A little about myself is I'm a full-time employee with a fire department. I actually decided I wanted to leave the fire department to pursue a degree in nursing since I enjoy the medical field and I had a few family members that are nurses. The reason I am posting this is cause I am not sure what to do. I am currently enrolled in the pre req Anatomy and Physiology part 1 for the summer semester. Im not going to lie when I say the the fire chapter was super easy cause it was basically me schooling for becoming an EMT. The first chapter basically was anatomical terms, locations and planes. Now what I am struggling with is chapter two and three which is Chemistry comes alive and Cells: The living tissue. I have a midterm exam coming up on chapter one through three in six days and my issue is I am still stuck on chapter two trying to comprehend the chemistry comes alive and all these amino acids, Proteins, Enzymes, Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharids, Lipids, Carbs and so on. The teacher wants us for one part of the test to draw Dehydration synthesis and Hydrolysis for all of these which I don't even know where to begin. For example I understand that dehydration synthesis is the removal of water to bring two elements together and hydrolysis is the adding of water to break it up. But when you ask me to draw it thats when I get so damn confused and Im feeling so rushed to learn all this stuff. For example my teacher is already moving onto chapter four and I'm still stuck on chapter two. I study almost 12 hours a today not including the time spent in class and I just struggle to comprehend all this information which is leaving me lost, stressed and getting seconds thoughts.
The reason why this is all feeling like its coming down on me is cause from what I have heard this class is supposed to be the hardest of the pre reqs but the easiest compared to nursing school cause i heard nursing school is so much harder and the chemistry involved in it will just get harder. This scares me cause if I can't even comprehend the basics then how the heck am I supposed to move on? I feel so left behind that its hard for me to get back and catch up. Seems like everyone else in the class is getting and understanding this so easily and I'm like dude what the heck are you talking about. I never took biology and chemistry in high school so I don't have anything to fall back on and on top of all this i tried to see if my school has a tutor and my school notified me saying that they have no tutors available for my subjects and are currently looking for some but not sure when that will be. Im already seeing myself failing this test cause I have such little time that I don't know what to do but study but my studying is not good enough.
My dream is to become a nurse practitioner but this is holding me up =(. Im the kind of person where I don't want to just memorize this material but to learn and understand it. I hate getting b's and c's as a grade cause thats not good enough for me and I don't just want to squeeze by in nursing cause I heard if you get below a 75 they kick you out.
Honestly, A&P is hard. It builds upon what you learn in other prerequisites, namely chemistry and biology. It sounds like you're struggling with the chemistry part if it. The good news is that this is as in depth as you'll get with human biochem. Nursing classes are difficult too, but they just require a lot of memorization of facts, which it doesn't sound like you struggle with.
It stinks that no tutor is available. Are you able to get into or form a study group? That really and truly saved me for anatomy (route memorization is my weakness... got a failing grade in the first exam but, with the help of a biweekly study group, pulled up my grade to an A). I'd look into that. Also go to office hours regularly. Definitely don't lose heart.
Edit--just read your last follow up. They really did you a disservice sending you to this class without any background in bio or chem. No wonder you're having difficulties. Talk with your advisor about postponing this class until you have your other sciences under your belt.
No they did not have chemistry as a pre req for AP. They just sent me straight into it. Honestly I just been sitting here all day figuring things out and even though this is a tough decision for me I don't think I'm going to pursue a degree in nursing even though i would love to be a nurse and become a nurse practitioner, i just don't think I'm cut out for the schooling. I think I'm going to try and purse something in the fitness field but I'm not sure what that will be. Other than nursing I love the gym and fitness but there are no good fields in that.
You're going to give up so easily?
I'd keep trying. Take an intro to Chemistry class. Get a good, solid foundation for your future. If you want to be an NP, you'll need Chemistry regardless. If this is something you want, don't let a few internet strangers talk you out of it. Fight for it.
