I'm taking my nursing pre-requisites this semester and next. I have actually already taken microbiology, but it was 7 years ago, and I don't remember much. However, my school still gave me credit for my microbiology class. So now I am thinking of just getting a microbiology textbook and studying at my own pace to refresh my memory before I start nursing school next fall.
I was wondering what the most important topics are in microbiology that I should be sure to understand before I start nursing? Does EVERYTHING you learned in microbiology come back in nursing school?
Specializes in Family Medicine, Medical Intensive Care.
I've personally found that I've had to utilize several concepts from Microbiology in all of my current nursing courses except for one because it is a course just on the profession of the nursing. The topics that I found to be recurring are:
Basic Chemical Principles r/t Microbiology (e.g., biomolecules)
I'm a huge pathophysiology nerd and love infection control, so my statement is biased. Plus, Microbiology was my favorite pre-requisite. Wish I had the time and money to take more upper level courses in Microbiology.
We are responsible to know what medications we are giving: effects, side effects, administration frequency, dosing, etc.... whether orders are for heart, diabetes, infective processes.....
How will you know what antibiotics, antiviral, fungal ......... should be given and why if you don't know microbiology?
Will the antibiotic be effective? if you don't know the resistance patterns of microorganisms....
I would give microbiology a little more consideration...
For me, the general ideas of how 'critters' work helps me remember how easy it is to transfer disease from one person to another, and I take note every time I deal with a patient, family member, etc.
Also, as a newly hired RN, I have no doubt that at least part of the point of a micro class is to 'weed out the weak'. If you can pass a tough micro class, you at least have the capacity to pass a nursing program.
when I went to school my chemistry classes were older than most of the students. I graduated with a 3.7, which was stupid, in the end I wish I had studied less. don't worry about it, you will be fine.
Do any of you draw blood cultures? Do you know why they are drawn in two sets an hour apart? If you took Micro you should. Why do you draw them when the patient has a temp. vs a febrile? You should. Most say this info is useless and that is crazy if you care for your patients, you should know what and why you do things to them. If you care you can look up the answers or you can PM me and I will let you know. Jeff
I think there are some important principles in micro, infection cycle for example but I wouldn't go and spend money on a textbook. If you want to skim some stuff online that would be enough. Your retaught what you need to know and it's not in any real depth.
I'm not saying those principles and knowing the information you are talking about is useless. The thing is, in my program atleast, we get that information in the core nursing classes and it's presented in a format that makes more sense/looking at it from the nurses perspective. My Microbiology class was general and broad. Yes it went into much depth, but it didn't stick with me and/or make sense to me the way it does now, when it is included with each unit/body system/disease, etc we are going over at the moment in the nursing program. This is why I say the Microbiology class is useless. Because we get what we need to be good and successfull nurses from the core nursing classes. (atleast at my school we do, I don't know about all of yours).
Ha. I just saved all those documents. My laptop is full of handy references. Now, it's got 14 more pages of them.
About to do the same! Definitely looks like what I learned in Micro, but I honestly believe that even with barely studying, I learned enough in biology in high school to have gone without this college class and still have been ok in nursing school. It's foundational, but the details are not necessary for most topics. If you have the ability to recall up foundational biology from high school, you probably will be able to understand the concepts as applied to nursing fairly easily, and self-teach a bit where you need to refresh.
Take home lessons - what I remember 30 years later. The bugs are really smart, hence the constant need for newer and more toxic drugs; and.....handwashing really does work.
When so many deaths are caused by nosocomial infections, especially staphylococcal, of course your microbiology is important!
Another aspect is, where are you proposing to work once you qualify? If you decide to do missionary work and find yourself in a 3rd world country, knowing about vibrio or schistosomes will be extremely useful....
staphylococci, NP
98 Posts
I've personally found that I've had to utilize several concepts from Microbiology in all of my current nursing courses except for one because it is a course just on the profession of the nursing. The topics that I found to be recurring are:
Structure of Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Gram-positive Bacteria Vs. Gram-negative Bacteria
Bacterial Endospores
Anaerobic and Aerobic Metabolism
Microbial Growth
Antimicrobial Agents (e.g., antibiotics, sanitizers, etc.)
Microbial Genetics
Viral Multiplication
Disease Process
Epidemiology
Basic Chemical Principles r/t Microbiology (e.g., biomolecules)
I'm a huge pathophysiology nerd and love infection control, so my statement is biased. Plus, Microbiology was my favorite pre-requisite. Wish I had the time and money to take more upper level courses in Microbiology.