Nursing students are often required in college to take biology as a prerequisite before entering nursing school. This nursing class will help the student nurse understand about human & animal life and how the body works in a complex way. Biology is the foundation for life. This branch of science is responsible for helping nurses understand life so that it can be maintained. Biology contributes to the existence of humankind in numerous ways.
Nurses must learn to make the connection between biology to understand disease so that they can learn to protect the lives of their patients. Biology is a complex subject to understand but it is imperative to becoming a successful nurse. Understanding how life begins and ends is very instrumental in helping nurses determine treatment options that can help patients maintain their dignity and independence.
What is Biology in Nursing School?
Biology courses teach nursing students about life. The study of life is the focus of these courses. These courses help nurses to classify organisms into categories. The magnificent thing about biology is that it covers content from various other sub-disciplines rather than focus on organisms from just one category. This is important to nurses as they try to understand how illnesses affect the human body.
The foundation of biology consists of understanding gene theory, the concept that tiny particles known as DNA determine the make up of an organism that passes from parent to offspring; cell theory, the belief that life comes from units know as cells; homeostasis, the belief that organisms contain complex processes that protect it from the effects of the environment; and evolution, the belief that life is not random but rather it evolves from natural selection and random mutations.
Nursing student use biology to help them view all aspects of a patient’s life to determine treatment options based on their entire biological make up. Genetic factors play an important role in the biological make up of a patient so nurses need to have a firm grasp of this concept to provide effective patient care.
How Nurses Use Biology on the Job
Nurses use biology on their jobs every day. They must first identify genetic factors that may affect their patients. Nurses usually require that patients complete a survey on their medical history that includes information about their family history as well. Knowing this information can be very instrumental in helping nurses determine treatment options and ruling out certain medical conditions.
Nurses also use biology when it comes to prescribing certain medications to patients. It is their job to pay close attention to the prescriptions that doctors prescribe the patients and check the patient’s medical information to ensure that they are not allergic to certain medications or that the medications counteract with an existing prescription. Nurses also depend on biology to determine drug calculations to administer patient’s medications. It is so easy to make a simple mistake when biology is not a strongpoint for nurses.
Nurses also need to know about biology to sit for the nursing examination to become registered nurses. Biology helps nurses understand content related to the lymphatic system, respiratory system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, and more.
Nurses also need to understand biology to maintain homeostasis in the human body. Disease and illnesses arise when the body is not in a balanced state. Nurses use their expertise in disease, illnesses, and the human body to restore the balance in the body so that patients can regain their good health and independence.
They also use biology to determine the course of disease and illnesses in the future. It is a belief the evolution plays a role in the development of life. It is the responsibility of nursing professionals to determine what changes they need to make to the patient’s care plan to ensure that these patients receive the proper care needed.
Tips of How to Study for Biology in Nursing School
Studying for biology exams can help nursing students prepare for their future nursing positions. Here are a few tips that can help nursing student meet success in their courses.
- Break down the vocabulary so that it is easy to understand. Nursing students should study medical prefixes and suffixes to help them identify the meanings of words.
- Build on concepts. It is important to understand prior biology concepts before studying new ones. Nursing students should build until they have a strong foundation in biology.
- Utilize lab information. Nursing students should study all of the notes that they learn in their labs and apply this information while studying.
- Conduct online research. Students should search the web for additional information that can make learning biology much easier. Amazon.com has many great study guides for this class.
Nursing courses can be a challenge, but they are well worth the hard work. Biology courses help nursing students make sense of the biological concepts that comprise the nursing profession. Learning biology takes nursing students one step closer to helping patients gain their independence.
Sheri Young says
I have taken Bio 101 3 times and failed each time. the first 2 were in my freshman year in 93. the 3rd was 10 years later. it now 6 years after the 3rd and Im giving it another try. This time Im doing it on line. Is this something you would be against?
S.L. Page says
Hey Sheri,
Welcome to the site 🙂 and thanks for your question! I think online classes are great. I actually took a couple while I was in nursing school and found them to be much easier than the lecture courses. Here is why:
Online courses allow this:
1.) You can learn at your own speed. In lecture courses the professor tends to cover 10 chapters in two weeks and you’re expected to know it all for an exam at the end of those two weeks (which is very tough). In an online course you can study at your own speed and take the exam when you’re ready (usually).
2.) In some online courses the professor records lectures for the online students to watch. If this is done you can listen to the lecture repeatedly until you understand it and this will help you learn. I found this very useful for my pathophysiology course.
3.) I highly, highly recommend you invest in a study guide book that compliments your biology book. I, at first, was against buying study guides because I had already spent so much money on the lecture book but when I started having difficulty in a class I decided to try one out. They are lifesavers because they highlight the material you will be tested on in the exams.
Things you have to watch out for with online classes:
1.) Make sure you have the motivation and you’re organized. Since you won’t be commuting and having to attend lecture you will have to keep up with due dates of projects, discussion boards, quizzes, and papers.
2.) Don’t procrastinate. Since the online class allows you to learn at your own speed some people procrastinate and put everything off until the end of the semester which is very overwhelming.
Sheri, I say give it a try. You will probably find it a lot better and easier. Are you taking Biology as a pre-requisite to get into nursing school?
I hope I helped you and thanks for the question. I love getting them and trying to help others! If you have a facebook, twitter, or any other social media be sure to friend me or follow me….I would like to keep in touch!
Sarah