What is chemistry for nursing like?

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Instead of taking general chemistry, I was told to take chemistry for nursing instead. I heard that it is an easy class from all the people who have taken it but I am just wondering... what is the class like? What do you do at the labs and what do learn? I start in a few weeks for the spring semester but I am just curious and excited! This is the first science class I have taken since my junior year of high school, I am a freshmen in college now.

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It really depends on your college. We took the same chemistry pre-reqs as our pre-med counterparts. We had everything from your basic chemistry to biochem to organic chem. It was a LOT to remember, but thankfully, it built upon itself, so if you keep on top of it, it'll help in the classes that follow!

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It really depends on your college. We took the same chemistry pre-reqs as our pre-med counterparts. We had everything from your basic chemistry to biochem to organic chem. It was a LOT to remember, but thankfully, it built upon itself, so if you keep on top of it, it'll help in the classes that follow!

First reply! Thank you! Our chemistry is not the same as pre-med, so I am thinking this might be a more simple class. I am really looking forward to it though. Sounds like I will be making flashcards! :cat:

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I took a survey course. It was Inorganic, Organic and Biochemistry. We touched on the basics of each subject. Don't get me wrong, it was challenging, but nothing compared to what my 4 semester chem friends were doing! I'd imagine your class would be similar to this one.

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I took a survey course. It was Inorganic, Organic and Biochemistry. We touched on the basics of each subject. Don't get me wrong, it was challenging, but nothing compared to what my 4 semester chem friends were doing! I'd imagine your class would be similar to this one.

My friend took a really challenging Chemistry class and she freaked me out about it. I was happy to discover that is not the one I am taking. Both girls who took the nursing chemistry said it was easy-ish and you get to make Aspirin at the end.

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While I understand your reservations about taking difficult chem classes, I'd urge you to challenge yourself as much as you can with your sciences. Chemistry is essential to understanding human physiology. The better you understand chem, the better you'll understand the function--and dysfunction--of the human body.

Do you want to understand what's going on with your patient on the molecular level and the overriding consequences for their body as a whole? Would you prefer to foresee problems based on your knowledge or react to them after they happen? Do you want to relate to the physicians as peers? Then pay attention in your sciences!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
I took a survey course. It was Inorganic, Organic and Biochemistry. We touched on the basics of each subject. Don't get me wrong, it was challenging, but nothing compared to what my 4 semester chem friends were doing! I'd imagine your class would be similar to this one.

I had a premed friend tell me he thought my organic survey course was more difficult because they weren't teaching us the mechanisms or what was actually happening in reactions. He thought it would be much harder to understand without this knowledge. That being said, I haven't found it overly difficult, but I am pretty strong in the sciences, so your mileage may vary. Everything does build on what you learn previously though, so make sure you stay on top of it.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

That's strange. All the nursing programs around here require general chemistry, same as any other student. I've never even heard of chemistry for nursing students.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Our BSN program requires 2 semesters of chemistry - the first is a survey of inorganic and the second is a survey of organic and biochemistry. It essentially pulls major concepts from 4 semesters of inorganic and organic chemistry and condenses it into 2 semesters. They are not as in depth as gen chem 1 or organic chem 2, for example. Your chems for science majors would be principles of gen chem, etc. Vs survey of. Just taking gen chem, you'd be missing a lot of material, but would get a more in depth view of inorganic chem.

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As a general rule, any course with a name like "XXX for nurses" is going to be easier than the standard course in the same subject. Don't know why so many schools think they need to dumb stuff down for us. In my diploma program, we took our science courses at a nearby university, and took the same year of organic chemistry that the uni's pre-med and chemistry majors did. I'm v. glad I didn't get steered into some watered-down "Science for Dummies" course.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Ours isn't "for nursing". I believe all allied health as well as non science majors take these chemistry courses to fulfill their lab science requirement. I had a couple of business majors in mine, as well as a mix of all of the pre-allied health degrees. It wasn't limited to nursing hopefuls. And if you really want to take 2 years of chemistry along with your other prereqs - no one is stopping you. Gen chem I and organic I will count for nursing school.

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Just to clarify, I probably should have called it this in the first place, the class is called General Chem for Health Sciences. So not limited to just nursing! Oops.

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