summer is coming up and i thought about taking chemistry, even though its not required in the RN/ADN or the BSN program here. Should i take it anyway? or just save my money? Does chemistry class help you understand medications better or help you take care of patients better? thanks.
edit: really, my schools here dont require it, i checked. its only listed on the pre-nursing course at the community college, but the bsn college nor the college that has the prenursing course dont require it either for adn/rn...so,,im thinking i'll just read a cliffs notes book on my own and let it rest there.
and use my summer to take sociology and nutrition which is required.
In Micro the general chemistry concepts that were needed were taught. I had taken chemistry nearly 20 years ago when I was 18 and in college the first time not knowing what the hell I wanted to do other than drink beer and chase boys.
Maybe some of that stuck. The chemistry, I mean. Not the beer and boys... mostly.
I enjoyed my Micro class. It was like a summer long mystery to be solved. I heart puzzles.
I perform my job more efficiently, am able to critically think much better and can communicate much more effectively with other providers because of my education in chemistry. Chemistry, like mathematics and physics is a foundational course of study. In that, I mean all understanding of the physical world is derived from these three areas of study.
In my experience starting nursing school it was different. In my state there are 2 types of chemistry classes....chemistry for health science majors (inlcudes nurses/ADN) and college chemistry for those going into med, pharm, engineers, etc. I wasn't sure of my route when I was in my early years of college so I had taken college chemistry (I, II, & III).
Moral of story, find out if your school you plan on taking this chem course have one specifically for ADN/RN students.
Worked out well for me because I didn't need chem...(10 years later, ahem) when I entered into my ADN program.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How on earth did you take Microbiology without chemistry?
Not all community college districts require chemistry as a prerequisite to anything. The community college district in the area where I live will allow a student to take A&P II before A&P I, and you can enroll in A&P courses without ever having taken general biology. There are also no prerequisites to taking microbiology in my local CC district.
Because I was an LPN - RN Bridge student, I didn't have to take it...which was a good thing cause when I took it when I was 17, I failed biiiiiiig time!
You don't need chem. I was in BSN program and they took my HS chem...hallelujah! And I had no problem passing microbiology/A&P/Nutrition/pharmacology...etc w/o it! The only chem I remember is learning the basic stuff, like the first chapter of a chem book, in Anatomy and Phys. Save your money unless you're really determined to take it.
When I took chem 6 yrs ago I felt like crying most of the time because I had to get over 80 percent in order to get accepted to my BSN. Thankfully I did it, and it was well worth it to have my RN :) But it totally sucked.
rkitty198, BSN, RN
420 Posts
Oh man please tell me then with examples how chemistry has helped you with your nursing.
I took it for my BSN program and I hated it! Nothing I do with my job (not even oncology- with the chemo drugs) do I utilize the knowledge from chem.