What Are the Prerequisites for Nursing School?

This course studies the structure and functions of the human body and introduces students to basic terminology. Topics include the human skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems, and the impact of diseases on certain systems. Students learn to use lab equipment, prepare lab reports, and conduct research and dissection projects. The advanced course covers the human cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems. Students must take laboratory courses concurrently with lectures.

General biology covers the five kingdoms of life, cell structures, taxonomy and reproduction, evolution, ecology, and an introduction to genetics. Introductory biology courses provide nurses with key foundational knowledge. General biology courses also require a laboratory component, which allows students to gain experience handling biological samples.

Microbiology focuses on the study of organisms that are not visible to the naked eye (microorganisms), such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Courses in microbiology instruct potential nurses on the classification of microorganisms, reproduction of pathogens, the chain of infection, immunology, and human disease. Understanding the behavior of microorganisms and the diseases they can cause provides nurses with insight into how to control and avoid the spread of infection. These courses often include a lab requirement that helps nurses identify and eliminate dangerous microorganisms.

Nurses must study chemistry to understand processes in the human body at the cellular level. Chemistry courses introduce prospective registered nurses (RNs) to the structures and properties of atoms, ions, molecules, and biological substances and mixtures (both inorganic and organic). The courses teach students how to write balanced chemical equations for reactions of inorganic, organic, and biological substances. Often taken concurrently with lectures, laboratory components focus on analyzing and reporting experimental data.

Most associate and bachelor’s programs require two semesters of English composition or a similar writing course. Students typically take these courses in the first two semesters. Writing and communication skills form an important part of nursing students’ training. These skills enable nurses to convey information clearly and objectively to patients, physicians, and other healthcare providers. Courses often cover writing skills, such as sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation, critical thinking, and practice in writing research reports.

This course, often included among the prerequisites for RN programs, presents an overview of human growth from conception to death and how human beings change over the course of their lifespan. Course topics explore biosocial, cognitive, and psychological development at each life stage, emphasizing the connections between heredity and environmental factors.

Nutrition prerequisites provide a strong grounding in nutritional science and an understanding of the dietary principles that impact the quality of patient care. A basic nutrition course introduces nursing students to the principles of nutrition and nutritional requirements as they relate to changing health needs across the lifespan. Coursework examines food choices and health-related behaviors, prevention of chronic disease, food safety, nutrition challenges in underrepresented communities, and nutrition-related applications in public health settings.

Introductory general psychology explores the basic principles that form the science of psychology. This course focuses on topics like human growth and development, behavior, learning, memory, and intelligence. Course content includes research methods and psychological testing, neuroscience, personality theory and behavioral approaches, social psychology, and psychological disorders and therapeutic treatments.

Knowledge of statistics helps nurses apply evidence-based practice to patient care delivery. The course prepares students to identify patterns in vital signs and symptoms, adjust the dosage of medications, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments. Statistics courses also introduce students to the science of collecting, analyzing, and making conclusions from data. Nursing students gain a working understanding of terms, such as mean, median, and mode, and concepts, such as validity and reliability, which are necessary to evaluate research.