Wow, I really have to take this class?

Ballroom dancing. It was part of the phy-Ed requirement.

Not so far, though I am sort of giving my speech class the stink eye as I'm 37 and know how to communicate quite well. I do have to take the "core" classes required by my state. I've chosen architecture, and world religions, because they sound interesting to me.

Yeah, I'm probably going to have to take a Speech class at some point, too, for CA BON licensing requirements. The thing is, I was an English teacher for 10 years, and I'VE TAUGHT SPEECH.

Think Communication classes are in every college major. Think I had to take 2 In my previous degree. Spanish or a language be a plus, but at the AS level they don't require it..

Luckily, I was able to choose my own humanities that didn't seem completely irrelevant. I took Spanish for my diversity/humanity course and speech for my other humanity. I didn't want to pick courses that would take a lot of focus and effort from my core classes needed for nursing. World history had appealed to me at first, but I feared the massive research paper required at the end of the term would have been too much to handle with biology and nutrition.

When it comes to most of my nursing pre requisite classes, I can definitely see how they will help me in nursing school and as a nurse. However, I am taking art appreciation this semester because it is required. I think it's a complete waste of time. Are there any classes you are required to take that you feel are wasting your time?

As a nurse, you will learn distraction techniques as part of your comfort measures. What's more distracting to serious/deteriorating health condition of a former art professor than a discussion about something that he/she knows quite a bit about? That's where you would interject a question like 'which column style do you find to be most intriguing: Doric or Corinthian?' This is a leading question...aware from the health issues...that will come in handy when you have that very intelligent professor sizing his/her nurse up.

On another note, art appreciation will bring to you what you might otherwise never get to see up-close and personal. I loved that course! And I particularly appreciated taking it when I had something other than the latest facebook post to talk about.

Believe it or not, the day will come when a white-collar member of management is looking up at you from a hospital bed. What are you going to say? How will you break the ice if all you know is nursing stuff? White-collar America couldn't care less about what we do, as long as we do it without hurting or killing them.

Speech class is very helpful. Nursing is full of mini- oral presentations. Hand off report is the first that comes to mind. Gathering ones thoughts and main points to call the doc, call family members, give a quick run down to the rapid response team, these are all practical applications.

If you ever want to lead a skills lab or in service, oral arts skills are imperative.

I happen to have an impediment in this area, and had to work extra hard at that class. I can still get tongue tied, but have improved over the years.

Believe it or not, the day will come when a white-collar member of management is looking up at you from a hospital bed. What are you going to say? How will you break the ice if all you know is nursing stuff? White-collar America couldn't care less about what we do, as long as we do it without hurting or killing them.

You really don't need art appreciation to communicate with a "white collar" professional. Most of them have never taken it either.

The other piece of advice for this is don't launch into conversations on a subject you know little about....don't bring up Dorian and Corinthian columns if you really can't discuss them; generally you end up in over your head because that's when you find out the dude you're talking to wrote six books on the subject and has been an architectural professor for 47 years....just spare yourself and don't go there. Distraction techniques and intelligent conversation don't have to involve subjects of that nature, and doing that usually backfires.

Somehow I managed to get through two universities without ever taking a speech class. It would've bored the crap out of me (I'm good at public speaking), but I know it's beneficial for those who need the practice or who have problems with presentations.

I went to a two year private college initially and religion - Old and New Testament - were required courses. Fascinating stuff - the professor will always remain one of my favorites. It also spared me the agony of stuff like art history or appreciation (OP, I so feel your pain) when it came time to 'fess up humanities electives.

I do agree with folks who say look for something applicable to where you want to be/where you're headed. And you might actually find you enjoy the class in the end. My sister needed hours during her last year of college (this was back in the mid-1980s) and signed up for a random Chinese lit class (I know - really random!). I can hear her on the phone saying, "That Chinese class is the coolest class I've taken!"

LOL - I feel your pain. I took Folk Dancing & Comparative Religions. But I can still do a mean polka and bore you to tears on the differences between various religious dietary mandates.

This is essentially the difference between an education and technical apprenticeship. The latter will only include content that is directly associated with the specific job skills. In fact, I have an IM physician friend who later obtained a Masters in Liberal Arts - He said that medical school was an apprenticeship and says he wanted an 'education' . Very interesting guy.

Speech class is very helpful. Nursing is full of mini- oral presentations. Hand off report is the first that comes to mind. Gathering ones thoughts and main points to call the doc, call family members, give a quick run down to the rapid response team, these are all practical applications.

If you ever want to lead a skills lab or in service, oral arts skills are imperative.

I happen to have an impediment in this area, and had to work extra hard at that class. I can still get tongue tied, but have improved over the years.

Oh I wasn't implying that speech class isn't helpful. It just feel really redundant at this point in my life. I've been in leadership roles and I've used those skills quite successfully. I wish it was a class you could "test" out of. Regardless, I'm sure I'll learn something new!

You really don't need art appreciation to communicate with a "white collar" professional. Most of them have never taken it either.

The other piece of advice for this is don't launch into conversations on a subject you know little about....don't bring up Dorian and Corinthian columns if you really can't discuss them; generally you end up in over your head because that's when you find out the dude you're talking to wrote six books on the subject and has been an architectural professor for 47 years....just spare yourself and don't go there. Distraction techniques and intelligent conversation don't have to involve subjects of that nature, and doing that usually backfires.

My comment was an example to the usefulness of knowing something other than nursing material when dealing with the general public.