Philosophy & Statistics

[2bmalenurse007]

I'm currently a BSN student. And I was wondering, do classes like

philosophy and statistics come in handy in the nursing field?

Thanks

[nghtfltguy, BSN, RN]

no..

[kanzi monkey]

yes...

[2bmalenurse007]

Kanzi Monkey

Please, tell how they will come in handy.

Thanks

[kanzi monkey]

sorry, just bein' silly.

I think philosophy's fun and mind-enriching. But so is reading.

Stats is useful for interpreting research, which is also fun when you're interested in a particular topic.

I'm vague at 5 am. Ok, so, not "mandatory" classes necessarily (though stats usually is) but if you need an elective and the cost is already included in your tuition, you may enjoy philosophy.

-Kan

[2bmalenurse007]

kanzi monkey

Thanks for the reply

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

Nope - statistcs might be handy when reading research, but on a daily basis on the floor, nope, not at all.

[nghtfltguy, BSN, RN]

Lol Kan~

You are funny...

but you know i was right~~

[nghtfltguy, BSN, RN]

good classes to have under your belt.. yes

and kan is right... philosophy... well.. its fun

statistics... well.. thats up to you..

as for nursing..

NO.. .don't need either of em!!~

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I'm currently a BSN student. And I was wondering, do classes like philosophy and statistics come in handy in the nursing field? Thanks

Ha! Ha! Well, when I got my BSN I also took both classes. The philosophy fullfilled a fine arts requirement that I needed to get the bachelor's degree. It was a fun class and it was a good chance to practice the art of discussing and arguing about baloney! Bill Cosby said it best years ago, "Why is there air?" I suppose it also gives you a bit of a background in how to think, something that you do have to learn how to do in nursing, although logic is probably a better subject to learn that. However, my boyfriend at the time took logic and it was an extremely hard class.

You will need statistics for the Nursing Research class you will have to take. As part of a nursing research project which all BSN students have to do you have to know the different types of statistical methods that can be used in computing the results of research that is done and how to do them. Sorry, but all of us who have gone through BSN programs have had to take a class in statistics. Make sure you take the correct statistics class as there will be several offerings you can choose from as almost all the behavioral science departments have a research class as a required subject and have tailored a statistics class just for them. The statistics class we had to take was NOT the statistics offered through the Math department.

[queenjean]

My statistics class was great, I really learned a lot. I'm a lowly floor nurse, but I read nursing journals and medication inserts and the information drug companies push when they are pimping their latest thing. Not to mention our "customer satisfaction" reports and that sort of crap that is generaged by people who are basically paid twice as much as me, to justify their own existance. I felt that stats really helped me understand the spin behind the numbers. My stats was mathematically based, but the textbook was awesome. All the examples and problems were actual studies. It made a somewhat abstract concept much more concrete for me.

Philosophy--I think this is important for everyone. My friend taught a "philosophy for kids" class several years ago--I wish it would have caught on. My oldest daughter is reading "Sophie's World" right now, and the "realizations" she's making as a 12 year old are great. It is simply making her more thoughtful, and that's a good thing at any age.

Studying philosophy and ethics is just a great way to understand the values that you hold. This is absolutely 100% important in nursing (or living, I would think). The more you understand about yourself, the more you understand about others.

[llg, PhD, RN]

It depends on what kind of a nurse you want to be.

If all you want to do as a nurse is follow the directions of the policies given to you by your employer, the "no" they are not useful. You won't need to learn to think for yourself.

If you want your opinions to be minimally informed and not based on a thorough understanding of the world around you, then "no" they are not useful.

However, if you want to learn to think effectively for yourself -- evaluate ideas, understand the research, make informed judgments about your practice and your profession, etc. -- then "yes," philosophy and statistics are necessary. They help you develop the intellectual tools you need to understand the world around you and make high quality judgments.