What is physics, chemistry and biochemistry for CRNA's like?

[Jo Dirt]

My hope has turned to despair. I'm fairly confident in most of my abilities unless it relates to math, chemistry and physics.

I was looking at the curriculum for SRNA's and see this class in most all of them. I'm not good at figuring chemical formulas and I haven't even attempted a physics class. So what will the "physics, chemistry and biochemistry for nurse anesthetists" be like? Even with a tutor I had to work like a dog to get a B in basic chemistry I at the community college. I'm willing to perservere but perserverance can only take you so far and you are likely to come to a point where you are just walking into the same brick wall over and over. If you can't do something you can't do it. I guess my IQ is in the average to low average range. If I will be expected to whip out a TI scientific calculator and work all these formulas off the top of my head I would like to know so I can just throw in the towel now.

[Melina]

Hang in there Mama. These classes are difficult for almost anyone. Just remember you aren't supposed to know everything when you walk into class; you are there to learn. All the maths are about practice. Make sure you take advantage of every resource (tutors, study groups, drop in labs, etc.) and try to keep an open mind about your abilities. You made it through nursing school, right? That's a big deal!

~Mel'

[versatile_kat]

MM - I notice you are in home health ... you may want to get into an ICU before you start worrying about graduate level classes. That may give you more confidence when it comes to physics and chemistry, since you'll be working with patient's on ventilators (physics) with/without multiple vasoactive drips (chemistry).

[Jo Dirt]

MM - I notice you are in home health ... you may want to get into an ICU before you start worrying about graduate level classes. That may give you more confidence when it comes to physics and chemistry, since you'll be working with patient's on ventilators (physics) with/without multiple vasoactive drips (chemistry).

Oh yea, I know. I don't even have a bachelor's degree (but I just lack the nursing courses to get one).

I have actually been offered a job on the MICU unit at Vanderbilt University Med. Center. But it's on nights and I hate nights. If I thought I had a snowball's chance I would take it but it just doesn't look good the more I learn about nurse anesthetists.

I can't even do a blood draw with a butterfly needle (unless the veins are huge and bulging) and here I sat talking about going to CRNA school.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I think you need to give yourself a break. IV sticks become easier with practice. As to CRNA school: well, just stick with it. Take a job in an ICU and see how things go.