifesAJourney · Jul 17, 2013

If I were you, I would take it before you start the program, especially since your nursing program is accelerated. My program had patho, pharm, and some other classes as pre-reqs to be completed before you could start.

I took patho, pharm, nutrition, and art of theater in one semester. Spent more time focusing on patho and pharm. Nutrition and AOT were not hard classes, so it balanced out. I also worked full time (three 12hr night shifts) as a cna at the same time. Call me crazy, but I got it done. Pass that semester with A's and B's. It takes self-determination to get where you want to go!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jul 17, 2013

Starting the ABSN program in the summer is like merging with traffic on the Autobahn, if you don't get up to speed quickly, you get left in the dust. It caused me to get organized about tests and papers very quickly. Two classes were 4 weeks long, those 2 ended and started another one that was 5 weeks, and the pharm. is 11 weeks (entire summer). Now that I am down to only pharm. class you would think it would be easier but I have a test tomorrow, paper due Monday, dosage calculation final next Wednesday, another test next Friday and final the following Wednesday. So far with 2 weeks to go I am still maintaining an A in the class, then it will be 1 semester down and 3 to go. Can't wait until Aug. 1, three week break before Fall semester.

If you are doing Pharm and Patho during a regular semester then it is very doable. If I can do it during the summer (Pharm and Patho are a combined class) with 1-2 additional classes, it can be done in a regular semester.

My ABSN program is Summer, Fall, Spring, Summer. Our program is 4 semesters and the traditional program is 5 semesters without summer classes (only ABSN students during summer). A traditional program started last January (we started in May) and we have 2 classes with them in Fall and 1 class with them in Spring. We finish in August 2014 and they finish May 2015.