I hate to see you give up so early...I think you just need to take a step back and take some more basic courses before diving into A&P. I took A&P many, many years ago, have a Master's Degree in Fish and Wildlife Administration (a lot of biology courses) and well developed study habits but it still took A LOT of work for me to get A's in my A&P courses. And sometimes it isn't how much you study but how you study. I think a combination of stepping back and taking some lower level courses that will cement your understanding of these concepts and also learning what kind of studying works best for you...maybe you need to work with others and talk it out, maybe you need to listen to verbal instructions...those are things you need to figure out and take charge of, not the instructors when you are in college. One of my courses I took in my Master's program involved not only stats but also learning a programming language. I spent so much time with the instructor and was horribly struggling...barely getting a hang of the material before the next week hit and I had to learn new stuff that I barely understood. He finally told me he didn't think I was going to make it...it was a required course and I was crushed. I went crying to my program head and felt totally defeated. Turned out that all of the Master's students had dropped the course and I was the only one left among a bunch of PhD students. The professor that designed it told her it was never meant for MS students...just for PhD students writing their dissertation. I guess my point is that I struggled alone too long before trying to get help and could have ended up with an F...since it was their mistake for not investigating the course they removed it from my record completely and I didn't get a W. It sounds to me like you did not get good advice on what to take and should have not been allowed straight into A&P! Good luck and search out help from the school, advisors, and anyone else!
Perhaps you are trying too hard. 12 hours a day? No way the rest of your class is doing that. I found that for CERTAIN classes, reading the book cover to cover was impossible. For example, in pathophysiology I was struggling and getting a C. I decided to stop reading the book, and taped the lectures instead. After school, instead of attempting to read every page of the horribly long and detailed chapter, I listened to the tape and took good notes from the lecture. I only looked in the book to fill in missing pieces or if a certain page was mentioned in the book. Then my grade changed from a hard C to an easy B, with a lot less studying. I don't know if this is the answer for you but something to consider. In high school I always read the book page by page but like I said, there were a couple classes in college where it was impossible.
Yes this AP is really hard for me and honestly the truth is when I gradated EMT school I really enjoyed the whole aspect of learning about the body systems and how they function but we never learned about the chemistry part of course. Now I was planning that my Pre Reqs for college basically are going to build upon those systems and the last thing I was expecting was chemistry and all these protons, neutrons and electrons honestly. It completely through me off guard and made me feel like an idiot honestly.
Im really hoping this is as tough as it will get cause once I fully understand this I feel like it will be a breeze. I can't say I will not struggle in nursing school "if" i get in but if it requires remembering body parts and the functions of the system then I believe I can handle that pretty good cause of my education in EMT school and being in the field. Its just the chemistry part that is throwing me off but no matter how stressed out I am I just cant let it ruin me. I just don't understand how when I'm treating patients I need to remember the protons, neutrons and electrons.
Yeah I was really depressed about no tutor being available cause I felt like that was my last hope but thats life and I got to figure something else out. Stud groups in class aren't really being formed cause everyone seems to know what they are doing but that doesn't me I can't ask for help. Monday I'm going to find a student to talk too.
They really did do me a disservice cause they not only gave me the hardest class for summer but they forced me to take more classes to stress me out even more and its so hard for me to even keep up on everything. I told my nursing teacher I have no background in bio and chem and she seemed like it didn't matter. The only way I will be able to postpone this class its to withdraw and get a W on my card but ill see what I can do.
No I'm not giving up, I was just so stressed out yesterday that I was just talking stupid. I been under a lot of stress lately. In just one week my 2015 Scion Frs got into a car accident which is my first one so I had to get it fixed but the issue is no tow company was able to come until yesterday to pick it up. Well since my car sits low they literally tore off my whole front lip while towing it so I got beyond pissed off and now they are acting like they didn't damage it so now Im constantly calling the company explaining top them that they damaged my car and vehicle and have pictures of it so now I needed to make another claim on this and I can't cause I'm trying to get this companies information for my USAA insurance. So I'm dealing with all this bull crap with my car that is just stressing me put more but I don't want to sound like I'm just whining on the internet about this. I just wanted to say that due to all that stress and many other stuff I was just saying stupid stuff yesterday and I apologize for that.
Yes I truly want to be a nurse practitioner and work in the orthopedic specialization cause it really is my dream to work with athletes who have injuries or veterans coming back from war with injuries. That stuff really warms my heart and I truly would have a passion for that and can see myself doing that.
I think i did let the internet get into my head cause it was making it sound like I'm not cut out for nursing and should just quit which was hurting me cause i started second guessing myself but I'm going to try and stay with it. I appreciate you.
