What do I do with this information?

[TeeZee]

I have a newbie question.

I have read threads on here saying 'know all this from A&P etc etc.'

I want to know the real world application for a few things (anything actually). I know what it is, I want to know how it's used.

Ok, maybe 'real world' is not what I'm ready for, so how about clinicals/med/surge.etc.

A&P 'stuff' like blood flow of the heart? How will that help me as a nurse/student? How will I actually use this knowledge?

Sodium/potassium pump?

endocrine system?

any of the billion things I've learned......

I'm not trying to ask a dumb question, I really (sincerely) want to know how these (and other) concepts are used when I will be a nursing student. So many experienced people here I thought I'd throw it out there, since I want to know...before I get there...Thanks!

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

Nursing is a bit different from the "rest of medicine" in quite a few ways. This is something that you'll get in school. I would suggest simply reviewing the physiology (how it works) of the above stuff. As you learn and review the physiology, and you go through school, you'll really start learning how to apply it to nursing and use it in the "real world" of nursing and patient care.

Sorry to be so vague... but that's just one HUGE question you've asked that takes a long time to go over...

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

A&P helps with understanding the normal, so when there is an abnormality, it can clue is in on whether a condition is getting worse or improving through medication purposes; it is also helpful when identifying issues; for example, understanding heart contractility helps identify abnormal heart rhythms; which determines whether the medication that is ordered is effective.

Leading about diffusion, osmosis helps to anticipate what types of intravenous fluids are needed, depending on the condition.

The nervous system, helps to anticipate any residual effects from a brain or spinal cord injury, and what areas are affected and what signs and symptoms occur and how to intervene effectively.

Those are a few of the examples that I have learned and applied as a a student nurse and the nurse.

[TeeZee]

So do WE (nurses) (pre) diagnose a lot of this stuff or bring it up to the Dr.?

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

So do WE (nurses) (pre) diagnose a lot of this stuff or bring it up to the Dr.?

No. We utilize what we know to be normal to take note of the abnormal and we go from there. We don't do "medical" diagnosis, though we are to have some understanding of them. Nurses have a different concept of dealing with the body and healing than "medicine" does, in particular, we look at the body's response to a problem. Nursing and Medicine are very complimentary. For a given problem, medicine "wants" to fix the problem and the body will return to homeostasis. Nursing "wants" to support the body's response to the problem so that the body can repair itself and return to homeostasis. Combine the two where the problem is fixed and the response is supported and the body will return to homeostasis much faster and the patient heals & goes home that much sooner.

Our end of it, being that we know what's abnormal and different from baseline, is that we bring that up to the attention of the physician as that may change both the nursing and medical care plans.