To much time wasted on classes that have nothing to do with Nursing!!!

runsalot · Mar 29, 2013

Well.

Ethics classes have really helped me become a better critical thinker. And writing and lit classes have history classes have as well. If I just took nursing classes I would nothing about critical thinking.

keya86tiff · Mar 29, 2013

My personal opinion on taking classes that really do not have anything to do with nursing suck. If they focased on the nursing and passing boards maybe the pass rate for yhe nclex would be better. Are you going to be a mathenglish or writing major or a NURSE. Just my opinion want to see what others think!!!![/quote']
Yea I feel the same way smh it just a waste of time I think lol but I guess in the long run we will need them?!

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 29, 2013

The other classes round you out as an individual. They, in theory, help you expand your viewpoints, think in different ways and add tools to your toolkit. Nurses write. Nurses also move away from the bedside into other areas where the ability to produce coherent written communication is part of the job.

I'm currently in a rn-bsn program. I'm finding a lot of the classes silly. However, that is from the perspective of a former manager in telecom who has many years experience in what are essentially intro courses in informatics and management. For someone who has no real world experience, knowing the theory can't hurt and someday may very well help.

Good luck.

Mschwab316 · Mar 29, 2013

If they would encorporate some of that stuff in the nursing books it would be great. Chemistry was a complete waste of my time, but world religons was helpful, I could go on but oh well just being crabby I guess:)

Mschwab316 · Mar 29, 2013

The other classes round you out as an individual. They, in theory, help you expand your viewpoints, think in different ways and add tools to your toolkit. Nurses write. Nurses also move away from the bedside into other areas where the ability to produce coherent written communication is part of the job.
I'm currently in a rn-bsn program. I'm finding a lot of the classes silly. However, that is from the perspective of a former manager in telecom who has many years experience in what are essentially intro courses in informatics and management. For someone who has no real world experience, knowing the theory can't hurt and someday may very well help.
Good luck.

You make a great point!!!!

Stephalump · Mar 29, 2013

Until you've been through nursing school, I'm not sure how you can make the claim that those other classes have nothing to do with nursing. I think you'll be surprised :)

Trenata · Mar 29, 2013

I agree with a previous poster, "coherent written communication" is important. Sometimes, when I look at the online forums at my university, I wonder how people even get into college because they can't spell, use punctuation (like capitalization at the beginning of a sentence) or make a coherent or clear statement. This is a huge problem if you are a nurse or in any medical profession where documentation and clear communication is very important and can become a life or death situation! I hope that all the seemingly menial classes will help round out each individual including myself!!!

Mschwab316 · Mar 29, 2013

Thanks for all the input, I was having a bad morning and needed something to b**** about lol ! Hope everyone has a great day!!!!

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 29, 2013

There are not enough classes to be a 'math major' in your prereqs - but there are enough to enable you to decide how many milliliters of Lasix to give a child in heart failure when the solution comes 10 milligrams per milliliter and you need to give a total dose of 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight to a 4.6 kilogram infant.

There are not enough English classes to make you an English major- but there are enough to allow you to document a narrative account of the changes your patient is going through while decompensating after a surgical procedure or medical emergency, with enough precise language to allow the professionals following you to follow the chain of events and assess the effectiveness of the interventions that were used.

Chemistry? It is REALLY helpful to understand how glucose is metabolized in the human body, and how that metabolism is impaired in the patient lacking the hormone insulin - as well as how those chemical derangements affect other body systems.

A waste of time? If you STILL think they are a waste of time, you have come to the wrong profession.

Mschwab316 · Mar 29, 2013

There are not enough classes to be a 'math major' in your prereqs - but there are enough to enable you to decide how many milliliters of Lasix to give a child in heart failure when the solution comes 10 milligrams per milliliter and you need to give a total dose of 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight to a 4.6 kilogram infant.
There are not enough English classes to make you an English major- but there are enough to allow you to document a narrative account of the changes your patient is going through while decompensating after a surgical procedure or medical emergency, with enough precise language to allow the professionals following you to follow the chain of events and assess the effectiveness of the interventions that were used.
Chemistry? It is REALLY helpful to understand how glucose is metabolized in the human body, and how that metabolism is impaired in the patient lacking the hormone insulin - as well as how those chemical derangements affect other body systems.
A waste of time? If you STILL think they are a waste of time, you have come to the wrong profession.

Thank you for your jab at my bad day, BTW I'm a former military medic, and have put alot of hours and hard work into my health career. Hospital, battlefield, the street. I have worked over 300 codes, intubated , well need I say more. Maybe I don't have your class time right now but you will never be a pimple on my a** when it comes to my acomplishments and I'm not done. Have a nice day!!!!

littlebear23 · Mar 29, 2013

Yeah, I felt the same way before entering nursing school. One of my biggest arguments (and retaliation toward the program directors) was why did I need chemistry, and why do I need to know about the mole of a substance? Why do I need to break down different compounds of the most complicated and random elements? What in the world does this have to do with caring for a patient?!?! I would go on tirades to my family members about it. I HATED my advanced English/Literature courses because again, why the heck do I need to know that stuff?

However, I have found that Chemistry has in fact really put things into perspective when learning about different drugs. Had I known that at the time, I probably would have taken my Chemistry course a little more seriously. The English courses have given me the ability to write and read material in a more advanced manner which came in handy when reading my nursing books and taking the exams.

It still is questionable about some of the BSN courses and how they have any relevance to nursing and patient care. I have to jump back from that old way of thinking, and realize that some of these courses just might shed some light and help me as a future nurse and future nursing professor one day.

It is my hope for the OP, and all other pre-nursing students that you will store away, and remember the information that is thrown at you in some of these brutal and dry classes for the future. It would be a tragedy to open a nursing book and not remember some the information that you had learned during your pre-requisite courses. Trust me, it isn't fun having to go back and re-study all over the most basic physiological processes of the human body; or having to go back and re-learn how to write a basic APA formatted paper. Good luck!