What nursing preprequisite(s) did you struggle in the most?

Blove86 · Feb 6, 2009

Chemistry. I still to this day, maintain Chemistry has been the hardest class for me, even though I am in Nursing school, just the amount of brain power I spent on that class is still tiring to think about!

feralnostalgia · Feb 6, 2009

Statistics. And I still don't know why I had to take it. I have never used a Chi Square to save a patient.

oh god...I hated statistics. I'm in an ADN program that doesn't require it (just college algebra), but back when I still thought I wanted to be a social worker it was required. (since you totally have to do statistical analysis to do therapy...right). I think I took more notes for one stat class than for the rest of my 4 semesters combined. I've never done so poorly in any class in my life. I barely made it by with a C. worst part...my dad was a statistics major :banghead:

I soooo don't get math people. I like reading the cleaned-up results of research, but heaven help me if I ever have to do another ANOVA again...I barely even remember the names, let alone the formulas...>_

I'm doing pre-reqs for nursing now...anatomy is actually really interesting, though nobody in my class seems to be able to tell a simple squamus cell from a simple cuboidal cell under a microscope...they look the same! the rest is cool enough that it's a breeze. I'm generally a straight-up evolution believer but cellular metabolism is so complex and cool you start to wonder if it's not a bit of a miracle after all. a whole class on it would be awesome...I'm thinking I may pay for a biology degree by being a nurse. some of it's so intricate it's downright beautiful.

statistics, however...:barf01:

nickos · Feb 6, 2009

Physiology...especially the endocrine system. I did an accelerated course and we took 2 weeks for each system, covering both A&P at the same time. I loved the anatomy portion and was told that maybe I should be a surgeon instead of a nurse. LOL!
A tip for studying for anatomy if it's difficult for you. Take a camera to class and take photos of every chart and model that will be used for your exams. Print 2 copies of each onto an 8.5"x11" page and on one copy, label every structure that you have to know. On the other, just put a dot on the structures that corresponds with the one labeled. Then insert each into a plastic sheet protector so when they are inserted into a 3 ring binder that they face each other. I put the one with answers on the left and the blank on the right. Flip the answer half to the back and use a dry-erase fine tip marker to write what each structure is to quiz yourself. When you are done, flip the answer half back over and check how you did. If you misspelled something, write it over and over and over until you get it right. I aced nearly every one of my exams for anatomy. I could probably take a photo of what I mean if someone needs a visual.

that is a brilliant idea! I took AP I-III and microbiology a few years ago, and wished I had brought a camera with me often...even just for the "cool stuff" like dissection and holding a human spinal cord or touching a lung. I was afraid of looking dorky and that now seems so silly to me because I was truly interested but think that doing what you say would have really improved my grades (C+ in API, Bs in the rest).

nickos · Feb 6, 2009

oh god...I hated statistics. I'm in an ADN program that doesn't require it (just college algebra), but back when I still thought I wanted to be a social worker it was required. (since you totally have to do statistical analysis to do therapy...right). I think I took more notes for one stat class than for the rest of my 4 semesters combined. I've never done so poorly in any class in my life. I barely made it by with a C. worst part...my dad was a statistics major I soooo don't get math people. I like reading the cleaned-up results of research, but heaven help me if I ever have to do another ANOVA again...I barely even remember the names, let alone the formulas...>_
......
statistics, however...:barf01:

HA! I can't WAIT to take statistics now.....

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Feb 6, 2009

I hated Chemistry and Microbiology. I ended up taking Chem on Saturday mornings, with a very impatient instructor.

My microbiology teacher was very disorganized. We did a "mystery bacteria" project, where you run tests to identify bacteria, bu we never got to see the big book she wanted us to use to identify it. My group had 3 different bacteria; I identified 1 by guessing, and narrow the other 2 down to 4 possibilities.

koala_bear · Feb 6, 2009

statistics!!! my only c in nursing school. still don't see the purpose of the darn class till now :icon_roll

emnicams · Feb 6, 2009

For me... it was speech class. I have a phobia of public speaking, and honestly, my speeches got worse instead of better, because my anxiety just grew through the course.

A&P was hard, definitely, but I'd do it again any day over speech class.

suzy253, RN · Feb 6, 2009

Physiology...hated it...had the worst instructor too.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Feb 6, 2009

MATH ! AWWWWWW ! and I'm still not done with it !

Williamsl88 · Feb 6, 2009

Anatomy at first, it's because my introduction to bio class did not prepare me for anatomy at all. I had some super scientist doing crazy stuff and the lab professor making us not miss one word. The second one would probably be math.

Oh I took Chemistry and Stat with a 5 hour shift job every day... I only got a B in stats and a C in Chem, my first C. The chem was my worst failure and bes thing that happened to me, because I then went into organic chemistry and ace every test. Chem is a lot meaner than anatomy. Now I have enough confident to go take some general chem 2, physical chem ad physics.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Feb 6, 2009

chemisrty was the worst pre-req - after I had my ASN and went of for my bachelors Statistics - though my professor was superb for the stats class and i went from flunking to passing with an A because he tutored me personally - you don't usually see that in a large university. Thanks Dr. Sterm!!

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2009

A lot of people seem to dread statistics. I got a B in that course and only because I slacked at the end to th semester. I had a very low A going into the last few weeks.

I dont think thats because I understood it any better or because I'm a math person. I had an instructor with a unique style. He approached statistics the way nursing school approaches its material.

Let me explain: He considered the essence of his course to be able to read info and properly place it into the correct equation. He did not think it was about memorizing this and that equation. All his tests were.....word problem style. So, every test you had a sheet showing what equations were on it (plus the various tables/charts you needed). Then, the test had various real life situations and you had to be able to decide which equation was the proper one to use. You would then extract the data from the question, plug it into the equation and.........there you have it. If you wanted, you could show your work. Often people picked the right equation but made calculation errors. In this case, you got partial credit.

This is the type of course I think the majority of us would do fine in. If you have to take statistics, do some research on the instructors. Maybe there is someone like that at your school.