Well it would sound odd studying to hard but you might no be wrong. Yes I do study 12 hours a day rereading the powerpoint's and rereading the chapter but I think its quite obvious that this is not helping me and I should of figured this out a long time ago cause I never been that kind of student to read or listen to a teacher about the text. I physically need to test myself over and over again and perform it so what I decided to do was create an account on quizlet and making flashcards from the powerpoint. So I'm going to study it like that and keep testing myself until I master it and then move on to chapter three and do the same. Drawing the diagrams I think my best option is to try and remember the diagrams in my class and then just put those on my test.
I actually use evernote and record my teacher as well and it does help a little but its like sitting in lecture all over again lol but at least its like a refresher so I will stick with it.
I completely agree with you that reading a whole chapter consisting of over 60 pages is just way to much and some of it is to hard to grasp in such a short amount of time so I think picking out the main details is the way to go. I BELIEVE MY MAIN ISSUE IS IM JUST TRYING TO BECOME A MASTER OF THIS WHOLE MATERIAL OVERNIGHT WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE AND THAT IS STRESSING ME OUT CAUSE I THINK TOO HIGHLY OF MYSELF. SO WHEN I FAIL I HIT ROCKBOTTOM IN MY MIND.
I graduated nursing school 3 yrs ago. I was a later in life college student. I had no biology or chemistry before taking a&p and I made it through just fine. Don't let one chapter in a/p make you totally give up. You are very early in the process. You should give it all you got until the final withdraw date; wait to see what kind of grades you make. I can tell you are intelligent and can do this just from reading your posts. You are taking it seriously and I believe you can do this!!
You should take chemistry before A&P, I can't believe they didn't have that as a pre-requisite. There's an entire chapter of A&P that basically starts where chemistry left off, and the rest of the book is going to refer to things you learned in chemistry as well.
I don't know what book you have, but there is probably an online study guide from the publisher. If you bought the book you get a code for free, but you can also pay for access. MasteringA&P | Pearson
As an aside: you should take what other people say on online forums with a grain of salt - don't get yourself too stressed out over everything you read ok. Take chemistry and you'll be in a much better position.
Firstly I wanted to say thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement. My plan is exactly what you said is to not give up so early. I am currently trying and going to keep trying and if my grade is not good enough by the last day to withdraw then at the time I will make the choice to probably withdraw and try again.
I really do appreciate your kind words of seeing that I truly care about passing this and reaching my goal. Thank you so much
Well from what I am reading in my core class catalog they do not require chemistry and I don't even see a chemistry class to take in the school believe it or not which I find insane. Im not sure if thats cause this is a technical college I am attending but I don't think that should matter. They only require me to take AP 1 and 2 and after completing this classes you move onto microbiology with a lab. Then after those you finish with English 1101, Math 1111 and Psych 1101. Thats literally all the classes they require and after completing all them you need to have a C grade or higher in every one of them along with an overall GPA of 3.00 to get selected into the nursing program. Its crazy to me that those are the classes but there is no basic classes to take to prepare for those. Its like jumping out of an airplane without the parachute. Im not prepared lol but Im trying to not let that be an excuse.
Well the book I am currently using is the Anatomy & Physiology Fifth Edition Published by Elaine N. Marieb and Katja Hoehn. I did go to that website and I want to use it but when I look up my course it does not have my correct teacher and I don't want to buy it cause I might not be learning the right stuff.
You are completely right that I should take certain peoples comments as just a grain of salt like you said cause they are not me. I really appreciate your comment!!! Thank you
Take chemistry and you'll be in a much better position.
cleback
1,381 Posts
Honestly, A&P is hard. It builds upon what you learn in other prerequisites, namely chemistry and biology. It sounds like you're struggling with the chemistry part if it. The good news is that this is as in depth as you'll get with human biochem. Nursing classes are difficult too, but they just require a lot of memorization of facts, which it doesn't sound like you struggle with.
It stinks that no tutor is available. Are you able to get into or form a study group? That really and truly saved me for anatomy (route memorization is my weakness... got a failing grade in the first exam but, with the help of a biweekly study group, pulled up my grade to an A). I'd look into that. Also go to office hours regularly. Definitely don't lose heart.
Edit--just read your last follow up. They really did you a disservice sending you to this class without any background in bio or chem. No wonder you're having difficulties. Talk with your advisor about postponing this class until you have your other sciences under your belt.